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Child Protection

Safe Environment Program

The mission of the Archdiocese’s Safe Environment Program is to prevent and respond to any incidents of child sexual abuse. We are dedicated to insure the safety of children and young people who have been entrusted to our care in our parishes, schools, religious education classes and other programs.

We pursue this mission in three ways:

  1. By thoroughly screening and supervising all members of the clergy (priests and deacons), as well as all employees and volunteers who work with children and young people as part of their ministry.

  2. By providing appropriate training in recognizing and reporting child abuse to appropriate civil and Church authorities.

  3. By holding all members of the clergy, employees and volunteers who work with children and young people to Christ-centered and professional codes of conduct.

This website is a tool to allow any interested person an opportunity to explore our programs further or just get in touch with us. We welcome your comments and suggestions at all times.

To report an incident of child sexual abuse, please click here and fill out our on-line form. If there is an emergency, and you believe that a child is in imminent risk, please call 911, and then contact the New York State Hotline (1-800-342-3720). 

Our staff is also pleased to offer you whatever assistance or information you may need. Please feel free to send us a message through our Contact Us page.

Who We Are

  • Edward Mechmann, Esq., Director, 646-794-2807
  • Patrick McGuire, Assistant Director for Training, 845-485-4218
  • Kristin Gennerich, Administrator of Training and Office Manager, 646-794-2809
  • Alexis Carra-Tracey, Esq., Compliance Associate, 646-794-2832
  • Ana Tejada, Administrator of Background Checks, 646-794-2816
  • Naomi Razzo, Office Assistant, 646-794-2810
  • General Office Number: 646-794-2810

Prayer for the Work of this Program

We dedicate the work of this program to the protection of St. Joseph, the guardian of the redeemer of mankind. Please join us in offering this prayer to the husband of Mary and the step-father of Our Lord:

St. Joseph, God entrusted His greatest treasures, Mary and Jesus, to your protection. We now place our programs under your patronage. We ask you to pray for us, that we may create a safe environment for the children who have been entrusted to us. Please obtain for us the grace to lead these children to lives of virtue and love, and to guide them to the vocations that God has intended for them. Help us to be good role models and protectors for them, as you were for your family. We ask this in the name of your beloved spouse Mary, and your son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

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