The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops established the National Review Board during their meeting in June of 2002. The functions of the Board were revised slightly and reconfirmed in June of 2004. The purpose of the National Review Board is to collaborate with the USCCB in preventing the sexual abuse of minors in the United States by persons in the service of the Church.
Functions of the National Review Board
- Advise the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People on matters of child and youth protection, specifically on policies and practices
- Review the work of the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection and make recommendations to its Director, assisting the Director in the development of resources for dioceses and eparchies
- Review, prior to publication, the annual report of the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection on implementing and maintaining the standards of the Charter and any recommendations that emerge from the report, providing its own assessment regarding its approval and publication to the Conference President
- Advise the Conference President on future members of the Board and future Directors of the Office;
- Advise the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People on the annual audit process prescribed in the Charter, including methods, scope, and personnel
- Alert and inform the appropriate parties of concerns that emerge from the above responsibilities that may run counter to the spirit of the Charter
- Consult as requested with the Conference President, the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, the Administrative Committee, and other USCCB or relevant Church entities on matters relating to the protection of children and young people from sexual abuse
- Make appropriate recommendations to prevent sexual abuse of minors
Recent Reports
- The 2019 Annual Report on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, produced by the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection (SCYP) in 2019, describes the progress of Catholic dioceses/eparchies in implementing victim assistance and child protection policies and programs in the United States, particularly those found within the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The audit process measures compliance with the articles of the Charter. The Statement of Episcopal Commitment and Essential Norms, found after the Charter within the same booklet, are not the purview of the audit. The Annual Report is based on an annual audit process, carried out between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019, by StoneBridge Business Partners.
- Special Report of the National Review Board to the Body of Bishops on the Sexual Abuse Crisis in the Church – November 13, 2018
- Recommendations from the National Review Board Addressing the Current Crisis specific to Restoring the Trust of the Faithful – November 13, 2018
- 2017 National Review Board Progress Report
- 2015 National Review Board Progress Report
- 2014 National Review Board Progress Report
*No report was provided in 2016.