What Happens When You Share, Who Sees It, and Why It Matters

Nervous about sharing mental health or behavioral info on your camper’s medical form? You’re not alone—and you’re not being judged. Here’s what really happens when you share that information with Camp Immokalee, and why it makes a difference.

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At Camp Immokalee, we believe that campers deserve to be supported as their whole selves—not just physically, but emotionally, too. For some kids, camp is an easy adjustment. For others, it takes time. And for many, especially those with past or current mental health or behavioral needs, camp can be exciting and overwhelming.

That’s why we ask about mental health, diagnoses, medications, and behavioral needs on our medical form—not to screen anyone out, but to prepare our team to support your camper in the best way possible.

So, why do we need to know?

Because we can’t support what we don’t know.

Mental health challenges, emotional regulation needs, anxiety, depression, ADHD, sensory needs, trauma histories—these things don’t automatically prevent a child from succeeding at camp. In fact, many campers with those experiences thrive here. But when we know ahead of time, we can:

• Understand your child’s needs before they arrive
• Watch for early warning signs of stress or distress
• Train your camper’s counselors with specific tools and approaches
• Offer more compassionate, timely support

When we don’t know, we’re stuck guessing—and sometimes, that means a camper leaves camp early, not because they couldn’t have succeeded, but because we didn’t have the info we needed to help them get there.

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Meet Your Community Care Coordinators

If you check the box on our medical form saying your child has a mental health or behavioral diagnosis, sees a counselor, takes a behavioral medication, or has a history of emotional regulation struggles, that information doesn’t just disappear into a file.

It goes directly to our Community Care Coordinators: experienced team members with training in psychology, social work, education, or related fields. Their job is to make sure campers who need a little more support get it—without judgment, without stigma, and without putting your child in the spotlight.

Here’s what they do:

• Reach out to you (when needed) to learn more about your camper’s needs, strengths, and what works best
• Review and refresh themselves on your child’s diagnosis, conditions, or support needs and how they might show up at camp
• Equip your child’s cabin staff with simple, effective tools (not labels)
• Check in quietly and intentionally with your camper and their staff throughout the session

They don’t broadcast your child’s private information to the whole team. They build trust, stay discreet, and help your camper feel safe, seen, and supported—without making it a big deal.

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What Should You Share?

If your child:

• Has a mental health or behavioral diagnosis (anxiety, depression, ADHD, ODD, PTSD, etc.)
• Takes or recently changed a behavioral or psychiatric medication
• Has struggled with self-harm, suicidal ideation, or aggressive behavior
• Has a history of emotional dysregulation, shutdowns, or social conflict in school or group settings

…we want to know. Not because we think it disqualifies them, but because we want to do our part to help them succeed.

You can also upload IEPs, behavior plans, or therapist notes under the “Support Documents” section of your CampBrain portal.

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Not Sure What to Share?

That’s okay. Reach out to us. We’re happy to talk it through with you and figure out what’s helpful, what’s not, and how we can partner with you.

You’re not being overprotective. You’re not being dramatic. You’re helping us show up for your child in a way that actually works.

Email: cimmokalee@fcymca.org
Phone: 352.473.4213

Thanks for trusting us. We don’t take that lightly.