Accreditation Year Timeline
February 1 – Camp Information Form due
March 1 – New camp applications and fees due
March – Visitor assignments sent via e-mail
March 31 – Deadline for new camps to complete training
May 1 – Written Document Review materials submitted to visitor
June-August – On-site visit (most visits take place during the summer months)
October 31 – Camp notified of accreditation status
Camps being visited in 2019 will use the Accreditation Process Guide, 2019 Edition. Currently accredited camps and visitors will receive their copies when they attend in-person trainings. Copies will be sent to new camps upon payment of fees. All fee-paying camps have access to a complete set of the 2019 standards via My Accreditation v.2019.
Infomation Related to ODJFS
If you are a Day Camp in Ohio planning to participate in the Ohio Department Jobs and Family Services Childcare Reimbursement Program, please see related helpful information below explaining how the Reimbursement Program works in relation to seeking ACA Accreditation. PLEASE NOTE - Registering as an approved Day Camp with ODJFS is a COMPPLETELY SEPARATE process from seeking Accreditation with the American Camp Association.
ACA Ohio Accreditation Information for Camps Participating in ODJFS PFCC - Updated v. 2019
Standards Training
Current standards training is required when a camp is anticipating an accreditation visit.
- Accreditation Process Workshop – This workshop is designed for camp representatives who are preparing for accreditation visits in 2019 and beyond. The course is appropriate for those who are new to the accreditation process AND those who have been part of an accreditation visit or completed standards training in the past. Every camp being visited must have at least one person who completes the workshop on behalf of the camp; that person must actively assist in preparation for the accreditation visit, be on site a significant amount of time during the camp season and participate fully in the on-site accreditation visit.
- Visitor Update Course – This workshop is designed for current standards visitors. It must be completed by any visitor before he/she is assigned as a visitor for accreditation visits in 2019 and beyond. If a visitor is also a representative for a camp preparing for an accreditation visit in 2019, this course also fulfills the training requirement for the camp.
Courses are generally free, and participants are asked to bring their lunches. If lunch is provided, there is a fee to cover the cost of lunch. Your registration IN ADVANCE is appreciated, so we can ensure that the proper materials are available for everyone who attends.
Is Your APG Updated?
For those not being visited in 2019, currently accredited camps will remain using the Accreditation Process Guide, 2012 Edition until your next visit. It is important to make sure your copy of the Accreditation Process Guide, 2012 Edition has been updated to include any and all recent revisions! Updates to the 2012 standards happened: January 2012, October 2012, September 2014, and September 2015, January 2016 & most recently for January 2019**
**The most recent updates (2019) are as follows. These standards are not new but are now Mandatory. Pull and replace pages are available.
- SF.3.1 (2012) Contact with Local Authorities/AD.1.1 (2019) Local Emergency Response
- HW.19.1 (2012) Medication Storage and Administration/HW.13.1 (2019)
- HW.28.2 NEW (2012) Health Information (locking of medication for short-term camps and advising rental groups to lock medication)
Virtual Office Hours for Accreditation in 2019
Working on preparing for your upcoming visit? Join us for virtual office hours each month to help you walk through some of the specifics of your accreditation preparation. Learn about resources available from ACA, dig deeper into each section of standards, get an organizing tip of the month, and more. Each session will include opportunity for open discussion, questions and coaching with central region standards instructors and ACA staff.
Sessions will take place on Zoom. Internet connection and speakers/microphone are required. A webcam is optional. Register for one or all the sections and receive confirmation and calendar information directly from Zoom.
Prerequisite: Actively preparing for an ACA accreditation visit in 2019 or beyond. Access to a copy of the Accreditation Process Guide, 2019 Edition, or a digital copy of the standards, is strongly recommended. Completion of an Accreditation Process Workshop prior to participating in virtual office hours is ideal.
Dates, Registration, and Recordings
ACA Standards Visitors
Current ACA Standards Visitors who wants to help with ACA accreditation visits in summer 2019 and beyond will need to re-commit to their volunteer role by completing the Visitor Update Course v. 2019.
Accreditation Process Guide, 2019 Edition: All current visitors will be provided the printed version at the in-person Visitor Update Course for use in their volunteer role. Visitors will also have access to an electronic version of the standards beginning in October 2018 through the My Visits Tool.
ACTION: Before registering, please review the Associate Visitor/Visitor Service Description and the Professional Conduct/Conflict of Interest Statement. You will need to confirm your review and commitment of these in the registration process.
Who to Contact for Standards Related Questions
Beth Young
ACA, Ohio Standards Co-Chair
byoung@mandeljcc.org ; 440-666-7442
Dan ReynoldsACA, Ohio Standards Co-Chair
danr@akronymca.org; 330-606-9207
- Specific Standards (book) questions & application of Standards
- Questions or explanation of scoring
- Appeals/Section Review of scores
Brandie Le Clair
Standards Specialist - Eastern Region
765-349-3536, bleclair@ACAcamps.org
- Training schedules
- Administrative questions, resource requests
- Visitor/Camp contact information
- General Program questions