The Gold Ribbon Accreditation Program is a voluntary education program intended to help COCA member camp organizations identify policies and practices, specific to their setting and population, that are documented and delivered in the course of providing a medically and emotionally safe pediatric oncology camp experience. This Accreditation program is proudly sponsored by Care Camps Foundation.

The Gold Ribbon Accreditation Program is a voluntary educational program created to support COCA member camps in identifying and implementing policies and practices that are specific to their unique settings and populations. These practices are carefully documented and integrated into the delivery of medically and emotionally safe camp experiences for children with cancer.

Oversight of the Gold Ribbon Accreditation Program is provided by a dedicated committee composed of COCA board members, pediatric oncologists, other medical professionals, camp directors, COCA volunteers, and senior leadership from member camps. The program’s standards are intended to work in partnership with an external verification process. This process is not designed to evaluate or criticize a camp’s practices, but rather to provide objective validation, enhancing the credibility of the Gold Ribbon Camp designation for families, healthcare professionals, and donors.

This accreditation is particularly significant because it is the only program within the pediatric oncology camping field that offers specialized guidelines to ensure both medical and psychosocial safety for children and families affected by childhood cancer.

During the development of the standards, the committee chose to focus specifically on medical and psychosocial aspects, acknowledging this as COCA’s area of expertise. It was also recognized that many essential practices related to general camp operations and nonprofit management are already well established in other sectors.

Therefore, it’s a strong recommendation of the COCA Gold Ribbon Committee that in addition to COCA Gold Ribbon Operation Practices, each camp should hold accreditation from a camping industry association and meet or exceed all local, state/provincial and governmental regulations in the following areas:

Camping Industry Best Practices:

  • Business Operations

  • Human Resources

  • Facility Management

  • Transportation

  • Program Design and Delivery

Camp Industry Accreditation Organizations:
Not-for-Profit Best Practices:
  • Governance

  • Finance & Accounting

  • Human Resources

  • Volunteer Management

Resources for Not-for-Profit Best Practices:
Please note, the following dates are tentative and are subject to change as the program progresses, and will be updated throughout the course of the program
December: Camps receive access to online training course
Early January: Visitors receive access to online training course
Late January: Camps receive Portal access
February: Visitors will be assigned to Camps and put in contact with each other
February 25: Training Deadline for Camps and Visitors
March: Gold Ribbon Q&A Session 1
April: Portal Document Upload Deadline for Camps
April: Visitors will Receive Portal Access
April 2: Gold Ribbon Q&A Session 2
May: Visitor Review Deadline
May: Two week period for Camps and Visitors to answer any comments and remaining questions in the portal. Please be advised that Camps should be checking for new comments often during the Visitor review period. This will ensure Camps have ample time to upload additional documents requested by the Visitors if necessary. We want to be mindful of programs starting and Camps and Visitors having less availability to make revisions in the portal come springtime.
June-August: Camp Visits
September: COCA Gold Ribbon Committee will meet to review visit worksheets
September 16: COCA Board of Directors will meet to approve Accreditation for Camps
November 14: Gold Ribbon Accreditation certificates will be awarded at COCAcon’s Saturday Night banquet. If your camp will not be in attendance, we will email your certificate.
2025
January 24: Camps receive Portal access
February 6: Camps and Visitors receive access to online training course
Late February/Early March: Visitors will be assigned to Camps and put in contact with each other
March 4: Gold Ribbon Q&A Session 1 at 3 pm EST: Zoom Link to Register
April 1: Portal Document Upload Deadline for Camps
April 1: Training Deadline for Camps and Visitors
April 2: Visitors will Receive Portal Access
April 2: Gold Ribbon Q&A Session 2 at 5:30 pm EST for Camps and Visitors: Zoom Link to Register
May 15: Visitor Review Deadline
May 15-May 31: Two week period for Camps and Visitors to answer any comments and remaining questions in the portal. Please be advised that Camps should be checking for new comments often during the Visitor review period. This will ensure Camps have ample time to upload additional documents requested by the Visitors if necessary. We want to be mindful of programs starting and Camps and Visitors having less availability to make revisions in the portal come springtime.
June-August: Camp Visits
September: COCA Gold Ribbon Committee will meet to review visit worksheets
September 17: COCA Board of Directors will meet to approve Accreditation for Camps
Please be advised that we have transitioned to a virtual training method, offering it as a course on our Professional Development Learning Center, followed by a virtual Q&A webinar. 
Accreditation Eligibility and Process

To be eligible for Gold Ribbon Accreditation, a camp must complete the following steps:

  1. Application Submission
    Camps must submit an application in the fall to be considered for an accreditation visit during the following summer.

  2. Document Upload and Review (January–March)
    To ensure compliance with COCA’s recommended guidelines and standards, camps are granted access to an online portal where they are required to upload the relevant supporting documents. This documentation phase typically occurs from January through March.

  3. Mandatory Training (January–February)
    During January and February, camps participate in required training sessions through COCA’s Professional Development Learning Center. These courses are designed to educate and prepare camp staff for the accreditation visit and guide them through the documentation and portal submission process.

  4. Documentation Deadline and Visitor Coordination (March)
    All required documents must be submitted by the end of March. Once documentation is complete, a team of two visitors—one peer and one medical professional—is assigned to review the submitted materials and conduct the on-site camp visit during the summer.
    Note: All documentation must be submitted and reviewed prior to the visit. The accreditation visit cannot proceed without this step.

  5. Site Visit and Evaluation
    Visitors do not determine a camp’s accreditation status. Instead, they complete a worksheet that identifies which policies and procedures were either “seen” or “not seen” during their review and visit. This worksheet is aligned with the specific requirements of the accreditation standards.

  6. Committee Review (September)
    The completed worksheets are submitted to the Gold Ribbon Committee, which meets in September to review each camp visited. The committee uses the information to form recommendations for accreditation.

  7. Board Approval and Notification
    The COCA Board of Directors votes on the committee’s recommendations in September. Camps that are approved for Gold Ribbon Accreditation are notified in the fall, prior to the Annual Conference.

As a COCA Gold Ribbon Accredited Camp, you will:

  • Be officially recognized at the Annual COCA Conference as a Gold Ribbon Accredited Camp.

  • Have your camp’s status proudly displayed on your profile page on the COCA website.

  • Receive an official COCA Gold Ribbon Accreditation Certificate, suitable for framing and display in your camp office.

Gold Ribbon Visitors

Anyone from a COCA member camp is welcome, and strongly encouraged, to serve as a Gold Ribbon visitor. This role offers a valuable opportunity to learn best practices in pediatric oncology camping, connect with fellow oncology camp professionals, and bring fresh, innovative ideas back to your own camp.

Visitors may participate in as many visits as they’d like; however, assignments are generally based on proximity to the camps being visited in order to streamline logistics.

If you’re interested in becoming a visitor, please begin by submitting an application—either as a peer visitor or a medical visitor.
[Click here to review visitor requirements and expectations.]

Visitor Assignment Process

Once all participating camps have submitted their proposed visit dates, a spreadsheet will be distributed to all approved visitors. Visitors can then indicate which visits they are available for by placing their name next to the appropriate dates. There is also space to include additional notes such as:

  • Availability ranges

  • Proximity to the camp

  • Number of visits you’re willing to complete

Camp assignments will be made with priority given to visitors located closest to each site. Once a visitor is assigned and a visit date is confirmed, the visitor and the camp will be introduced and connected directly.

After camps upload their documentation to the portal, assigned visitors may begin reviewing materials in preparation for the site visit.

Ongoing Communication

It is the shared responsibility of both the camp and the assigned visitors to maintain clear communication leading up to and throughout the visit. This includes coordinating travel logistics, and staying updated on any new activity or document submissions within the portal—from both the camp and the visitors.

Launched in 2018, the Gold Ribbon Accreditation Program has since accredited 59 member camps. COCA continues to visit 20–24 camps annually, aiming to accredit all member camps within the next five years. The current accreditation schedule was developed based on a survey asking camps to indicate their preferred year for a visit. Most were scheduled for their first-choice year, with only a few placed in their second choice. If your camp is not on the schedule, or if you would like to change the year your camp is currently set to be visited, please email callie@cocai.org. COCA admin will do their best to accommodate moving your visit up, or pushing it back. 

The following contacts have agreed to serve as mentors for the 2026 Gold Ribbon Accreditation Program. Mentors are available to provide valuable support by answering questions, sharing insights, and offering encouragement to camps and visitors as they progress through the program. 

Mentors on the Gold Ribbon Committee 

Michael Amylon, MD – Chair, Camp Okizu, amylon@stanford.edu (Camp, Peer and Medical Visitor Mentor)

Brandon Briery, PhD – Vice-Chair, Camp CAMP, brandon.briery@campcamp.org (Camp, Peer and Medical Visitor Mentor)

Lauren Burke, Camp Quality Canada, lauren@campquality.org (Camp and Peer Visitor Mentor)

Lynne Royer-Willoughby, RN, MSN, NP, Special Days Camps, lynne.willoughby@specialdays.org (Camp, Peer and Medical Visitor Mentor)

Matt Ruttler, Camp Happy Times (The Valerie Fund), mr.ruttler@gmail.com (Camp and Peer Visitor Mentor)

Michele Vernon, Sunrise Day Camps, michele.vernon@sunriseassociation.org (Camp and Peer Visitor Mentor)

Program Mentors

Chris Beckwith, christina.beckwithslc@gmail.com (Camp Mentor)

Cindy Candela-Ryan, Ronald McDonald House Charities Philadelphia, cindy@rmhcphilly.org (Camp Mentor)

Alex Grimm, Camp Okizu, alex@okizu.org (Camp and Peer Visitor Mentor)

Carrie Keuten, Camp CARE, carrie@campcare.org (Camp Mentor)

Joellen Kriss-Broubalow, Sunrise Day Camp- Greater Washington, Joellen.Broubalow@thej.org (Camp Mentor)

Mark Lowry, Camp Quality USA, mark.lowry@campqualityusa.org (Camp and Peer Visitor Mentor)

Melissa McNichol, Rapahope, melissa@rapahope.org (Camp and Peer Visitor Mentor)

Caitlin Sullivan, CAMP KEMO, Caitlin.Sullivan2@prismahealth.org (Camp Mentor)

Erin Ulmer, Camp Rise Above, erinu@campriseabove.org (Camp Mentor)

COCA Gold Ribbon Standards- It is recommended, but not required, to have a printed or digital version of the standards readily available during the visit.

Camp Checklist for GR Visits– This is a helpful guide for both camps and visitors to ensure everything is in place before, during, and prior to the visit. 

COCA GR Visitor Work Sheet Report– This is the primary worksheet to be used by the visitors during the visit. It must be signed by both the visitors and the camp’s director and returned to COCA Staff within two weeks of the visit.

Day of Visit Expectations Guidelines– Visitors should read this and familiarize themselves with the day of visit expectations prior to the visit date.

Gold Ribbon Visitor Expense Form– Visitors are required to list all expenses incurred during the visit trip (excluding purchases of alcoholic beverages). Visitors have agreed to spend $55/day or less, and not incur a total cost of more than $1,000. This form, with all accompanying receipts, should be returned to Executive Director, Jennifer Amundsen, at Jennifer.amundsen@cocai.org. If you are doing more than one visit, please wait to send your expenses until all visits are complete.

1.1 Example (Accreditation)

2.1 Example (Letter of Support)

3.1 Example (Mission Statement)

3.2 Example (Parent Info)

3.3 Example (Organizational Chart)

3.4 Example (Evaluations)

3.5 Example (Insurance)

3.6 Example (Confidentiality)

3.7 Example (Camper App.)

4.1 Example (Staff Training)

4.2 Example (Guest _ Staff Orientation)

4.3 Example (Health Care Policies)

4.4 Example (Staff-Vol. Medical History)

5.1 Example (Eligibility, Late Change Form)

5.2 Example ( Health Care Protocols)

5.3 Example (Medical Emergency Plan)

5.4 Example (DNR Policy)

5.5 Example (Death @ Camp)

5.6 Example (Hydration, Sunscreen, Bug Spray, Clothing)

5.7 Example (Hygiene)

5.8 Example (Rx Inventory List)

5.9 Example (Med. Admin.)

5.10 Example (Record Retention)

5.11 Example (Treatment Protocols)

6.1 Example (Psycho social Support)

6.2 Example (Death Communication)

6.3 Example (Memorial Service)

6.4 Example (Graduate Campers)

Digitize All Written Camp Documents to Stay Organized

All COCA Camps being visited in 2022, are required to prepare ALL written documentation in a digital format so they can be uploaded to the Gold Ribbon Portal and reviewed in advance of your onsite visit next summer.

 

Cloud Storage

All camps should create and use cloud file storage (dropbox, google drive, box, etc.) to organize ALL written documentation related to accreditation standards.

The other key to great organization is highlighting, tagging, or marking specific elements of your written documentation to make it easy for the visitor team to find your compliance demonstration.

 

Benefits of Digital Document Organization 

One of the objectives of having written documentation is that it provides consistency and makes your policies, procedures, and practices easier to disseminate. If only the director or coordinator of your written documentation has access to it, how can you ensure that your entire camp community embraces and implements the standards? Having documents that you can share quickly and easily in a digital format allows greater exposure and access to all the work you put into aligning with the Gold Ribbon Accreditation Standards.

Paper copies are more likely to be accidentally thrown away, are harder to recreate if it is the only version that exists, can be damaged or destroyed between uses, or disappear in leadership transitions. Having your documents in cloud file storage allows you to share the folder with other key staff/team members, so they are less likely to be lost or destroyed year to year.

Gaining feedback from visitors on your written documentation is one of the fundamental learning opportunities in the accreditation process. When documents are in cloud file storage space, they can be easily shared directly with visitors and/or in the online Gold Ribbon Portal.

 

Need a Written Policy/Procedure?

If you realize during this process you need to create a written policy or written procedure for a practice that is for a specific Standard, but you are not sure where or how to start, COCA has a Standards Resource Library. This Library contains sample policies from COCA Camps who are Gold Ribbon Accredited. Once you log into the Gold Ribbon Online Portal, these resources can be found on the bottom left of each Standards page. Again, make sure your created policies or procedures are realistic and have been practiced in the field.