Health and Safety
Frequently Asked Questions:
WHY DO I FILL OUT A MEDICAL FORM?In addition to being a requirement of the state of Indiana and the American Camp Association, we want to know how to best take care of you and/or your child while you are staying at camp. The more we know, the better we can prepare to provide a positive and healthy experience at camp. This includes letting us know about dietary needs, medications, health history, supporting mental health, and having the necessary information available in the rare circumstance that an emergency would arise (i.e. insurance information, vaccination records, etc.). If you are unsure whether or not camp can support your child's particular health needs, please give us a call. We want to support you and your family, as well as have the most information we can to fully support your child during their stay. HOW DO YOU HANDLE CAMPER MEDICATIONS?
Campers in our youth camp programs are asked to list all of the medications they will be taking at camp in their medical form. Families can call in advance if any changes need to be made to their camper's medications, but our staff also double check at camper check-in to see if any changes or updates to medications need to be made. Medications are typically distributed at meals and before bed. They are dispensed per the requirements listed by physicians/parents. All medications MUST be brought to camp in their original packaging, this includes OTC medications and vitamins. All medications are dispensed confidentially by the Healthcare Supervisor overseeing our Health Center. For the safety of all participants, no medications are allowed in cabins. This includes all prescription, OTC, and other medications, including vitamins. Evening and early morning medications will be brought directly to campers. WHAT DIETARY ACCOMMODATIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO ME/MY CHILD?
Food is an incredibly important part of a healthy and fun stay at camp. Our food service team works hard to provide balanced meals and snacks throughout each day for all guests and participants. Our kitchen is able to accommodate most major dietary allergens and requests, including: gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan, and more. If you have any questions about dietary accommodations, please don't hesitate to reach out! MY CHILD IS NEURODIVERSE, WILL THEY BE ABLE TO ATTEND CAMP?
We strive to make camp a place that is open and welcoming to all, and understand that means each child has different needs to support their best week at camp. Each summer we welcome a number of neurodiverse campers and seek to work with parents/families to ensure that their child's needs are met so they can thrive. If you have questions or concerns regarding your child's ability to fully invest in the camp experience, we ask that you contact our office and our staff would be more than happy to talk through camp options and camper care. HOW DO YOU SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AT CAMP?
Supporting camper mental health is of utmost importance to us at Pyoca! We believe some of the best ways to care for one's mental wellbeing comes from being accepted into a loving community and getting out in nature. We hope to break the stigma around mental health and help campers know that they are loved and cared for no matter their diagnosis. Each year summer staff are trained how to recognize mental health crises, with unit coordinators becoming certified in Mental Health First Aid. In order to best support our campers, the most crucial step begins before coming to camp by filling out a thorough and complete medical form through online camp registration. The health history section of our medical form provides space to share about mental health needs including, but not limited to: anxiety, depression, PTSD/history of trauma, etc. By completing these sections we can learn how to best support your camper and follow up with parents/guardians at home as needed prior to camp. We seek to fully support campers by ensuring they are taking any medications they need on time, and even setting time slots as needed for campers to check in with their therapists at home. While we do not provide therapy sessions, we are happy to work with families to find time during the week for their camper to touch base with their therapist as needed. Camp is a place of fun and joy, and we recognize that while the day to day pace and new environment is incredibly positive for many campers, it can also be disregulating for some. If you have any questions or concerns regarding mental health support, please do not hesitate to contact our office. ARE VACCINATIONS REQUIRED TO ATTEND CAMP?
At this time vaccinations are not required, but are highly encouraged for the health and safety of our overall community. Our online medical form lists all major vaccinations required for school attendance in the state of Indiana. Camper households will be able to upload a copy of their child(ren)'s vaccination records to their account once registered for camp. IS MY CHILD REQUIRED TO KNOW HOW TO SWIM?
The lake at camp is a huge source of fun for many campers. In order to swim in the deep end of our swimming area, campers must pass a swim test. All campers have the option to opt out of the swim test and will still be able to swim in the shallow area, as well as boat on the lake. Lifejackets are required for all campers in all boats, as well as for all campers who use our inflatable water slide. No camper is ever forced to boat or swim if they are not comfortable in or around water. Have more questions about our waterfront? Check out our TikTok page for a variety of videos about camp and our waterfront. Check out this video detailing how we run our swim tests! DON'T SEE YOUR QUESTION LISTED?
Please give us a call or shoot us an email and we would be happy to assist. A healthy camp experience is important to ensure campers can grow and thrive while at Pyoca. You can contact our office at (812) 358-3413 or email us at program@pyoca.org.
