Applying for Virtus Certification for the First Time?  Please Review All the Instructions Below Before Beginning the Process.

Each coach or other adult (i.e, any person 18 years of age or older) having substantial contact with CYO youth prior to beginning his/her duties MUST become Virtus certified by completing the following five steps (in the order below):

I. Register with Virtus Online at www.virtusonline.org/virtus/reg_0.cfm?theme=0.  When you register under the "Begin the registration process" button, use Washington, DC (Archdiocese) under the dropdown list, and register under "St. Jane Frances de Chantal (202) Bethesda," not the nonworking "St. Jane de Chantal School (Bethesda)" account).  You will need to create a UserID and Password, making sure during the process you review and acknowledge reading the Code of Conduct AND answer the question about Contact with Minors.  

AND AT THE SAME TIME, under the "View a list of sessions" button (again using Washington, DC (Archdiocese) under the dropdown list), enroll for a mandatory online Child Protection Workshop (see Step IV below).  Child Protection Workshop session registration can also be reached by clicking on "Child Protection & Safe Environment" at www.adw.org and scrolling down to "Child Protection Training."  

(IMPORTANT NOTE: The name under which you register for Virtus should be your legal name as it appears on your identification documents (per Step VI below), should match the name you provide on the Volunteer Application Form (per Step II below) and the Livescan fingerprinting application (per Step III below), and should be the name that you always use on Virtus.  Also, to ensure your fingerprinting results (per Step III below) are sent to the Archdiocese of Washington (ADW), you must create a Virtus account before being fingerprinted.

II. Complete the Volunteer Application Form, which is available for download/printing at https://adw.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Appendix-C-VOLUNTEER-APPLICATION.pdf. 

III. Make a Fingerprinting Appointment with a Fingerprinting Agency/Firm, per this list that provides information links and locations for Maryland Criminal Justice Information System, local governmental, and private fingerprinting services, and have your fingerprints taken.  (Please note:  Montgomery County police stations do not offer fingerprinting services.)  In the District, call the Police Department at (202) 727-4409.  Fingerprinting checks done previously for other organizations/groups (e.g., state or federal employment, other youth sports groups) will not fulfill this requirement. 

To ensure successful completion of the fingerprinting process:

A.  Call to confirm that (1) a fingerprint technician is available when you plan to visit the fingerprinting agency/firm; and (2) both State and Federal Livescan screening will be done.

B.  Bring each of the following to your fingerprinting appointment:

1.  Your completed Livescan Pre-Registration Application form, which includes the required Archdiocese of Washington (ADW) Authorization Number.  If you are being fingerprinted in the State of Maryland, you should use this Livescan form, which includes all the ADW information and is a the .pdf fillable form that you should be able to open/complete/print if you have either the Adobe Pro or Adobe Reader programs on your computer.  (If you are being fingerprinted in the District of Columbia, please ask about the Livescan form when you call (202) 727-4409 to inquire about fingerprinting.)  Please note that it is important to (a)  complete all the information boxes on the top half of the form; and (b) use a form that has the ADW information to ensure your information is sent to the ADW Virtus office for review.  (Failure to use a Livescan form with the ADW information may require that the fingerprinting process be redone.)  

2.  A valid form of government-issued identification (e.g., driver’s license, certificate of naturalization, passport, or military identification).

3.  The fee to submit and process your fingerprints, which may vary from $50 to $75, depending on the fingerprinting agency/firm.  (You should check on the fee amount when calling for an appointment.)  Major credit cards and checks generally are accepted.  Cash and money orders generally are not accepted at state-operated fingerprinting centers. 

C.  Please promptly e-mail/snail mail a copy of the receipt you should receive from the fingerprinting firm indicating you have been fingerprinted to Parish Compliance Coordinator (PCC) Ana Hernandez at the address below.  This will help to track your fingerprinting process if any questions arise.  (Note;  If you are seeking certification through St. Jane School Compliance Coordinator Catherine Thomsheck per the note below, please send your fingerprinting receipt to her at the school.)

IV.  Attend an Online Child Protection Workshop (see registration information under Step I above) and obtain an Attendance Certificate from the Workshop.

V.  After downloading and reviewing the CPP Booklet at https://adw.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/07/19Policy-ChildProtection-FINAL.pdf, review and sign the Child Protection Policy Receipt Acknowledgment page (a .pdf fillable form), which can also be found in the CPP Booklet at Appendix E, page 56.  

VI.  Review and sign the Code of Conduct Acknowledgment pages from the CPP Booklet (a .pdf fillable form), which also can be found in the CPP booklet at Appendix F, pages 69-70.

VII.  Once you have completed Steps I, II, III, IV, V, and VI, provide PCC Ana Hernandez with your volunteer application (Step II), Workshop attendance certificate (Step IV), CPP Booklet Acknowledgement Page (Step V), and Code of Conduct Acknowledgment Page (Step VI).  Additionally, you will need to provide one form of identification, per this list of acceptable forms of identification, for identification verification purposes.  Using the contact information below, you can provide these items (including the proof of ID) to Ms. Hernandez by either (a) making an appointment to come to the St. Jane Rectory and present these items in person; or (b) sending her copies by mail/fax/e-mail.  

Please note:  If you do not complete these steps within 60 days of establishing your VIRTUS account (Step I), your VIRTUS account will be subject to inactivation/deletion.  Should this occur, contact PCC Ana Hernandez at 301-530-1550 or parish.office@stjanedechantal.org.


This checklist, which can be downloaded/printed, also provides a detailed, step-by-step outline of the Virtus CPP certification process. 
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​PCC Contact Information:

Parish Compliance Coordinator:  Ana Hernandez

Phone: 301-530-1550

Fax:  301-493-8953

E-mail address:  parish.office@stjanedechantal.org            

Mailing/Delivery Address:  Parish Office, 9701 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-1795

NOTE to St. Jane School Parents:  You can also make arrangements to complete Step VII during school hours by contacting St. Jane School Compliance Coordinator Bridget Vicari at bvicari@dechantal.org or 301-530-1221 ext. 636.  

Last Updated:  July 25, 2024