Archdiocese of Chicago Appoints Leah Heffernan, MSW, LSW as Senior Director of the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth and Compliance
Chicago (Dec. 3, 2024) – The Archdiocese of Chicago announced the appointment of Leah Heffernan, MSW, LSW as senior director of the Office for the Protection of Children and Youth (OPCY) and Compliance, effective December 3, 2024. Heffernan returns to the Archdiocese of Chicago where she spent 18 years as the director of the Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review in OPCY. She most recently served as director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection for the Diocese of Joliet.
“We are pleased Leah Heffernan will bring her decades of experience back to the Archdiocese of Chicago,” said Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago. “There are few professionals with the level of expertise and commitment to protecting God’s children and healing survivors possessed by Leah Heffernan. These efforts are the top priority for the Archdiocese and she is equal to this critical task.”
In her role as senior director of OPCY, Heffernan will oversee the department that responds to allegations of abuse by church personnel and volunteers, helps victim-survivors throughout their healing journey, educates parents, students, caregivers and staff about child abuse and its prevention, and screens all employee and volunteer applicants. In her role as senior director, Heffernan will oversee the Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review, the Office of Assistance Ministry, the Safe Environment Office and the Prayer and Penance Program.
Heffernan will plan and direct programs, policies and practices to ensure all archdiocesan departments and ministers are in compliance with and follow internal procedures, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops policies, civil laws and certification policies to ensure a safe environment for children and adults.
Since December 2020, Heffernan has served as director of the Office of Child and Youth Protection for the Diocese of Joliet. In that role, she was responsible for implementing and maintaining the diocese’s response to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and the Essential Norms. She also supervised the coordination of outreach and support services for victims/survivors of sexual abuse by church personnel and volunteers.
Heffernan joined the Archdiocese of Chicago in 2002 as the director of the Office for Child Abuse Investigations and Review. In that role, she received allegations of the abuse of minors by Archdiocese of Chicago clergy, lay employees, and volunteers and conducted investigations into those allegations. She also served as the staff liaison to the Archdiocese Independent Review Board, the lay-majority body that reviews the findings of investigations and makes recommendations to the Cardinal on the disposition of cases.
Prior to joining the Archdiocese of Chicago, Heffernan was a clinical therapist at the Center for Contextual Change in Skokie, Ill. She served as a child welfare specialist at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and as a child care supervisor at Hephzibah Children's Association in Oak Park, Ill.
Heffernan is licensed social worker in State of Illinois. She holds a master’s in nonprofit administration from North Park University, a master’s in social work from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from Illinois State University.
OPCY supports abuse survivors and their families in their healing journey. These services include therapy, healing masses, peace circles and opportunities to connect with other survivors. It supports parishes and schools as they comply with the policies and procedures of the Archdiocese of Chicago and trains adults and children on how to recognize, resist and report sexual abuse.
More information about OPCY can be found at Home - Protection of Children and Youth (archchicago.org).
