Health & Safety

Health and safety are the highest priority at Camp Simcha Special. Our medical directors work throughout the year to create an environment where even the most ill children can participate fully in the camp program.

Before children cross the camp gates, our medical directors have reviewed their records and developed individual plans for campers. Where appropriate, the medical directors communicate with children’s physicians and/or parents.

The Medical Center is staffed with pediatric specialists and nurses 24 hours a day. While many campers will never see the inside of the Medical Center (medication is delivered by nurses during meal times to minimize disruptions), our medical staff is prepared to provide care for both the routine scrapes and bumps of camp life and the conditions that arise when children are very sick. Camp Simcha is one of the few camps that administers chemotherapy on-site, enabling children on treatment to enjoy two weeks of uninterrupted fun. Campers who must be confined to the Medical Center for any reason will find a warm, friendly, compassionate staff, and individual accommodations for camper and counselor that feature TVs and DVD players.

An acute transport ambulance is on-site at all times in the unlikely event of a medical emergency. The ambulance accompanies campers on all trips out of camp. A Medevac helicopter is on call 24/7. It can reach camp within five minutes.

In 2010, Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special unveiled its new Medical Center. The state-of-the-art facility has been optimized for to provide treatment for children with a wide range of life-threatening illnesses or chronic disorders. The building includes treatment rooms, a chemotherapy center, individual rooms for overnight stays, a pharmacy and expanded nurses’ station. The helipad landing station has been renovated as well, providing increased visibility to pilots.