If you were VIRTUS trained in another diocese and want to see if your records are eligible to be transferred to Austin, contact the Help Desk Team ([email protected]) and let them know your previous diocese and you would like your records to be transferred to Austin. You must have taken an in-person Protecting God's Children workshop in the past to be eligible for transfer.
Who will email me if I am due to update my training or authorize a background check?
Use these instructions to log in to your VIRTUS.org account to check your compliance or to create a first-time user account.
I am brand new to the EIM process
Welcome! Click this link to begin the registration process with Austin.
Go through the registration process (appx. 5 minutes) and sign up for a live training workshop. You will see a list of workshops once you register. You need to attend a workshop within 30 days.
The live training workshop is about 3-hours long and trains you to spot and report abuse as well as how to establish healthy boundaries. A live training is required for all individuals new to the EIM process.
I need Refresher Training or I need to authorize a Background Check
Once you are logged in, look at the My Info Box to verify that all profile information is up-to-date, and look at the Compliance Summary Box to view your most recent workshop/training date and background check date (both must be within 3 years to be compliant).
If you are due for a refresher training, once logged on, click on the link in the Current Training Box to begin the training. The online refresher is about 80 minutes long. Please do not attempt to “fast forward” or “speed up” the refresher, as this will cause a glitch and you will need to restart.
If you are due to authorize a background check, once logged in, you will be prompted to verify your date of birth and driver’s license and then sign a background check authorization. If you do not have a driver's license, please fill in eight 0’s (ex: 00000000). Once you have signed the background check, you will then be able to view your Home Tab on VIRTUS.org. Background checks usually take around 2 business days to be completed.
Both the in-person and online training include frank discussions of sexual abuse.
If you have experienced sexual abuse and have concerns about viewing this training, please contact the EIM Office at (512) 949-2447 or [email protected] to discuss alternative training.
Guidance and Good Practice
If your EIM compliance is current, you will not be prompted to do anything at this time. Two months before your training/background check expiration date, you will be prompted via email to log in to VIRTUS.org and complete the training/background authorization form to avoid a lapse in compliance.
You will only do the 3-hour live training workshop one time. After that, you will take the online refresher every three years to maintain compliance. You will be prompted every 3 years via email to complete the refresher.
Background checks are required every three years for all clergy, religous men/women, candidates for ordination, staff, and volunteers who serve in ministries which require EIM Compliance. Once authorized, background checks are conducted through the EIM Office by SPIS Investigations.
Always keep your email address and contact info current in your EIM account and check your email regularly to make sure you do not miss any prompts from VIRTUS.
If you had an account through eApps, your account was transferred to VIRTUS. Please email [email protected]for your login info.
If you need a hard copy of your Compliance Summary, when logged in, click on the Compliance Summary Box. You can print this page for your records.
Criminal History Record checks and a letter of suitability are required for visiting priests (from the US and internationally). Contact Sylvia Gonzalez for information and instructions.
Temporarily-assigned priests are required to be EIM Compliant.
EIM stands for Ethics and Integrity in Ministry. We are the safe environment department for the diocese.
If you ever have a question regarding EIM, please reach out! Our email is [email protected] and our number is (512) 949-2447.
Thank you for helping us protect all God’s children from harm.