Each staff and volunteer is responsible for bringing to the YMCA’s attention any circumstances that the individual believes constitutes an act of misconduct, including any apparent or suspected violations involving the YMCA’s policies and procedures. The information below outlines the steps that our Y will take to report and investigate potentially inappropriate behaviors.

See Something, Say Something

• Report concerns to Y staff
• Call the YMCA Safety Line (313)309-1098
  • (This is a voicemail. Please leave a message and The Y will get back to you.)
• Email RiskManagement@ymcadetroit.org
• If you are not comfortable making the report directly, make it anonymously through our 3^rd party hotline-
  • Call Syntrio Lighthouse (833) 203-6459 (English speaking toll free) OR (800) 216-1288 (Spanish speaking toll free)
  • Online Reporting Tool

Reporting Inappropriate Behaviors between Staff/Volunteers and Youth

In the event that a staff or volunteer observe red-flag or inappropriate behaviors and/or policy violations by other staff or volunteers, it is their professional and personal responsibility to immediately report their observations in accordance with the Y’s reporting procedures.  Remember, at our Y, the policies apply to everyone.

The following are examples of red-flag or inappropriate behaviors that all staff and volunteers are required to report:

• Any violation of the Y’s abuse prevention policies
• Seeking unauthorized private time or one-on-one time with youth
• Seeing or visiting with a youth outside of scheduled programing
• Buying gifts for individual youth
• Sending unauthorized electronic communications through text messaging, social media, online gaming, etc.
• Making suggestive comments to youth
• Showing favoritism towards a youth or type of youth
• Youth disclosing that an employee or volunteer makes them feel uncomfortable

All reports of suspicious or inappropriate behavior with youth will be taken seriously.  Our procedures will be carefully followed to ensure that the rights of all those involved are protected.

If staff or volunteers witness suspicious or inappropriate behaviors or policy violations from another staff or volunteer, the individual is instructed to do the following:

• Interrupt the behavior.
• Report the behavior to a supervisor, director, or other authority.
  •  If you are not comfortable making the report directly, make it anonymously through our 3^rd party hotline-
    • Syntrio Lighthouse (833) 203-6459 (English speaking toll free) OR (800) 216-1288 (Spanish speaking toll free)
    • Online reporting tool
•  If the report is about a supervisor or administrator, contact the next level of management.
•  Complete an internal report but do not conduct an investigation.
•  Keep reporting until the appropriate action is taken.

Supervisor Response

In the event that a director or Y leadership receives a report of suspicious or inappropriate behaviors or policy violations from a staff, volunteer, youth or parent/guardian the director is instructed to do the following:

• Report to the next level supervisor or administrator.
• Report to Association Risk Management team.
• Speak with the staff or volunteer who has been reported.
• Review the file of the staff or volunteer to determine if similar complaints were reported.
• Determine the appropriate response based on the report.
  • Take into consideration factors such as:
    • Context and severity of red-flag or inappropriate behavior or policy violation
    • History of red-flag or inappropriate behavior or policy violation
    • Trainability of staff or volunteer
• Document as an incident report in Origami.
• If at any point in gathering information about a report of red-flag or inappropriate behavior, a concern arises about possible abuse, contact the state authorities and file a report.
• If appropriate, notify parents/guardians.
• Advise the person who reported the behavior that the report is being taken seriously.

Based on the information gathered, the following may be required:

1. Increase monitoring or supervision of the staff, volunteer, and/or program.
2. If policy violations with youth(s) are confirmed, the staff or volunteer must be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination and prosecution. 
3. If more information is needed, interview and/or survey other staff and volunteers or youth.

Organizational Response

After the internal review of the red-flag or inappropriate behaviors or policy violations, determine if system changes are necessary, such as:

1. Review the need for increased supervision.
2. Review the need for revised policies or procedures.
3. Review the need for additional training.

Reporting Suspected Abuse by an Adult

As required by mandated reporting laws, staff and volunteers must report any suspected abuse or neglect of a youth—whether on or off Y property or whether perpetrated by staff, volunteers, or others—to state authorities. Reports may be made confidentially or anonymously. A person who mistakenly reports suspected abuse is immune from civil or criminal liability as long as the report was made in good faith and without malice. *Refer to Michigan’s specific mandated reporting requirements for more information.

In addition to reporting to state authorities, staff and volunteers are required to report any suspected or known abuse of youth perpetrated by staff or volunteers directly to the Y leadership so that immediate and proper steps may be taken to ensure the safety of alleged victims and others who may be at risk. Reports of suspected or known abuse may be made confidentially to the following:

1. Immediate supervisor
2. Directors
3. Executive Leadership
4. Use our anonymous reporting tool.

Additional guidelines for staff and volunteers response to incidents or allegations of abuse:

• If you witness abuse, safely interrupt the behavior immediately.
• If abuse is disclosed to you, assure the individual disclosing that he or she was correct to tell you.
• Protect the alleged victim from intimidation, retribution, or further abuse to the extent possible.
• Immediately report the allegation or incident to the proper organization authorities (based on mandatory reporting requirements) and the designated authority. 
• Be sure to document the incident, disclosure, or any circumstances causing your suspicion of abuse according to incident reporting and documentation requirements.  State only the facts.
• It is not your job to investigate the incident, but it is your job to report the incident to your supervisor in a timely manner.
• Check back to make sure appropriate steps were taken. If not, report again to your supervisor or the designated organization authority. 

Supervisor Response

In addition to the above response procedures, supervisors and administrators should ensure the following:

• First, determine if the youth is still in danger and if so, take immediate steps to prevent any further harm.
• If receiving a report from an staff or volunteer, be sure to verify they have followed mandated reporting requirements or will follow immediately after making an internal report.
• Report to Association Risk Management team.
• Report to any applicable external licensing or governing bodies.
• Gather as much information about the allegation as you can.  For example, who made the report, who was allegedly abused, who was the alleged abuser, what was the nature of the alleged abuse, where and when did the alleged abuse occur, etc.
• Accurately record everything you learn in as much detail as you can in Origami.  Remember your notes may be read by others.  Stick to the facts. 
• Contact the appropriate local authorities as indicated by Michigan’s mandatory reporting procedures.  Make sure you get a case number and the name and contact information of the person with whom you speak at the reporting agency.
• If the alleged abuse involves an staff or volunteer, notify your crisis management team and follow your crisis management plan. 
• Suspend the accused staff or volunteer until the investigation is completed.
• Ensure that parents/guardians are notified (when applicable).
• Deploy communication plan.
• Provide resources for victims, families, and other stakeholders.

Organizational Response

After the internal review of the alleged abuse, determine if system changes are necessary, such as:

• Review the need for increased supervision.
• Review the need for revised policies or procedures.
• Review the need for additional training.

Reporting Youth-to-Youth Sexual Abuse and Sexualized Behaviors

The thought that one youth may sexually abuse another youth does not occur to many people. Unfortunately, abuse between peers has increased 300% in the past few years. Youth-to-youth sexual activity and sexualized behaviors often remain unreported in organizations because staff and volunteers are not comfortable documenting these situations, or may not know how.

Youth-to-Youth Interactions

Most serious incidents of youth-to-youth abuse are preceded by more subtle incidents such as name-calling, taunting, or roughhousing. Interrupting these interactions early and establishing and communicating standards of conduct can keep the Y environment safe. Our Y recognizes that the following interactions are high risk and should be prohibited:

• Hazing
• Bullying
• Derogatory name-calling
• Games of truth or dare
• Singling out one youth for different treatment
• Ridicule or humiliation

In order to adequately respond to and track incidents within the Y, all sexual activity between youth and sexualized behaviors of youth must be consistently documented.

Youth-to-youth sexual behaviors can include inappropriate touching, exposing body parts, using sexualized language, making threats of sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity, and similar types of interactions. 

If staff or volunteers witness youth-to-youth sexual behaviors that are contrary to defined behavioral expectations between youth, they are instructed to follow these guidelines:

• If you observe sexual activity between youth, you should safely separate them as soon as possible.
• Calmly explain that such interactions are not permitted.
• Notify your supervisor.
• Complete the necessary documentation in Origami, including what you observed and how you responded.
• Follow your supervisor’s instructions regarding notifying the authorities and informing the parents/guardians of the youth involved.
  • Do not attempt to determine whether the youth’s behavior was “sexual curiosity”. There is not a standard definition of what normal sexual curiosity looks like. An external body, such as law enforcement, utilizes criteria to investigate and determine whether the consumer’s behavior is sexual curiosity.
• If the problem is recurring, additional action may be required including not allowing one or both youth to return to the program. 
• Identify how youth will be managed or supported to prevent further occurrences of sexual activity (i.e., safety or behavioral plans including additional supervision requirements).

Supervisor Response

In the event that a director or Y leader receives a report of a youth’s sexualized behavior or youth-to-youth sexual activity, the director should do the following:

• Meet with the staff or volunteer who reported the sexual activity to gather additional information.
• Confirm that the youth involved have been separated or placed under increased supervision.
• Notify the proper authorities.
• Review the incident report to confirm it is accurately and thoroughly completed.
• Meet with parents/guardians of the youth involved (when applicable).
• Review the immediate steps taken by the staff or volunteer who initially responded.
• Determine what additional actions should be taken to ensure there is not a recurrence.
• In some cases, youth behavior can be managed through a safety or behavior management plan.
• Develop a written corrective action or follow-up plan in response to the incident.

Based on the information gathered, the following may be required:

• Assessing the suitability of the program for the youth involved
• Review the need for additional participant or program supervision
• Review the need for revised policies or procedures
• Review the need for additional staff or volunteer training
• Review the need for additional youth education
• Alert others in the organization 

Organizational Response

After the internal review of the sexualized behavior or youth-to-youth sexual activity, determine if system changes are necessary, such as:

• Review the need for increased supervision.
• Review the need for revised policies or procedures.
• Review the need for additional training.