ACA accreditation indicates that the camp has voluntarily allowed its practices to be compared with up to 300 standards established by professionals in the camp industry.
ACA standards are recognized by courts of law and government regulators as the standards of the camp industry.
At least once every three years, an outside team of trained camp professionals observe the camp in session to verify compliance with nearly 300 standards for health, safety, and program quality.
ACA standards establish criteria for:
- Site: fire protection, food service, sleeping quarters, bathing and toilet facilities.
- Transportation: procedures concerning drivers, vehicles, and traffic on site.
- Health and Wellness: staff qualifications, facilities requirements, record keeping, storage distribution of medicines, contact information, health forms.
- Operational Management: Safety regulations, emergency communication systems, procedures for intruders, personal property regulations.
- Human Resources: staff qualifications, training, supervision ratios, and procedures.
- Program Activities: aquatics, adventure/challenge, trips, horseback riding, staff qualifications for special programs.
Accreditation assures parents that camp practices have been measured against national standards and go a step beyond many state and federal laws.
Only 25-30 percent of an estimated 8,500 day and resident camps seek accreditation, demonstrating their commitment to health, safety, and program quality.
Although the ACA-accreditation program has a 50-year history, ACA's standards are continuously evaluated and updated to reflect current camp practices.
Accreditation does not and cannot guarantee that nothing will go wrong.
The ACA-Accredited Camp logo indicates that a camp's management is committed to complying with the highest standards established for the camp industry.

The Guide to ACA-Accredited Camps is an annual publication listing locations, programs, and costs for more than 2,200 ACA-accredited day and resident camps from coast to coast. The Guide is available for $19.95 (including shipping and handling) and can be ordered online or by calling 800-428-CAMP.  You may also search online using the Interactive Camp Database!

The standards book is available for purchase through the ACA bookstore.  It includes all 300 standards, with information on interpretation and compliance.  Parents wishing to view the standards may also check with local libraries for the Accreditation Standards for Camp Programs and Services, 1998 edition.