American Camp Association Partners with The Safety Navigator to Strengthen Safety Best Practices for Camps

MARTINSVILLE, Ind., Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Camp Association (ACA), the national accrediting body for camps in the United States and a trusted voice on camp safety, today announced a new partnership with The Safety Navigator to support member camps and the entire camp industry in strengthening safety best practices.

ACA and The Safety Navigator will work together to provide camps with additional practical tools, expert guidance, and on-the-ground support to enhance safety systems aligned with ACA's accreditation standards and globally recognized safety best practices. The collaboration will begin in Texas ahead of the 2026 camp season, with plans to expand nationally leading into summer 2027.

"Camp safety is more than a talking point today, because it's always been embedded in the foundation of everything we do," said Henry DeHart, CEO of the American Camp Association. "This partnership reinforces ACA's role as the standard-bearer for camp safety while giving camps additional, practical, and effective resources to prepare for emergencies and natural disasters in an increasingly complex and unpredictable environment."

As part of this partnership, ACA will help align The Safety Navigator's safety toolkit with leading industry practices and promote free and unlimited access to these resources to the entire camp industry. The Safety Navigator will provide camps with additional safety templates, training materials, e-learning resources, and access to experienced safety professionals for one-on-one support to strengthen the camp's safety systems.

The Safety Navigator cofounders Charlee Johnson, Ted Jarrett, and Marley Palin said, "We believe camps can be safe and fun. Camps bring joy, development, and a sense of belonging — and at the same time they operate in environments that require serious, thoughtful preparation and deliberate planning. Partnering with ACA allows us to build our safety toolkit to meet the needs of camps. We complement the strong foundation ACA has built and are excited to help camp leaders take practical steps to strengthen safety readiness before next camp season."

The Texas-focused rollout builds on ACA's recent work supporting camps navigating weather-related and emergency challenges, providing timely resources ahead of the 2026 summer season. Looking further ahead, the lessons learned through the Texas effort will inform a broader national expansion in 2027, ensuring camps across the country have access to consistent, standards-aligned safety support.

This initiative is the latest example of ACA's ongoing commitment to elevating safety across the camp industry through accreditation, education, partnerships, and continuous improvement. For more information about ACA's safety and accreditation programs, visit www.ACAcamps.org.

About the American Camp Association
The American Camp Association® (ACA) is a national nonprofit organization serving the more than 20,000 year-round and summer camps in the United States that annually serve 26 million campers. ACA is committed to collaborating with those who believe in quality camp and outdoor experiences for children, youth, and adults. ACA provides advocacy, evidence-based education, and professional development, and is the only independent national accrediting body for the organized camp experience. ACA accreditation provides public evidence of a camp's voluntary commitment to the health, safety, risk management, and overall well-being of campers and staff. For more information, visit ACAcamps.org.

About The Safety Navigator
The Safety Navigator is a network of safety professionals and experts with decades of experience in industries where strong safety culture and systems save lives every day. Now, we're bringing that expertise to the camp community — working alongside directors, staff, and families to turn legislation into real-world action.

SOURCE American Camp Association