https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/nurturing-campers-psychological-needs
Nurturing Campers’ Psychological NeedsHighly regarded child, adolescent and family therapist, and regular contributor to Camping Magazine since 1987, Bob Ditter will be speaking at the 2015 ACA National Conference. In an...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/building-healthy-camp-strategies-worked
Building a "Healthy Camp": Strategies That Worked!A Healthy Camp Community Three years ago, the camp community placed a capstone on a significant accomplishment by completing the largest, most comprehensive study of camp-related injuries and...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/when-staff-mesh-impacts-camp
When Staff MESH Impacts CampEveryone has a mental, emotional, social health (MESH) profile. For most of us, our MESH profile is within a “normal” range. Some days are better than others. Some things push our buttons, others don...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/current-challenges-camp-food-service
Current Challenges in Camp Food ServiceHesitation gave way to excitement as I unexpectedly grabbed the reigns of food service management, in the dripping, humid heat of a Texas summer camp season. Nine years had passed since I last served...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/there-reason-understanding-challenging-behavior
There Is a Reason! Understanding Challenging BehaviorI once worked with cat. Not a “meow” cat, although that’s how she identified herself to me. She was a thirteen-year-old girl who insisted she was a cat. You can imagine how hard it was for her at...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/risk-management-orient-health-center-staff
Risk Management: Orient Health Center StaffEveryone knows that camp staff need orientation to effectively do their job. Why, then, do health center staff often report that they don’t get any? The team hired for your health center certainly...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/creating-camp-narratives-enhance-emotional-growth-hiv-youth
Creating Camp Narratives to Enhance Emotional Growth of HIV+ YouthBecause of the ignorance and stigma which still sadly surrounds HIV, children born with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) experience additional psychosocial stressors beyond those commonly...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/dont-let-your-camp-go-pot-impacts-policy-challenges-legalized-marijuana-youth-camps
Don't Let Your Camp Go to Pot: Impacts and Policy Challenges of Legalized Marijuana on Youth CampsMarijuana is now legal for recreational use in seven states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington) and Washington, DC. It is still a federal offense to possess...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/mind-part-1-what-directors-need-know-about-staff-mental-health
With That In Mind, Part 1: What Directors Need to Know About Staff Mental HealthHiring young adults to care for other people’s children seems like folly, from a neurodevelopmental perspective. Nobody’s brain is fully developed, many activities are dangerous, the weather can be...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/expand-your-mesh-capacity-summer-begins
Expand your MESH Capacity Before Summer BeginsConsider these scenarios: A parent calls: “My child has ADD and takes medication for depression. Can she come to camp?” A counselor dashes into your office: “We need you at Cabin 5. A camper...