POIETO's mission is to build the technology layer where AI is shaped through relationship, not extraction. One of our core values is Symbiotic Inclusion — the people most affected by a system have the most to contribute to shaping it. That principle is not only about AI. It is about how we run programs, who we hire, and what we owe the people we serve.
The participants in our programs — program participants, many of whom have navigated complex or difficult systems and institutions — have frequently been in the care of institutions that failed to protect them. We do not take that lightly. A commitment to relational infrastructure means we build the internal systems that make accountability real, not declared.
This Organizational Abuse Prevention Policy is one of those systems. It establishes POIETO's framework for preventing, identifying, responding to, and recovering from abuse in any form. It is the governing document for all abuse prevention practices at POIETO INC, read alongside the POIETO Safe Interaction & Abuse Prevention Policy Package.
Scope
This policy applies to:
All POIETO INC employees (full-time, part-time, and temporary)
All teaching artists employed directly or through subcontract
All contractors, independent contractors, and consultants
All volunteers
Board members when present at program sites or events
It applies at all POIETO program sites, events, and activities, and in any context where POIETO personnel interact with program participants.
Part 1 — Prevention
Hiring and Screening
POIETO INC screens all personnel who have direct or potential contact with participants before they begin work. Screening includes:
Criminal background check via California DOJ LiveScan — required for all staff, teaching artists, and volunteers before first participant contact. See Background Check Policy for full procedure.
Reference checks — minimum two professional references checked for all employees and teaching artists, with specific questions about conduct with youth or vulnerable populations
Interview — all candidates are interviewed; interviews include behavioral questions about boundaries, mandated reporting, and appropriate conduct
Training
All POIETO personnel complete abuse prevention training:
At hire: All personnel read and sign the POIETO Safe Interaction & Abuse Prevention Policy Package before their first day of participant contact
Annually: All personnel complete POIETO's Annual Abuse Prevention Training (see Annual Training document) each June
On policy update: When this policy or related procedures are updated, all personnel receive the update and sign an updated acknowledgment
Supervision
No POIETO personnel works unsupervised with participants — the two-adult rule applies at all times (see Safe Interaction Policy §4)
Christine Meinders conducts a weekly check-in with each teaching artist during active program periods
Quarterly all-staff meetings review program implementation, safety concerns, and policy compliance (per contract §7.7)
All personnel are evaluated annually, with evaluation criteria including safe interaction practices (per contract §7.4.3.1)
Part 2 — Recognition and Reporting
Recognizing Abuse
POIETO personnel are trained to recognize indicators of abuse, including but not limited to:
Unexplained physical injuries, bruising, or marks
Sudden changes in behavior, withdrawal, or fearfulness
Inappropriate sexual knowledge or behavior for the person's developmental stage
Disclosure — direct or indirect — of abuse by a participant
A participant expressing fear of a specific person
Signs of neglect: chronic hunger, fatigue, poor hygiene, inadequate clothing
Procedure for Responding to Suspicious or Inappropriate Behaviors
If any POIETO personnel observes, receives a report of, or has a reasonable suspicion about suspicious, inappropriate, or concerning behavior by another staff member, volunteer, or contractor toward a participant:
1
Do not confront the person directly
Do not approach the person whose behavior concerns you. Do not investigate on your own. Do not discuss the concern with other staff before reporting.
2
Ensure participant safety immediately
If a participant is in the same space as the person whose behavior concerns you, ensure the participant is moved to a safe area with other staff present. Do this naturally; do not alarm the participant.
3
Report to the Designated Investigator same day
Contact Ginny Song, COO (or Samuel-Joey Alleyne if Ginny is unavailable; or Christine Meinders if Ginny is the subject of concern) same day — in person, by phone, or in writing. Describe what you observed or heard as specifically as possible: date, time, location, what was said or done, who was present.
4
Write it down
After reporting verbally, send a written summary (email or text) to the Designated Investigator with the same details. This creates a record. Do not edit or elaborate after sending — send what you observed, as you observed it.
5
The Designated Investigator takes it from here
Once you have reported, you have fulfilled your obligation. The Designated Investigator will determine next steps, including whether a mandatory report is required. You will be kept informed as appropriate.
If you are a mandated reporter and the behavior constitutes reasonable suspicion of abuse: You report to DCFS (800-540-4000) or law enforcement directly — you do not wait for the Designated Investigator. Notify the Designated Investigator as well, but the mandatory report comes first.
What counts as suspicious or inappropriate behavior
Report any of the following, even if you are uncertain whether it rises to the level of abuse:
Physical contact that violates the POIETO Affection Policy (Safe Interaction Policy §2)
One-on-one time with a participant that violates the Never Alone policy (Safe Interaction Policy §4)
Sexual comments, jokes, or references made to or about participants
Gift-giving or money transfer to individual participants
Personal social media contact or private messaging with participants
Transportation of a participant without authorization
Any behavior that made you feel uncomfortable, even if you cannot name why
A participant expressing discomfort, fear, or distress about a specific staff person
When in doubt, report. A report that turns out to be unfounded causes less harm than a harm that goes unreported.
Part 3 — Designated Investigator
Designated Investigator
POIETO INC designates a trained individual to serve as the primary person responsible for receiving reports of suspicious behavior and abuse, conducting internal investigations, and coordinating the organizational response to allegations of sexual misconduct.
Designated Investigator — Current Designation
Ginny Song
Chief Operating Officer
310-560-4685
ginny@poieto.com
Darkness to Light — Stewards of Children
Week of June 16, 2026 (scheduled)
Backup Investigator / Co-Investigator (when primary is unavailable or named in allegation; both investigators are completing training):
Christine Meinders
Founder
christine@poieto.com
Darkness to Light — Stewards of Children
Week of June 16, 2026 (scheduled)
Investigator responsibilities
Receive all reports of suspicious behavior and allegations of abuse
Assess mandatory reporting obligations and make reports to DCFS or law enforcement when required
Initiate the organizational response per POIETO's Allegation Response Procedure (Safe Interaction Policy §6)
Conduct or oversee the internal investigation
Maintain confidential records of all reports, investigations, and outcomes
Notify POIETO's insurer and the applicable program funder contact within 24 hours of a formal allegation
Coordinate with outside counsel when warranted
Part 4 — Policy Maintenance
Annual Review
This policy is reviewed annually each June by POIETO's Founder. The review considers:
Any incidents or near-misses that occurred during the year
Changes in applicable California law or County contract requirements
Feedback from staff, teaching artists, and participants
Updates to best practices in abuse prevention for organizations serving vulnerable populations
Updated policies are distributed to all personnel within 30 days of adoption, and all personnel sign a new acknowledgment.
Relationship to Other Policies
This policy is part of POIETO's comprehensive compliance framework. Related documents: