New Texas youth camp regulations

[Trevorum]

fyi

 

The State of Texas has adopted new regulations governing operations of youth camps, effective immediately. These regulations will affect all BSA summer camps in Texas.

 

see http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/youthcamp/rules.shtm

 

In compliance with the new regulations, BSA councils are requiring that ALL adults who will be camping with youth for more than 4 hours provide (1) proof of BSA registration, (2) proof of a background check with the State sexual offenders data base, and (3) proof of BSA Youth Protection Training taken after April 16, 2006.

 

[CNYScouter]

 

Here in NY we also have a new law like this.

This means that any adult (over 18) leader staying at one of our summer camps must be a registered leader.

 

NYS Child Safety Act.

 

On July 19, 2005 Governor George Pataki signed the Child Safety Act

(Chapter 260 of the laws of 2005) into law. This act requires childrens

camp operators to ascertain whether prospective employees are listed on

NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services Sex Offender registry prior to

hiring them.

According to the NYS Childrens Camp Laws each adult over the age of

18 that is in camp whether paid or volunteer is considered staff and subject

to this check. Additionally each contracted employee regardless of age is

subject to this clearance.

 

Here is a link to the letter sent out by our council explaining this:

http://cnyscouts.org/files/office_files/whats_new/Leader%20Update%20Child%20Safety%20Act.pdf

 

This is going to make it real fun at recharter time as the council is going to manditory training and to recharter your unit all registered leaders must be trained in their position.

[Trevorum]

Yep, very similar. At least NY councils had a year to get their ducks in a row. Our legislation psssed just last month and as a result, volunteers are scrambling to ensure compliance before summer camp. (I'm sure this was on our councils radar and I wonder why thay didn't give us any head's up?).

 

You say that your council will require position specific training before recharter? A good idea, but it will be a difficult transition, I'll bet.

[fgoodwin]

Nick, I don't know when the law / rules went into effect here in TX, but I do know that my Council (Alamo Area) mentioned this at our April RT (Apr 6) and asked all leaders to get their day camp parents trained.

 

Many of those leaders & parents showed up for our May RT where we offered both day camp training and YPT.

 

Our day camp staff has been calling all units, and all UCs have been reminding their units of this requirement, ever since we first heard about it on April 6.

 

I've gone so far (as Keystone District Training chair) to offer YPT onsite at the day camp registration area in case adults show up w/o a YPT card.

 

I don't know what else we can do, or that we could've gotten the word out any earlier or better.

[Trevorum]

Hi Fred,

My understanding is the legislation passed (or went into effect) on April 16. To be fair to my district folks, I missed our April RT and maybe it was discussed then. So this just hit my radar this week when SMs recieved an email. I sorta believe though that councils must have known this legislation was pending, and so could have gotten the word out a mite sooner. Regardless, I think it is a positive step towards increased YP and I support it 100%.

[lynncc]

Here in East Texas they broke the news to us at the council committee meeting (CCC) in Feburary. we have been discussing the regs in our council day camp meetings. We are ALL having to redo our YPT with the new on-line YPT course. They have redone the on-line course. It has the required 25 questions and you can print out your successful completion card at the end.

 

We are looking at borrowing one of those cellular wireless cards for out laptop so that any last minute volunteers can do the YPT.

 

lynn in texas

[John-in-KC]

Mandatory Scouter registration for anyone sleeping over at a Reservation is what my Council is doing.

 

Nothing yet mandating YP, FS, NLE common core or NLE position specific.