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Senator · Senate District 42
History
- Referred to health
- Print number 4108b
- Amend and recommit to higher education
- Reported and committed to higher education
- Print number 4108a
- Amend and recommit to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Authorizes summer camps to hire certain licensed professionals to provide services
In Assembly Committee · Codes · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S4108B
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to the provision of certain professional services to children's camps
Purpose
The bill allows children's overnight camps, summer day camps. and traveling summer day camps to employ certain specified licensed health care professionals in order to better serve the mental and physical needs of children during their summer camp experience.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends subdivision 3 of section 1394 of the Public Health Law by providing that children's overnight camps, summer day camps, or traveling summer day camps may employ physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, psychologists, social workers, athletic trainers and mental health practitioners to provide services to campers and staff during their attendance or employment.
Section 2: Effective date.
Justification
The State Education Department (SED) has interpreted section 6512 of the Education Law to prohibit any licensed professional from practicing his or her profession while under the supervision of a non-licensed professional in that particular field. This is commonly known as the ban on corporate practice.
EXEMPTION FOR CAMPS The SED has construed that the corporate practice ban restricts summer camps from employing licensed professionals. Legislation enacted last year (Chapter 214 of the Laws of 2012) partially remedied this problem by allowing camps to employ a physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, registered nurse, or licensed practical nurse or emergency medical technician. However, additional legislation is necessary to permit camps to legally employ social workers, other mental health care professionals, and physical therapists or athletic trainers to better meet the needs of children during the summer camp experience.
Parents and camps rely on the presence of licensed professionals to ensure the mental and physical well-being of their children. Currently, any camp that employed an athletic trainer, physical therapist, or a mental health professional would technically be in violation of Section 6512 of the Education Law. These camps are not hiring licensed professionals to circumvent corporate practice laws, but rather, they are attempting to hire the best possible people to meet the needs of children attending, these camps.
Many resident camps involving sports and athletic activities would opt to employ an athletic trainer or physical therapist to attend to and monitor the physical well-being of campers. Camps catering to children whose lives have been drastically impacted by major events such as 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy are better able to serve campers by hiring licensed mental health professionals who can help children cope appropriately with these traumatic events. Prohibiting children's camps from hiring, licensed professionals, specially trained to deal with these sensitive areas, does a disservice to our children. Camps must be allowed and encouraged to offer the best possible services
available to the children who need them during the summer camp experience.
This bill gives peace of mind to parents, knowing that their children are in the safe hands of licensed professionals during their summer camp experience, while also allowing camps to provide the same nurturing services that they have provided in the past.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.