PALS Receives ACA Accreditation

BY KIRSTY MCDONALD

PALS Program Coordinator

PALS is delighted to announce the recent notification that our week-long summer programs have earned ACA-Accredited® Camp status! This is verification from the American Camp Association® that our camp, during multiple site visits over the course of the summer, complied with up to 266 industry-established health and safety standards, which are recognized by courts of law and government regulators as the standards of the camp industry.

The ACA-accreditation program has a sixty-plus-year history and is continually evaluated and updated to reflect current best practice in camps. ACA collaborates with experts from many fields such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Red Cross, and other youth-serving agencies to be sure required practices are current and sound. ACA standards are revised based on research in the public, legal, youth development, and camp arenas.

PALS recognizes that ACA camps set the standard for the industry. For us, it is a regular, independent health and safety audit of camp operations. For parents, the ACA-accredited camp sign symbolizes excellence and our accountability and ongoing commitment to the children we serve.

In addition, our participation in the American Camp Association gives PALS:

  • Community — A community of camp professionals all working to provide the highest quality safest programs for campers and staff. 

  • Ongoing staff training — Staff learn best practices in all areas of camp operation in preparation for the ACA accreditation peer-review.

  • A connection in Washington — ACA monitors important public policy areas, tracking current and proposed legislation and anticipating issues that may affect the camp community, nationally and locally.

  • Nationwide publicity — ACA's public relations outreach includes local and national media campaigns; a parent-focused website, www.ACAcamps.org.

  • Thousands of dollars of savings — Discounts available only to ACA camps on insurance, food, credit card processing, staff recruitment services, staff training, program materials, education, and more.

    We are very proud of our accomplishments as a camp, and we hope you can see the benefits of our hard work to become ACA-accredited. If you have any questions about our status or the accreditation process, please let us know. We're happy to share the value of accreditation with you.