The Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis is committed to welcoming and protecting all people who participate in our parishes and diocesan life. Misconduct by anyone associated with our diocese, whether clergy, lay leaders staff or others, violates the mission of the church, and will not be tolerated. Our policy is based off of The Episcopal Safe Church, Safe Communities policy published by the Episcopal Church.

Announcements

2026 Annual Safe Church Audit Form is Open! – Due June 1

The IndyDio Safe Church policies require that all churches and organizations within the diocese complete a self-audit once a year to assess their compliance with the requirements set forth by those policies. Last year was the first year that the Diocese of Indianapolis coordinated a Safe Church audit of this kind, and this year’s audit, while similar, has been adjusted slightly in format based on feedback from those who participated in 2025.

The online 2026 Safe Church Audit should be completed by a church’s priest or senior warden; in the case of an affiliated organization, the audit should be completed by the director. Whomever fills out the audit form should do so in cooperation with the church/organization’s Safe Church administrator if that is someone other than themself. If you have any questions about the audit form, please reach out to safechurch@indydio.org. Forms should be submitted no later than Monday, June 1, 2026.

Click Here to Access the 2026 Safe Church Audit

IndyDio Policy Module & Digital Signature

The IndyDio Safe Church Policies require that those getting their Safe Church certification provide a signature to indicate that they have received and understood a copy of the policies document. While this signature can be obtained by Safe Church administrators on paper, many choose to collect these signatures digitally using the Praesidium module titled: “Policies: Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis (ENG)”.

Click Here to Access the IndyDio Policy Module

To provide your digital signature, click the button above and provide your Praesidium Academy log-in information; if you do not yet have a Praesidium Academy account, reach out to your congregation’s Safe Church administrator. Once in the course, take your time on each page – if you rush through the course, the system will not count it on your transcript. To know if you have spent enough time on each page, check to see if the three dots on the left side of the screen are green, as shown below.

New Resource – Direct Links to Safe Church Courses on Praesidium

In the hope of creating an easier pathway to Safe Church certification, an informative PDF has been created to provide context for what Safe Church certification is, who needs it, and what screening and course modules may be required depending on a leader’s role. This resource includes direct links to all Safe Church modules (both in English and Spanish). Please be aware that you must already have a Praesidium Academy learner account in order for the links to work; if you need to set up an account, please reach out to your parish’s Safe Church administrator.

Safe Church Information PDF w/ Direct Links to Modules

Some building users and/or key holders from external organizations may prefer to take non-religious course alternatives instead of the Safe Church, Safe Communities curriculum. The course links for secular course alternatives can be found at the button below.

Secular Safe Church Course Alternatives

Webinar Recording of In-Person Training Information

In mid-January, Kelly hosted two training sessions for Safe Church administrators who were interested in coordinating in-person Safe Church trainings for leaders in their organizations. There is a recording of this information for those who were unable to attend last month. Click here to see the video recording of the webinar or feel free to peruse the powerpoint presentation used in the webinar by clicking here.

Safe Church Early Course Resets

Kelly has heard from several administrators over the past couple of months that when their leaders have attempted to complete their Safe Church courses ahead of their 3-year expiration dates, they have been unable to do so and/or the courses have not shown up on the leader’s transcript after they were completed. Kelly has been in communication with Praesidium Academy about this, and they have said that any organization whose leader(s) would like to take courses early must submit a request for those courses to be reset in the system. Please click this link to see an instructional flyer for how to do this; here is also a template course reset spreadsheet that you can use for any submissions. If you have questions or need assistance, please reach out to safechurch@indydio.org.

Safe Church Certification

As part of its commitment to preventing misconduct, the Diocese of Indianapolis requires all clergy and lay leaders, as well as anyone who cares for children or vulnerable adults to become Safe Church certified via screening and training; this often includes passing a background check and complete the online Safe Church, Safe Communities training curriculum through Praesidium Academy. Screening and course requirements are dependent on a leader’s role; for example, persons working with children and vulnerable adults will require additional coursework and screening than leaders who do not work closely with those populations. Appendix A of the policy has a chart showing what screening and courses are required depending on the person’s role and function. You can find IndyDio Safe Church FAQs here. Contact safechurch@indydio.org for assistance with background checks and online training.

Reporting

If you need to make a report about abuse or harassment that has happened within the church, please click here to email the intake officers for disciplinary matters. To learn more about the Episcopal Church’s clergy disciplinary process, visit the Title IV website.

As detailed in the diocesan Safe Church policy, anyone who has reason to suspect that abuse, neglect, or exploitation has taken place must contact the State of Indiana Department of Health and Human Services Child or Adult Protective Services.

Safe Church Administrator Information

Each parish in our diocese should have it’s own Safe Church Administrator to assist its parishioners with creating Praesidium Academy accounts, assigning appropriate courses, ordering background screenings, and following the diocesan Safe Church policies in all of their operations.

To prepare administrators for the online component of this important work, several resources are provided below. You can also contact safechurch@indydio.org to ask questions and receive help with Praesidium.

How-To Guides

• Visual Guide: How to Order a New Background Check (Administrators)
• Visual Guide: How to Initiate my Background Check (Parishioners)
• How to Reset Praesidium Courses & Course Reset Spreadsheet Template

Additional Resources

• Praesidium Screening Packages Infographic
• Direct Links to Course Modules (English & Spanish)
• Secular Safe Church Course Alternatives
• Safe Church Email Templates for Administrators
• 2025 Policy Change Webinar & Presentation Slides
• Safe Church Administrator Responsibilities Overview

Upcoming Trainings