PROVIDENCE — Efforts established in 2013 by the Diocese of Providence to strengthen financial accountability for its parishes and agencies will continue, according to diocesan officials.
In January 2013, the diocese established a financial accountability hotline for individuals to report potential financial fraud. Bishop Thomas J. Tobin approved the program after a review by the Diocesan Administrative Board, Finance Council and Council of Priests.
The service is designed to complement existing policies within the diocese that provide for fiscal accountability.
The hotline is monitored by the independent risk assessment company Navex Global: The Ethics and Compliance experts.
Any concerns relative to financial misconduct at the parish or diocesan level regarding any church, school or agency may be reported anonymously by calling the hotline’s toll free number, or filed online. Navex Global will field and process only financial information.
Following a review by Navex Global relative to the legitimacy of the information shared, the company will then forward their findings to the Diocesan Office of Planning and Financial Services.
Should the information received warrant additional action, the matter would then be guided according to existing diocesan procedures.
Diocesan officials stress that the hotline has not been implemented as a result of any particular problem; rather, it serves as a measure of fiscal prudence.
According to Oregon-based Navex Global, more than 2,400 organizations use their hotline and online reporting and case management services as a critical component of clients’ overall governance, risk and compliance efforts.
Some of its clients include the Archdioceses of Chicago, Baltimore and Indianapolis, as well as major Catholic universities such as Georgetown, Marquette and Loyola Marymount. Additionally, the company also has served several faith-based agencies, including Catholic Relief Services.
To share information, please call toll free 1.888.581.2145, or visit www.dioceseofprovidence.ethicspoint.com.
