As parents, safety is always our top priority. That’s why it’s great to see the YMCA of Greater Birmingham earn Praesidium Accreditation®, proving their commitment to child protection and abuse prevention.
The YMCA of Greater Birmingham has been awarded Praesidium Accreditation® by Praesidium, the leader in abuse risk management. Praesidium Accreditation® is a prestigious honor that publicly demonstrates the organization has worked to achieve the highest industry standards in abuse prevention.
To achieve Accreditation, the YMCA of Greater Birmingham underwent a rigorous process to implement Praesidium’s Accreditation Standards focusing on eight primary operational areas within their business: policies, screening and selection, training, monitoring and supervision, consumer participation, internal feedback systems, responding, and administrative practices. Praesidium then verified YMCA of Greater Birmingham’s successful implementation of these standards. The Y will be accredited for three years, and during this time will commit to uphold fundamental organizational values and stringent safety practices that demonstrate their commitment to protecting those in their care from abuse.
Praesidium Accreditation® provides solid proof of sound risk management practices and the honor distinguishes Organization Name from others in their industry. “We are pleased to send the message that we will not compromise the safety of those in our care—for any reason,” said Rhonda Elmore, Vice President of Youth Development. As an entire organization, we are dedicated and committed to proactively keeping those in our care safe from sexual abuse.”
About Praesidium: Praesidium specializes in preventing sexual abuse in organizations that serve youth and vulnerable adults. Over a period in excess of 30 years, the company has reviewed over 4,000 cases of abuse within organizations to determine the root causes of sexual abuse within organizational settings. Praesidium employs more than 50 staff, including licensed social workers, lawyers, health care researchers, and other experts. The company has served over 5,000 clients with a broad range of products and services to aid organizations in preventing abuse, including online and instructor–led trainings, organizational risk assessments, model policies, and background checks. Having trained more than one million people online and hundreds of thousands in person, Praesidium is the largest and most comprehensive sexual abuse risk management firm globally.
About the YMCA of Greater Birmingham: The YMCA of Greater Birmingham is a charitable organization dedicated to making our community a healthier place to live. Throughout the Greater Birmingham area, the Y is engaged in every neighborhood, nurturing the potential of children and teens, improving the community’s health and well-being, and providing opportunities to give back and support others. That’s why we focus on our work in three areas: Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility. Learn more about the YMCA of Greater Birmingham at ymcabham.org
