Educational Resources for Implementation Plans for Camps in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Field Guide for Camps on Implementation of CDC Guidance is now available on the ACA website.
On April 16, 2020, the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released Guidelines for Opening Up America Again, a three-phased approach based on the advice of public health experts. Within this framework are allowances for the opening of camps this summer. The American Camp Association (ACA) and the YMCAs of the United States (Y-USA) are engaged together to provide educational resources to both day and overnight camps, state and local health departments, and parents/guardians and campers.
ACA President/CEO Tom Rosenberg states, “ACA values the health and safety of campers, families, and staff and recognizes the importance of prioritized risk management in the field of camp. We are looking forward to guidance that will help camps to be the best public health partner possible this summer.”
The educational resources are being developed by an independent expert panel being coordinated by Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc. (EH&E), a Boston-based consulting firm specializing in environmental health. John McCarthy, ScD, CIH, president of EH&E said, “Our multidisciplinary team understands the science and health implications surrounding the coronavirus and the ways to control its potential impact. We are proud to provide organizations with essential resources, founded on well-established principles of public health and science, that will ensure they can confidently make decisions that promote the continued safety of their operations.”
This expert panel will convene specialists in pediatric medicine, camp medicine and nursing, epidemiology, infectious disease management, biological safety, industrial hygiene, organizational design, and other technical specialties. Participating in the expert panel will be professionals from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Association of Camp Nursing. These educational resources will be shared with CDC and state and local health departments so that all parties can be informed. Information will be available on the ACA and Y-USA websites as it becomes available.
About American Camp Association:
The American Camp Association® (ACA) is a national organization with more than 12,000 individual members and 3,100 member camps. ACA is committed to collaborating with those who believe in quality camp and outdoor experiences for children, youth, and adults. ACA provides advocacy, evidence-based education and professional development and is the only independent national accrediting body for the organized camp experience. ACA accredits approximately 2,400 diverse camps nationally. Accreditation provides public evidence of a camp’s voluntary commitment to the health, safety, and overall well-being of both campers and staff.
About YMCAs of the United States:
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationship and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities.
About Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc.:
For over 30 years, our business has been helping organizations deliver safe environments and healthy buildings. Our team of occupational health and medical professionals, biosafety specialists, industrial hygienists, and engineers apply their expertise in a variety of ways to help organizations in healthcare, academia, research and hospitality/recreation. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact David Shore.
dshore@eheinc.com
800-435-8343