2022 Annual Accreditation Report

The Annual Accreditation Report (AAR) supports ACA’s shift from a focus only on the visit to a focus on continuous compliance with the standards and ongoing quality improvement throughout the entire accreditation cycle. In most years, camps will demonstrate their compliance with accreditation standards by submitting a narrative report. At least every fifth year, camps demonstrate their full compliance through an on-site visit. 

How to use this tool:  Camps often like to engage others in their operation for the report or prepare outside the online system. This document is provided only as a resource to aid camps in preparing responses outside of the report submission system.  Report responses must be submitted online and using plain text format if cut/pasting.

1. Additional Modes:  As you complete this Annual Accreditation Report, please consider the changes in the modes that you will be operating at camp in 2022. The modes (Short-term Camps, Resident Camps, Day Camps, and Camps Serving Rentals) impact the way in which you respond to the standards. Please list the modes that you intend to operate in 2022.

2. Annual Compliance Process: All accredited camps are required to have a legal representative of the camp sign the Statement of Compliance every year, even in visit years. This includes the confirmation that the camp is meeting all applicable mandatory and other standards for the camp and programs. Please provide the name and position of the staff member that is primarily responsible for making sure the camp is complying with the standards.

3. Annual Compliance Process, cont.: Please describe the camp’s annual process for reviewing, updating as necessary, and documenting that the camp is in compliance with all standards applicable to the camp.

4. Sexual Harassment Describe how your program provides training prior to staff assuming job responsibilities relating to sexual harassment.
a. Where, in your policies, is the specific code of conduct related to sexual harassment outlined for staff? 
b. How is the policy shared with staff/volunteers?
c. How do you ensure that specific state and federal laws, if applicable, are included in the policy?
d. If a staff member would need to report an incident of suspected sexual harassment, what is the confidential process for doing so, and who do they go to?  

5. Mental Health:  Over the past several years, there has been a documented increase in diagnosed mental disorders of individuals under the age of 18.  And, most recently, the CDC has recommended that organizations that interact with children develop strategies to minimize the negative impact on mental and emotional challenges of COVID-19 in their respective youth-serving organizations.  
a. What are your specific, measurable, desired program outcomes that address a campers’ mental well-being?
b. Describe the process for determining when to access additional external mental health resources.  

6. Mental Health, cont.: 
a. When and how do you train staff about what your programs mental health outcomes are for campers? 
b. What process is used to observe, measure, and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented strategies to achieve a successful mental health outcome for campers?  

7. Parental Communication:  Engaging parent(s) or guardian(s) is paramount to the overall success of the camp experience.  Please describe your processes for both proactive and reactive engagement in your program. 
a. What Communication platforms/channels are used to notify parent(s) and guardians(s) of processes and program expectations prior to the first day of the camp. 
b. How are you informing parents and guardians what the communication channel (e.g., mail, email, text, web) will be if they are being notified during camp season? 

8. Parental Communication, cont.:
a. Provide three examples of when you would notify camper parent(s) or guardian(s) in case of an illness or injury, medical or behavioral problem, natural disasters, or other significant program disruptions.
b. How is the Communication documented and how is the documentation maintained? 
 
9. Vendor Provided Activities (Specialized and Aquatic): Vendor provided activities include activities that are conducted by individuals who are not directly hired by the camp and activities where the equipment is maintained by someone other than the camp. The campers may travel from camp to a specific site, or vendors may come to the camp site and run activities, or vendors may be from within the same organization (e.g., lifeguard from YMCA or JCC also guards for camp program).  When choosing vendors, one needs to ask questions related to safety and also to gather documentation that supports the stated training and certification of the vendor’s instructors (including for individuals who are part of the same organization but not hired or trained by the camp). 
a. Please identify all vendor-led activities that you use for your campers (e.g., specialized, aquatic, adventure challenge, horseback riding). 
b. Provide up to two examples of how you collect verifiable documentation on the certification, training, and/or experience of the vendors’ instructors.

10.  Risk Management Plan:  Review your risk management plan, which evaluates exposure in three major areas: human liabilities, financial/operational liabilities, and property resources. Hint: staffing challenges, financial challenges, transportation challenges, environmental impacts (e.g., storms, heat, draught, fire, and smoke), communicable disease, change in modes of operation, governmental restrictions.
a. List three risks that you will or have added or updated in the past two years.
b. How are you documenting updates to your risk management plan?
c. List your techniques to control, reduce, or prevent those selected risks.

11. Incident Reporting and Analysis: In reviewing your system of annually evaluating incidents, accidents, “near misses,” and emergencies:
a. How do you gather and document information?
b. Who are the outside advisors on your review team?  How do you review data?
c. In the last year that you operated, list one of your “near misses” or “emergency not resulting in injury” (e.g., lost campers, near drownings, the use of drugs or alcohol by staff or participants).
d. What steps will you take to reduce this/these “near miss(es)” in the future?  

12. Staff Hiring and Ratios: Having qualified staff and meeting minimum ratios of staff versus campers is of extreme importance to the safety and well-being of your campers or groups, the integrity of your accreditation, and the liability for your organization. 
a. What position(s) are you prioritizing in the hiring process for 2022 (e.g., director, food service supervisor, healthcare provider, supervisor of specialized activities, or staff to meet your overall ratios)?  
b. What is your plan going into 2022 to hire qualified staff and to meet your staff-to-camper ratios?  What is your plan if you are unable to hire the staff needed (e.g., who will fill in? will you reduce enrollment, cancel groups, outsource, change the offering of an activity or program)?

13. Sensitive Issues: Camp is a place where campers feel comfortable asking questions and talking about subjects they are curious about. Counselors are not always experienced enough to know the right things to say.  The sensitive issue policy is a tool to give staff direction on how to respond to questions that may not be appropriate for them to answer on their own.  
a. Please explain your policy on sensitive issues. Identify both (a) conversations and (b) behaviors that may need to be addressed.  
b. How are staff trained in that policy?