Cardinal Roger Mahony has offered the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to be the first archdiocese to undergo a Follow-Up Review, assessing the implementation of the U.S. Bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

"It is extremely important that dioceses across the country continue to receive assistance and feedback on the implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," said Cardinal Mahony. "A Follow-Up Review would help strengthen 'safe environment' programs already in place, assess the spiritual outreach efforts for victims, provide for an annual public report on the progress made in implementing the standards of the Charter, and would lay the appropriate groundwork for a more comprehensive Effectiveness Audit in the future."

Like the Compliance Audit conducted in the Summer of 2003, the Follow-Up Review would be conducted by special teams commissioned and trained by the U.S. Bishops' Office of Child and Youth Protection. The office is headed by Kathleen McChesney, a former top official with the FBI. The Follow-Up Review would assess archdiocesan progress regarding:

---The various recommendations from the Audit Review of 2003;

---The special spiritual and pastoral outreach efforts for victims and families;

---The implementation of "safe environment" programs here within the Archdiocese;

---The production of a year 2004 Report on archdiocesan compliance with the Charter and the Norms; and

---The future development of appropriate mechanisms here in the Province of Los Angeles to audit adherence to policies, as called for in the Charter.

"Our archdiocese would collaborate with the Office for the Protection of Children and Young People to design a Review Instrument to assess progress on these important issues that could then be used in dioceses nationwide," said Cardinal Mahony. "We hope this offer finds favor with the national office and we are hopeful the Follow-Up Review could take place in September 2004."