Safety
Medical Staff
Each week of the summer, our Health Center is staffed with at least two medical personnel. These individuals are highly qualified in their field and are typically registered nurses, nurse practitioners, or doctors. During their term, they live on-site in our Health Center and are on-call 24 hours a day.
The Health Center
Medical Policies
Health & Safety FAQs
Will my child be safe while at camp?
While safety is one of Cho-Yeh’s core values, we want parents to understand that there is always an inherent level of risk in the camp experience. We work diligently to mitigate risk, while also recognizing that appropriately managed risk is an essential component of personal growth. At Cho-Yeh, we take calculated risks by offering activities that stretch campers beyond their usual comfort zones to help them grow as individuals—but we do not take risks when it comes to your child’s well-being.
As an ACA-accredited camp, Cho-Yeh operates within the standards set by the American Camp Association to ensure our safety practices are strong, thorough, and continually improving. In addition, Cho-Yeh is accredited by Praesidium, a national leader in abuse prevention and child protection. Praesidium accreditation involves an extensive, independent review of our policies, procedures, and staff training, as well as an onsite inspection to verify best practices are actively in place. This process strengthens our prevention strategies, reporting protocols, and ongoing commitment to accountability.
Together, our ACA and Praesidium accreditations reflect a comprehensive and proactive approach to safeguarding every child entrusted to our care. The health and welfare of our camp community is our highest priority. We invite you to review our Child Protection Plan to learn more about the intentional steps we take to create a safe, secure, and life-giving camp environment.
What steps have been taken to keep my child safe?
Safety at Cho-Yeh begins long before the first camper arrives and is strengthened through our deep partnership with Praesidium, a national leader in child abuse prevention. Praesidium’s best-practice standards help shape how we hire, train, supervise, and protect every child entrusted to our care – creating multiple layers of accountability across the entire camp experience.
Starting with the selection of excellent summer staff, each employee must complete a detailed application, interview with a full-time staff member, provide three professional references, and successfully pass a comprehensive background check. In alignment with Praesidium’s rigorous protocols, staff members are also required to complete abuse prevention training before they ever step on camp property.
Once on-site, our team participates in ten days of intensive staff training that is heavily informed by Praesidium’s safeguarding model. Counselors and support staff are equipped to recognize warning signs, maintain appropriate boundaries, actively supervise campers, and immediately address concerns – all with the goal of reducing risk and protecting every child.
Our facilities are intentionally designed with safety in mind, following best practices recommended by child protection experts like Praesidium. This includes limiting private spaces by maintaining 12 inches under restroom stalls and showers and installing windows in private office areas to promote visibility.
Cho-Yeh also upholds a strict “rule of three,” requiring that staff are never alone with a camper in a building or private area. This standard – reinforced through Praesidium’s guidance – ensures healthy accountability and transparent interactions at all times.
Child protection is not a single policy at Cho-Yeh; it is a culture reinforced through training, environment, supervision, and partnership with trusted safety authorities like Praesidium. To learn more about the intentional steps we take to safeguard campers, we encourage you to read through our Child Protection Plan.
What does ACA Accreditation mean?
The main purpose of the ACA accreditation program is to educate camp owners and directors in the administration of key aspects of camp operation, particularly those related to program quality, and the health and safety of campers and staff. The standards establish guidelines for needed policies, procedures, and practices. The camp is responsible for ongoing implementation of these policies. ACA accreditation assists parents in selecting camps that meet industry-accepted and government-recognized standards.
What does Praesidium Accreditation mean?
Praesidium Accreditation is one of the highest distinctions an organization can earn in child protection. It is a standardized, consistent, and objective process that allows organizations to publicly demonstrate their commitment to abuse prevention and safety. Praesidium Accreditation brings in professionals to review all policies, training, programs, and environments. They spend time on site talking with staff, observing programs as they happen, and ultimately making recommendations based on the standards set out for accreditation.
This accreditation signifies that Cho-Yeh adheres to the highest standards in abuse prevention and intentionally aligns our mission and values with proven best practices designed to protect those in our care.
Through partnership with Praesidium, organizations gain access to expert consultation, written resources, and prevention strategies that strengthen policies, training, and daily operations. This process not only helps safeguard children but also clearly communicates to families and the community that safety is a visible, organizational priority.
At its core, Praesidium Accreditation reflects an ongoing commitment – not a one-time achievement – to proactively prevent abuse, support staff with clear guidance, and create environments where trust can flourish.
What protocols are in place to keep my child safe while at water activities?
There are always a minimum of 2 lifeguards on duty when kids are in the water. The number of lifeguards increases with the number of kids in the water.
Campers take a swim test in the pool on their first day and they will be given a band according to their ability: Blue-strong swimmer, Red-weak swimmer, Green-non-swimmer who will also be required to wear a life jacket while in the water (pool and lake).
Life jackets are required in the lake for ALL ages, regardless of ability.
What if my child is not a strong swimmer?
What happens if my child gets sick/injured while at camp?
How often do campers require outside medical care?
It is quite rare! Our incident report analysis shows that only 0.3% campers required outside medical care.
How will medication (prescription or OTC), supplements, or herbal remedies be dispensed during the camp session?
All of these are considered “medications” and will be dispensed by our onsite Medical Staff during the session. Medications are typically dispensed during breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime. Campers and staff are not allowed to keep any medications in their cabins. Please be sure to check in all medications to our Health Center during Check-In on Sunday.
How does Cho-Yeh deal with homesickness?
Homesickness is a reality of overnight camping, but one of the unique experiences of camping is allowing campers to gain a sense of independence. All of our counselors go through an extensive staff training before the summer begins that includes helping a homesick camper. If a camper is homesick, our counselors will do their best to comfort the camper. If the homesickness persists, the campsite supervisor will talk with the camper and will connect with parents to find the best strategies for helping the camper through the session. Although we have campers each session who will wrestle with some homesickness, it is extremely rare that a camper will need to be sent home. Campers who stick it out will gain an incredible sense of independence!
How are conflicts handled at camp?
Conflicts happen, even in uplifting environments like camp. We train our counselors to recognize and reduce conflict within the context of camp. They are also trained on detecting bullying and taking proper measures to defuse these types of behaviors. Our counselors and leadership staff treat each situation as appropriate and will call parents to update as needed.
How does Cho-Yeh accommodate allergies?
Can my child attend camp with ADD/ADHD?
Many children with ADD/ADHD are here at camp. We handle this medication for campers just as if it were any other medical treatment. Please be sure to note the ADD/ADHD on the Health History form and turn in any medications to the Health Center.
Staff FAQs
What is the selection process for staff?
What is Cho-Yeh’s camper to counselor ratio?
We strive to provide the best possible experience for your child. We carefully recruit and screen to cultivate the most adept counselor staff possible. While there are some variations from time to time, the vast majority of our cabins maintain a 6:1 camper to counselor ratio. This allows us to create a meaningful experience and maximize the time campers get to spend with their role models in small groups. Check out Our Staff page for more information.
Preventing Abuse at Cho-Yeh
We love to have fun at camp, but we take safety very seriously. That’s why Cho-Yeh is proud to be a member of Praesidium’s Camp Care.
Our decision to exceed national safety standards stems from a strong commitment to protect our staff, volunteers, and campers from any and all types of abuse.
By partnering with Praesidium, we’ve implemented policies and procedures that facilitate effective monitoring that protects our campers and shields our staff and volunteers from false allegations.