Intake
Receiving Information
Any person having knowledge of possible misconduct by a clergyperson may provide the information to the Intake Officer. The information may be provided in virtually any form. (Title IV.6.2) The information may be submitted in writing, by electronic means (email or instant messaging), may be delivered orally in person or by telephone, or may be forwarded through another person (such as an adult assisting a minor or incapacitated adult).
In some cases the information is first provided to the Bishop or another Member of the Clergy in the Diocese, who are responsible to forward all such information to the Intake Officer. (Title IV.6.3)
The Intake Officer must be careful to document the information in written form as soon as possible and to preserve and protect any materials or documents that may have been provided to accompany the description of the alleged misconduct. (Title IV.6.4) If other witnesses are identified by the Complainant and interviewed, the Intake Officer also documents their information.
This documentation becomes the Intake file. It is a confidential file during the Intake and Investigation stages of response to a Complaint. The goal of the Church is to make it as convenient and easy as possible to forward such information to the Intake Officer, without unnecessary restrictions or bureaucratic obstacles. This is especially true for people who may be easily intimidated by the task of forwarding this kind of information to the Church or who may be psychologically or emotionally fragile.
Participants
As the information may be submitted in any form, the Intake Officer must effectively engage with the Complainant or other person providing the information. If the initial information comes in written form, the Intake Officer will interview the Complainant if at all possible. Interview techniques and resources are described in the Best Practices section. The Intake Officer will encourage the Complainant and each witness interviewed to provide the most detailed and complete accounts of the alleged incidents of misconduct they are capable of describing. It is essential that this information be documented without judging it to be true or not.
Members may be contacted by a congregation, news media, or by people who are just curious. Members should understand the process being implemented, but also understand the expectation of confidentiality during the initial stages of the process. Any information provided to the media or third parties should be coordinated under the authority of the Bishop. If someone who wants to make a claim of misconduct contacts Members, refer them in a caring manner to the Intake Officer without hearing their story. In other words, Members are not the spokesperson unless designated as such by the Bishop. One of a Member’s most important and helpful jobs it to know how to best refer people who reach out. Members may also need to be prepared to assist in offering a pastoral response.
Advisors should understand how the information was provided to the Intake Officer and the procedures of the Intake stage to help explain them to the Complainant, the clergyperson accused of misconduct, or whomever they are asked to advise. Advisors are not attorneys for anyone in the process, but rather are there to help the person being advised to understand it.
Investigators should know how the information of the case has been obtained and developed, and the role of the Intake Officer in assembling all relevant information and materials.
The Conciliator understand the means by which information has been obtained, including the limitations of the process, and all persons known to be involved or affected by the alleged misconduct.
