4551. Day and Overnight Camp Approval Process

Applies To:  This policy applies to child welfare employees.

Policy Number & Title: 4551. Day and Overnight Camp Approval Process 

Effective Date:  January 3, 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide direction on the approval process for the following requests for dependent children and youth in-home or in out-of-home placement to support their participation in normal childhood activities when attending:

• Overnight camps where overnight attendance is over 72 hours.
• Out-of-state camps.
• Day or overnight camps and payment is requested.

Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF)-sponsored, school-sponsored, and accredited camps do not require regional camp designee review.

Authority

RCW 74.13.031  Duties of department-Child welfare services-Children’s services advisory committee

RCW 74.13.330  Responsibilities of foster parents

RCW 74.13.710  Out-of-home care-Childhood activities-Prudent parent standard

Policy

1. DCYF will review requests for dependent children and youth placed in-home and in out-of-home care to attend or for DCYF to pay for camps to support their participation in normal childhood activities.
2. Regional administrators must designate a regional-level single point-of-contact to review camps when:
   1. Overnight attendance is over 72 hours.
   2. The camp is out-of-state.
3. Regional camp designees must:
   1. Complete reviews on camps located in their region and out-of-state, when requested by caseworkers.
   2. Maintain a statewide camp list of reviewed camps.
   3. Complete annual reviews for camps on the statewide camp list that are:
      1. Within their region.
      2. Out-of-state, if they completed the initial camp review.
4. Caseworkers must obtain approval for:
   1. Camps, prior to allowing children or youth to attend overnight camps over 72 hours and out-of-state camps.
   2. Funding for camps, when requested.
5. Employees must follow the following policies, when applicable:
   1. Reimbursing Caregiver Transportation Expenses
   2. Approving Client Travel and Transportation Activities
   3. Administrative Approvals for Child Welfare

Resources

Administrative Approvals for Child Welfare policy

Approving Client Travel and Transportation Activities policy

Day and Overnight Camp Approval Process procedures (Located in the DCYF Policies & Rules Office SharePoint) 

Reimbursing Caregiver Transportation Expenses policy

Original Date:  January 3, 2022

Review Date:  December 31, 2025

Approved by:   Frank Ordway, Chief of Staff