Water survey shared with Congress; Forest Service, background checks, FICA move ahead

A national survey was sent in late February to 2,657 American Camping Association affiliated camp owners/operators in all 50 states. Responses were received from 1,017 owner/operators of 1,545 camps, a 38.27 percent response rate. The following summarizes(*) key findings:

* 14 percent of respondents operate day camps

* 66 percent of respondents operate resident camps

* 19 percent of respondents operate both day and resident camps

* 52 percent of camps serve less than 1000 children annually

* 22 percent of camps serve 1,001-2,500 children annually

* 12 percent of camps serve 2,501-5,000 children annually

* 8 percent of camps serve 5,001-10,000 children annually

* 5 percent of camps serve over 10,000 children annually

* 24 percent of camps are served by municipal or town water

* 67 percent of camps are served by well water

* 10 percent of camps are served by surface water

* 46 percent of camps on well or surface water have within the past three years, or will within the next three years, make modifications to their drinking water systems. Cost of modifications by all camps were reported as follows:

* 9 percent spent or will spend less than $1,000

* 8 percent spent or will spend $1,001-$2,500

* 9 percent spent or will spend $2,501-$5,000

* 7 percent spent or will spend $5,001-$10,000

* 13 percent spent or will spend over $10,000

Seventeen percent of camps on well or surface water reported that the economic viability of their camp operation is threatened by current drinking water laws and regulations.

Another finding of interest is that 9 percent of camps on well or surface water are already exempt from the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act because they serve an average of 25 or more persons for less than 60 days per year, and have less than 15 buildings served by drinking water. It is possible, indeed probable, that several of these camps do not realize they are exempt, and may wish to certify themselves as such to their respective state water authorities.

ACA has shared this data with key members of Congress, and is now exploring ways in which to minimize the costs and burdens of SDWA regulations at camps while maintaining drinking water safety.

United States Forest Service/Permit Access

David Gray arranged for a senior USDA Forest Service official to attend the ACA National Conference in Orlando to discuss issues relating to camp use of and access to Forest Service lands. Several helpful areas of increased cooperation, information sharing, and partnerships were discussed in a three-hour meeting, and agreement was reached that a written Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ACA and USDA Forest Service was an appropriate tool to advance these concepts.

A draft MOU was written by David Gray, has recently received ACA National Board approval, and is now pending with the Forest Service. Once language is agreed upon between ACA and USDA Forest Service, we will commence to advance the agendas envisioned in the MOU.

Youth Service Worker Screening Practices

A study and report recently completed by the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, under grant. from the U.S. Department of Justice, broadly addresses youth service worker screening practices, laws, and regulations in effect throughout the country.

This 300-page report:

* outlines results of national surveys designed to identify prevalent and effective screening practices throughout seven segments of the industry.

* identifies state laws and regulations addressing employment and volunteerism background checks and criminal registries.

* outlines insurance company attitudes, requirements, and risk management strategies in insuring youth serving agencies.

* makes recommendations for implementation of basic screening and employment practices, and encourages organizational, municipal, state, and national implementation of recommendations.

Important for its potential impact on policy trends, we believe that camping professionals should be aware of the study, and in particular some of its more controversial recommendations. The study is also of special interest as it includes a comprehensive state by state compendium of relevant laws and regulations.

Recommendations at the state level include:

* Regulations requiring child- and youth-serving agencies to use basic screening, including appropriately developed applications, personal interviews, and reference checks for all workers.

* Methods to ensure that organizations use a minimum screening standard in all situations.

Recommendations at the organizational level include:

* All child- and youth-serving agencies adopt a screening policy. (The screening policy should contain statements on matters including but not limited to: minimum required screening standards; guidelines on when more extensive screening should be used; provisional hiring policies; guidelines on how to assess background screening information once it is received; maintenance and dissemination of background screening records; and standards and required procedures for working with children.)

* Basic screening of all potential workers be a required standard practice.

* Designation of a person within the organization who is responsible for receiving, reviewing, and acting on background screening information.

* Conducting at least two reference checks that provide both personal and work history information.

* The hiring/placement of an applicant pending the completion of a background check be restricted to situations where there is supervision and the worker is not alone with any child for any period but remains within other workers' line of sight at all times.

* Automatic disqualification of a potential worker when the individual perpetrated any crime involving a child (regardless of how long ago the incident occurred) and/or any violent crime within the last 10 years.

The study is important as it is expected to be considered by the United States Attorney General when writing upcoming youth service worker criminal background check regulations.

FICA

David Gray and John Miller attended the Tri-State Camping Conference in Teaneck, N.J., for the purpose of generating New York support for ACA's continuing FICA efforts. As a result of those efforts, ACA now has 323 individually signed letters, most from New York State residents, requesting that Senator D'Amato take the lead in the Senate on the FICA initiative. It is expected that these letters will be a great help in generating interest from the Senator, now a member of the Senate Finance Committee.

* Percentages may not add due to rounding and non-conforming answers.

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