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Frequently Asked Questions & Answers What is the Counseling Assistance Fund?The Counseling Assistance Fund is a new resource to support counseling or similar mental health services for adults who were sexually abused as minors by clergy or other representatives of the Catholic Church. How is this fund different from existing forms of help for survivors of sexual abuse?It allows survivors of abuse to access counseling through a process independent of the Church. Who is eligible to submit a claim?Any person who resided in Ohio at the time of the abuse, and who claims that he or she was sexually abused by any of the following:
Who may not submit a Claim?Any person who has:
A person who elects to file a claim with the Counseling Assistance Fund is not eligible to make a claim or receive assistance from a Diocesan Victim Assistance Program. Where can a person find information about making a claim?Information is available online at www.counselingassistancefund.org. A person who does not have access to the web can call any of the Fund's Counseling Claims Administrators. Click here for a list of Counseling Claims Administrators and their contact information. Who decides if a claim will be paid?A Claims Award Panel. According to the terms of the Counseling Assistance Fund, the Claims Award Panel consists of the following members: One person appointed by Lawrence Belskis, Senior Judge of the Franklin County Probate Court. The person appointed to this position is: Michael Close (retired judge, Franklin County Court of Appeals), Attorney, Wiles, Boyle, Burkholder, and Bringardner. One person appointed by Yvette McGee Brown, President, Center for Child and Family Advocacy, Columbus, OH. The person appointed to this position is Kim Davis, Administrative Director of Behavioral Health, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH. The third Claims Award Panel member will be selected by Michael Close and Kim Davis. The person appointed to this position is Dr. James Gebhart, Clinical Psychologist, Methodist Minister, Columbus, OH. How does a person make a claim?A person makes a claim by completing a Claim Form and submitting it to one of the Counseling Claims Administrators listed at the end of the Claim Form. A Claim Form may be downloaded from the web (click here to download form), or obtained by mail by calling any of the Counseling Claims Administrators. Is there a time limit for applying?The final date to submit claims is May 15, 2008. Is the claim restricted by how long ago the abuse occurred?It makes no difference how long ago the act(s) of abuse occurred. The only requirement is that the person must file a claim within the 18 month period of time. If an award is made, how is the amount of the award decided?The Claims Award Panel will decide the dollar amount of the award based upon information submitted in the Claim Form. How long will the Fund pay for a person's counseling?An award is a fixed dollar amount. The Trustee of the Counseling Assistance Fund will continue to pay the individual's bill for services until the amount of the award is expended, until the individual terminates counseling, or until the service provider determines that no further benefit to the individual will be accomplished. Who chooses the service provider?The service provider is selected by the individual who receives the award. The only requirement is that the service provider must be licensed by an appropriate state board or agency in the state in which the award recipient lives. When a person receives an award, how is the service provider paid?The service provider submits invoices to Fifth Third Bank, Central Ohio, Trustee of the Fund. The Trustee pays the bill for counseling services. Who created the Counseling Assistance Fund?The Catholic Bishops, through the Catholic Conference of Ohio, contributed a total of $3 million to create the Fund. Are all Catholic dioceses in Ohio participating in this program?Yes. The Catholic Conference of Ohio is composed of the six Roman Catholic dioceses in the state – Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Steubenville, Toledo, and Youngstown – along with the Parma Byzantine Eparchy, the Romanian Catholic Diocese of Canton and the Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of Parma. All of them support the Counseling Assistance Fund. Do Catholic parishes have information about the Fund?Yes. Each parish in Ohio received informational materials about the fund. Why is the Church offering this type of service?The Church is committed to helping those who have been harmed as a result of sexual abuse by representatives of the Church. According to mental health professionals, counseling is a vital component of the healing process for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The Church recognizes, however, that there are persons who are reluctant to contact the Church for help. This new Fund will provide the opportunity for persons to be considered for counseling through a process independent of the Church. What other services does the Church provide for persons who have been abused?Each diocese in Ohio has a Victim Assistance Coordinator. This person is available to help anyone who wishes to report an allegation of abuse by a member of the clergy, church employee or volunteer. The Victim Assistance Coordinator can also help the individual obtain pastoral or clinical care to begin the process of healing from abuse. The Victim Assistance Coordinators are:
What is the Church doing to prevent further occurrences of abuse?Each diocese has established its own awareness and prevention program based on requirements outlined in the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, issued in 2002 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. These "Safe Environment Programs" go by various names (e.g., Protecting God's Children). In accordance with the Charter, full-time and part-time employees and volunteers of the Catholic Church who, in their daily responsibilities, work directly with children, must attend the Safe Environment Program. These persons also are subject to a mandatory background check. The persons responsible for Safe Environment Programs are:
What is the role of the Catholic Conference of Ohio?The Conference represents the Church's position before various state departments, bureaus, agencies and other organizations. The Conference also provides facilitation, coordination and joint programming for diocesan groups involved in various Church ministries. |
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