Behavior Policy
The Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS) is an environmental education non-profit. CACS staff are dedicated and trained to help all participants have successful and educational experiences. CACS utilizes a strength based positive behavior reinforcement approach when working with participants, See Behavioral Support Manual for additional details. CACS expects youth to agree to the Three Agreements when involved in any program: Respect Yourself, Respect Others, Respect the Environment. CACS utilizes a tiered system to address behavioral needs of youth, as well as a behavioral observation reporting system.
Tiered System
Youth Caregivers will be contacted when tier 3 support is reached and/ or when a behavioral incident report has been filled out- Tier 3 includes communication with caregivers and frequent check-ins/ check-outs for the participant with written understanding from all parties (CACS, participant, and caregiver). After tier 3 is reached in a program, caregivers will be contacted prior to participant’s approval of registration in all following programs.
Behavior Observation Report System
When caregivers pick up youth from a program they will be asked to sign and date the behavioral incident report and be given a copy for their own records. For overnight camps or in some other situations, caregivers may be contacted about the incident before pick up time. Behavioral incident reports will be kept in a secure location only accessible to CACS coordinators.
Crisis Response
If a participant’s behavior is creating a situation that is unsafe for themselves or other participants, CACS staff will try to de-escalate the situation and re-establish safety. If this is not working, the staff will remove the rest of the group, stay present at a safe distance, and a caregiver will be contacted immediately.
Under no circumstances will CACS staff physically restrain participants. If restraint is needed due to behavior escalation, 911 will be called.
Depending on behavioral escalation and severity, CACS staff will follow emergency protocols outlined in the 2023 CACS Emergency Protocols.
1:1 Care and Deciding if Camp is Right for Your Child
If the participant requires 1:1 care during the school day, they may need to bring a caregiver to camp as well. CACS does not provide 1:1 care. This sort of care may include medical needs, behavior concerns, wandering tendencies, as well as assistance with toileting or changing clothes. If this kind of supervision is necessary, a meeting with the Community Liaison and Wellness Specialist and CACS Program Director or Camp Coordinator is required before registration is approved. Please note at registration if a caregiver may be needed, and please contact Katie Gavenus: katieg@akcoastalstudies.org or 907-235-1974 to set up this meeting.
If you are not sure whether CACS is the right camp choice for your participant, please contact our office to request an assessment and ensure a safe and successful experience. Any decisions regarding behavioral support plans will be at the discretion of CACS including but not limited to the Community Liaison and Wellness Specialist, Coordinators, Program Director, and Executive Director.
Right to Revoke Access
CACS reserves the right to revoke access/registration to all programs due to behavior concerns for the remainder of the season; the decision can be revisited in the next programming season. Behavior concerns include but are not limited to aggression/ violence towards oneself or others, creating an unsafe or ineffective learning environment, and/or the use of any discriminatory language outlined in the CACS Policies & Procedures Manual section 1.3:
1.3 Prohibition of Harassment and Discrimination
It is the policy of CACS that all employees be able to work in a setting free from all forms of discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment on the basis of race, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation. This policy includes that employees are free of sexual harassment, harassment, and discrimination during work including from all individuals including other employees, participants, chaperones, or other individuals in the community.
Definitions:
Harassment: verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment; has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance; or otherwise adversely affects an individual’s employment opportunities. Harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following: epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, threatening, intimidating or hostile acts directly expressed to an individual or group; written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group, and that is placed on walls, bulletin boards, emails, social media, or elsewhere on CACS premises, or circulated in the physical or online workplace.
Sexual Harassment: includes unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or verbal, physical, and/or visual conduct of a sexual nature when used as an explicit or implicit condition of employment, condition of other employment decisions (salaries or wages, benefits, advancement, assigned responsibilities, reprimands or termination), or has the purpose or effect of interfering with work performance or creating an intimidating or hostile work environment.
Discrimination: Unfair treatment because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, disability, age, or genetic information.