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https://www.acacamps.org/blog/want-improve-your-response-mental-health-challenges
Want to Improve Your Response to Mental Health Challenges?Camp professionals often ask what they might do to more effectively respond to staff and camper mental, emotional and social health (MESH) needs. This often arises from a desire to be as inclusive as...
https://www.acacamps.org/blog/moderating-childhood-stress-through-camp
Moderating Childhood Stress Through CampExposure to adverse childhood events (ACE) can lead children to drinking alcohol, smoking, illicit drug use, overeating, and other maladaptive behaviors (Stevens, 2015). These children can experience...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/mind-part-ii-what-staff-need-know-about-their-own-mental-health
With that In Mind, Part II: What Staff Need to Know about Their Own Mental HealthThink, for a minute, about the adults to whom you were most strongly attached as a child. Can you see their faces and remember how they treated you? Perhaps you see parents, teachers, coaches, clergy...
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...
https://www.acacamps.org/blog/instilling-meshages-marginalizes-toxic-stress-camp
Instilling MESH'ages Marginalizes Toxic Stress at CampAs the Healthy Camp Education and Monitoring Program (HCEMP) committee studies MESH and its implications, I was interested to see some foundational work in this area. In...
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/healthy-camp-study-update-ten-promising-practices-healthy-camp
Healthy Camp Study Update: Ten Promising Practices of a Healthy CampSince the outbreak of H1N1 during the summer of 2009, camps have been diligently updating their health and safety protocols and practices for the management of communicable diseases. By accessing 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/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...