Youth Camp Programs

Information and resources about the Youth Recreation Camps program

DHHS oversees the licensing of Youth Recreation Camps. These camps are programs that operates for at least 10 days per license year for the purpose of providing recreational opportunities, or a combination of recreation and instruction, to 10 or more youth per day at a place which is continuously or periodically used for such purposes. The term includes residence camps and seasonal and year-round day camps.

DHHS also oversees the criminal background check requirement established for youth skill camps. A “youth skill camp” is a non-profit or for profit program with a specific curriculum that has been developed by individuals knowledgeable and experienced in the field to impart a specific skill in a logical progression of increasing difficulty over a period of 3 or more consecutive days. This program is not a licensing program; it requires criminal background checks to be conducted for all personnel who may be left alone with children.