Safety and Accreditation

Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times continually updates  safety programs, training and practices with our staff and volunteers to promote a physically, emotionally and medically safe environment to thrive. Some areas of safety guidelines include:

Accreditation and Foundational Safety Practices:

• American Camp Association
• Children’s Oncology Camp Association

Camp Health Care:

• Health Care Staff - Each session is staffed with an expert medical team.  Every member of Camp’s medical team is a healthcare volunteer who donates time and expertise in support of Camp.  Many of the medical staff volunteers return year after year. The medical staff includes a pediatric oncology doctor and a team of registered nurses. Frequently, our parents and campers find a doctor and/or nurse from their patient’s home hospital are members of our Camp healthcare team. This team supervises your child’s health and administers medical care and daily medications. They are available on-site, 24 hours a day, to attend to your child’s medical needs.

• Medical Facilities (Med Shed) - Camp is equipped with a state-of-the-art healthcare center, or what we call “The Med Shed,” specifically designed to serve the needs of our campers impacted by cancer. The Med Shed provides areas and equipment to support your child’s health needs while at Camp including an examination room, resting and sleeping areas, a medication dispensary and the Catheter Care Cabin. Should additional support be needed, transportation can be quickly arranged to nearby Loma Linda University Medical Center or the patient’s home hospital.

• Camper Care Information and Medications - All campers are asked to complete an online health history and medication form (hard copies are available) when registering for a session.  In addition, each camper is required to have a Medical Examination Form completed by their primary care physician. Our medical staff carefully reviews every application and medical examination form before the session to ensure we have all the necessary equipment and support each child’s needs. To protect the privacy of our campers (patients, siblings and/or parents), Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times® has adopted guidelines that restrict disclosure of personal health information to those who are responsible for medical treatment and care. This includes doctors, nurses, and Camp health personnel. Limited health information may be given to campers’ counselors to enable them to best support your child’s healthcare needs.   We ask campers to bring all medications and catheter care supplies they will need during their stay at Camp. All medicines should be in their original bottles. Please include any additional care instructions that can help us provide your child with a happy and healthy stay. At Pick-Up Day Check-In, a Camp Staff member/Camp Nurse will verify and collect all medications you send for your child. Our nurses review your instructions for administering your child’s medication and care. Medications are dispensed daily at Camp, usually at meals or according to instructions.

Staff and Volunteer Screening and Training

• Qualifications and Screening - Our full-time camping professionals have a combined total of more than 30 years of camp management and programming experience. We are proud that our professional staff members are international leaders in the camping industry. Their expertise in working with a highly specialized population has been sought by dozens of worldwide organizations seeking to establish oncology and other special-needs camps.  Our volunteer staff is composed of counselors from the ages of 19 to 70+ years. Each volunteer has passed an extensive interview and background screening process that includes education, work and reference verification, National Sex Offender Registry clearance and a criminal background check. All of our volunteers set goals and receive evaluations based on their performance during and after each Camp session. We are proud that 65% of our counselors return to Camp annually to create a special, personalized experience for your child.

• Training - Each volunteer counselor must complete a minimum of two days of training before they are allowed to work with campers. During this time, our staff receives training in many areas related to camp counseling, youth development, supporting children impacted by cancer, and emergency  procedures. Examples of some of the topics in which our staff receive training include:  establishing cabin and Camp rules, appropriate supervision, how to listen and what to listen for, how to be a positive role model, how to address undesired behaviors, health and wellness, and emergency procedures.

• Counselor to Camper Ratios - In camper cabins, there are always 2-3 counselors for every 10 campers.   For the entire Camp, we have a 1 : 2 Counselor to Camper ration at every session.
   

For additional information on these safety topics and others visit our FAQ page