Camp Safety
Position Paper DRAFT

Position
The American Camping Association actively promotes and supports camp safety. We provide camps and their leaders the well-tested programs and services that advance a continuous improvement process that goes well beyond maintenance. ACA believes state government should play an assurance role and determine their minimum levels of care for organized camp operations. We also believe state’s should collaborate with non-state, non-governmental national organizations, like The American Camping Association, in order to further advance a higher level of care and well-being during a child’s camp experience.

Background
Since the formation of the Camp Directors’ Association in 1910, the leadership of the organized camp experience in the U.S. has directed many of its efforts toward health and safety concerns affecting camps. Following mergers with regional and specialized camp organizations, the name American Camping Association was adopted in 1935. In the same year, a listing of “Suggested Tentative Standards” was adopted. Since that time, accreditation standards for camps have been consolidated, revised, and updated to reflect current, industry-accepted practices for camps. Today, courts of law and regulators recognize ACA accreditation requirements as the standard of care for camps, with some states actually recognizing ACA accreditation as meeting part of the licensing requirements for camps.

In 2000, more than nine million young people attended the 8500 - 10,000 organized camps across the United States. For each of the past eight years, summer camps have experienced an annual, nationwide enrollment increase of 8 - 10 percent. In addition, the diversity of camps continues to increase, with up to 25% dedicated to meeting the special needs of campers with physical, emotional, or mental challenges. Additionally, many camps today run camp experiences year-round. Verifying best practices in the broad range of camps requires a system that is broadly applicable and continually updated.

Currently, states vary significantly in their oversight of camp operations. In many states, camps fall under the jurisdiction of the state health department; in others, social or human services departments provide the licensing or permit rules. In the last 10 years, we have seen more states working with ACA standards to compliment and strengthen the camp profession. ACA has also advanced its overall professional development efforts and exploration of quality and best practice indicators for the camp profession.

Rationale
Systems to ensure care and well-being are most effective when linked to ongoing professional development programs that are continuously updated to respond to new outcome-based accountability derived from current and relevant research. States are best positioned to establish minimum levels of care designed to promote health and safety. However, consumers today want higher levels of responsibility.

A collaborative relationship with the ACA additionally gives the state agency and its consumers the following:

• A system that has national applicability, with local control
• A system that has a time-limited approval and is continuously reviewed
• A system that is proven, reliable, and valid
• A system that includes a comprehensive self-evaluation and an on-site peer review by trained professionals
• A system that can build upon the state’s defined levels of care
• A system that can be updated easily
• A system that utilizes knowledge of many organizations to build a strong system of accountability

A partnership with the ACA can best deliver the assurance consumers demand: that services delivered meet professionally recognized levels of care and well-being.

Well-being is directly related to best practice that goes beyond licensing or accreditation. The American Camping Association offers comprehensive camp management resources in 14 essential areas.

• Business and Finance - budgeting, planning, and funds development
• Food Services - menu planning, recipes, administration
• Health and Wellness - first aid, safety, forms and record keeping, medication
• Human Resources - staff recruitment, screening, hiring, training, supervision
• Leadership - management styles, administration, personal growth, training
• Marketing - marketing resources
• Mission and Purpose - identification, articulation, implementation
• Participant Development and Behavior - child and youth development, staff training, working with parents
• Program Design and Activities - arts, sports, adventure, songs, games, nature, outdoor living, experiential education
• Risk Management - accreditation, best practice, crisis response, staff training, planning and preparation
• Site and Facilities - planning, maintenance, safety
• Strategic Planning - program evaluation, plan design, societal and environmental trends analysis
• Target Population and Diversity - special populations, cultural diversity
• Transportation - safety, maintenance, regulations, training

Camp safety cannot simply be regulated. An on-going comprehensive improvement process that captures quality and best practice indicators must be integrated in order to truly meet the needs of the camper, the camp professional, and the camp experience. It is in the national interest to ensure children and youth are placed in safe, quality environments.

Call to Action
Consumers: will be informed of and ask for evidence that camps have met identified levels of care and well-being.

Camp Professionals: will educate themselves and their camper families about the levels of care and well-being.

ACA Section Staff: will offer education programs that empower members to be recognized as the experts in best practice and ensure participation in camp safety efforts is welcome.

ACA National Office and Public Policy Committee: will encourage partnerships with affiliates to define the levels of care and where appropriate seek public incentives that encourage financial support for camps to meet all defined levels of care.