to me a highly questionable practice for anyone. Twenty-one camps out of 218 surveyed were said to have been found to have had hazardous swimming areas, according to the statement in these Century reports. Dr. Cooper, you and I have absolutely no disagreement on any of these areas and camping has been going on in this country for years and years, and I am a great supporter of camping. I was a camper and I am in very active support of camping, but how would we, with this type of evidence, based on the report that you have from Century Research, how we can say we want to leave it up to the States when the States have demonstrated absolutely no or little interest in doing anything in this area other than many of the States do what they call a sanitation inspection, where they go in and have a sanitation inspection. Yet on the Century report it said one-fifth of the camps did not have necessary equipment to sanitize their dishwater. They found 15 percent of the camps with garbage and rodents that were not handled in any positive way. Another area that States in some cases do look at is the question of fire. Many areas have fire marshals that go into camps. On the fire extinguishers and firefighting equipment, we find according to the report that over 57 percent of the sleeping areas in the camps inspected did not have adequate firefighting equipment. And there is more. But this an overwhelming amount of evidence seems to me to be crying out to say, "Listen, the Federal Government has to get in there, set some minimum standards, and urge the States to adopt these or more stringent standards as they wish and we will provide some help to them to inspect these camps." I honestly can't see how the Department can take a position that says, "We really have responsibility" or "This is something the States should do" or "We will try to push the states a little in this area." Our chairman sent the proposed legislation to every State. We have a handful of States who decided to do something about it. I would like an explanation from you, as you see it, and with this evidence, as to why we should not have Federal legislation on this area. Dr. COOPER. I would like to make several comments, Mr. Peyser. The first is I have been a camper and have children that go to camp, so I am every bit as concerned as all parents. Indeed, I am sure I speak for the Department when I emphasize that the Department does have a commitment to improve this situation. We recognize there is an important issue here that needs to be addressed. The conclusion that the Department is not interested or not committed is one that I would be unable to accept. The second point I would make is that you have just referred to a great deal of information that came from the study and I would like to point out that the study is not useless nor worthless because it did point out many of the problems that had to be brought to our attention. Thirdly, I think I would just want to emphasize for the record that some of the points that were reported through the study of these deficiencies do increase the risk of children getting into difficulty at camp, whether it is minor or major, yet they could not not be correlated, as was said in the report, with those instances of illness, injury and death. That, in my mind, does not mean it is not an area that should not be worked on and developed. Finally, as to your question of "how do I conclude on the basis of this overwhelming amount of data that the Federal Government should not be involved," I think I said many times this morning I do think the Federal Government should be involved. Our only difference of opinion here is the approach. The Federal role here is not one of trying to develop and enforce a uniform code in that sense as a Federal responsibility, but to work with you and the States to enable and with the voluntary organizations and parents also to enable this to be developed in an area where it can be enforced. I will give you one personal example. I have children that go to elementary or had gone to elementary and junior high schools in a local county where hard-ball playing, was not permitted as a preventive measure to avoid injuries in schools which is enforced locally. I am sure of that. You know I came from an area before I came here where junior high schools had very good hard-ball teams. I would not want to presume to impose that kind of standard on a very valid and useful criteria that was set at a level that was determined to be in the local interests of the people. Now, there are all kinds of examples, all the way from horror stories presented to this committee to the practical aspects that could be presented. I think the objective is to get a series of State legislative activities in an enforceable way where available State law can be gathered together on the areas that were pointed out in the risk areas and codified as in Michigan, and other States stimulated by the chairman to achieve this. The Department is willing to help to do this in as practical way as possible. Mr. PEYSER. What I am saying-and then I will yield back my time-is that the States have not responded. How many summers do we have to go through between now and whenever the next unnecessary injury or accident or death or something occurs in camps, how many summers do we keep going through waiting for the States to act. I am convinced, that this is exactly as the child abuse legislation, when HEW took the position we didn't need Federal legislation on child abuse. We already have some programs and we are addressing it and when the Education and Labor Committee made a study on this and had hearings and began to find out a tremendous volume of problems in child abuse, the Congress acted and it was signed into law. We now have a national program that is going to try to recognize things that the States should have recognized, but did not. I see this as absolutely no different, only this is dealing with nearly 10 million children a year-even if a smaller percentage is involved, we should be addressing ourselves to it. Mr. PEYSER. What the Child Abuse Act does, it sets up study and a program of encouraging the States to enact legislation, and setting 37-569 74 19 forth basic requirements such as affording immunity to those who report abuse. These are things the Federal Government should be doing. Dr. COOPER. But it does not put the Federal Government into the business of enforcing. Mr. PEYSER. I believe we allowed the States a natural out. We say we are going to provide 80 percent of the money to carry out the inspection. I think the States will do it once we get this legislation. It is the only way they are going to do it. They would rather be doing it themselves than have us do it. They are certainly not going to welcome the Federal inspector when they can put their State people on it. This is what I think will happen. That is all. Mr. DANIELS. I recognize the gentleman from Connecticut, Mr. Sarasin. Do you have any questions? Mr. SARASIN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also want to thank you for being here this morning. If you detected any unhappiness with the HEW report from the members that thus far asked you questions, I think you can rest assured I am also unhappy. I would like to ask why the Century Research Corp. was not hired to do this job, if in fact they had to be hired at all, until June 1973. Dr. COOPER. As I mentioned earlier, in response to the Chairman, there was a period of time in which the plan for the study had to be made, the development of questions that were to be used in the questionnaires and that process requires a program determination of the appropriateness of the forms and clearing through the Office of Management and Budget; and the process of open bidding, review and selection were all involved in that determination as well as the availability of funds at that particular time. Mr. SARASIN. But, as I understand it, the Congress passed the bill in 1972 at a time which was inappropriate to start studies of the camp safety. Dr. COOPER. Initially, yes, sir. Mr. SARASIN. Yet an entire year went by before the study was actually undertaken. Dr. COOPER. The original plan was to have it available for the next camping season. Mr. SARASIN. But yet 1973 put you already into that? Dr. COOPER. These were not justifiable but explainable delays in the administrative process. Mr. SARASIN. We end up with a 16-page report that costs the taxpayers $300,000. Dr. COOPER. It is not a 16-page report. It is a several hundred page report and the summary you have is a 16-page report. Mr. SARASIN. Well, as a member of the committee this is the only thing I have been given. Dr. COOPER. Well, the staff of the committee was given copies of this sometime ago and if they have not been received, we will be pleased to make them available to the committee. Mr. SARASIN. I am aware there is a greater study. Mr. SARASIN. Yes. Mr. DANIELS. I have just been informed by the committee staff that all that reached us was the summary and we were not furnished anything else. Dr. COOPER. It did not reach you? Mr. DANIELS. From HEW, it did not reach us. Dr. COOPER. I am sorry, it is my understanding that 15 copies were sent to the members of the committee. It was in no way an attempt to subvert the data, because as Mr. Peyser pointed out, this is valuable data. Mr. DANIELS. I might say to you also all the committee was able to obtain from the Department was 15 copies of the summary. Dr. COOPER. I cannot explain why the committee did not receive your copies; again, our records show that 35 copies were delivered on April 30. Mr. DANIELS. Well, will you furnish the committee with copies. Dr. COOPER. Absolutely. [The material referred to follows:] REPORT ON YOUTH CAMP SAFETY PURSUANT TO PUBLIC LAW 92-318 Hon. CARL ALBERT, THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE, Speaker of the House of Representatives, DEAR MR. SPEAKER: The final report on youth camp safety, which was carried out under Title VI of the Educational Amendments of 1972 (Public Law 92-381), is enclosed. This Act directed the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to make whatever investigation was necessary to determine: 1. The extent of preventable accidents and illnesses currently occuring in youth camps throughout the Nation; 2. the contribution to youth camp safety now being made by State and local public agencies and private groups; 3. whether existing State and local laws adequately deal with the safety of campers in youth camps; 4. whether existing State and local laws relating to youth camp safety are being effectively enforced; and 5. the need for Federal laws in this field. A review of existing data was done in 1972 and early 1973. This review included a literature search and inquiries to States and relevant national organizations. The information gathered indicated that no previous studies had produced data with sufficient depth and scope to answer the questions raised by Congress. Therefore, an interim report (copy enclosed) was submitted to Congress in March 1973 and additional study was carried out during the remainder of that year. The report transmitted herewith is based on that additional study and constitute the Department's final report to the Congress. The required investigation of youth camp safety was carried out by contractors. One of them investigated the occurrence of illness, injury, and death among young people in approximately 200 youth camps, while a second collected and assessed the adequacy and enforcement of State laws and regulations. (The results of the survey of illness, injury, and death at the 200 camps is not fully reliable in that the participating camp directors took part voluntarily. Therefore, the experiences of campers in these camps should not be interpreted as being typical of the experiences of young people attending youth camps throughout the country.) This final report on youth camp safety is based on the findings of these contractors. It indicates that: 1. Serious illness and injury among the campers studied was not a major problem. 2. although no deaths occurred among the campers studied, 25 deaths asso ciated with camping were identified from a letter survey of camps located throughout the country and from other sources. 3. there is no systematic or comprehensive monitoring of serious illness, injury, and death among summer youth campers by States or any other source. 4. only four States were found to have laws and regulations specific for youth camps and regulations which provided for the annual inspection of youth camps. In consideration of these facts and limitations, the report recommends: 1. That States conduct surveillance of serious illness, injury, and also death among campers and develop legislation and regulations appropriate to the problem identified; 2. that the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare assist States in regard to surveillance, legislation, and regulation by means of technical assistance; and 3. that the Department work and other Federal agencies to assure that the applicable provisions of model legislation are applied to camping facilities under the control of Federal agencies. Despite the shortcoming of the survey, the two major findings that the incidence of illnesses, injuries, and deaths in summer youth camps does not appear to be a severe threat to youths, and that the laws of the States are generally inadequate should be of value to the States, and to Congress in its deliberations, as well as to all those individuals who have concern for the health and safety of young people in the special environment of youth camps. Sincerely, Enclosures. CASPAR W. WEINBERGER, Secretary. INVESTIGATION OF YOUTH CAMP SAFETY INTRODUCTION Every summer, more than 7,000,000 youngsters attend camp' throughout the United States. While the exact number of these camps is not known, estimates range from 8,000 to 11,000. Children are sent to camp for experiences which are different from everyday home, school, and urban life; the camp environment is typically rustic, with a variety of active pursuits being carried on out-of-doors. Considering the millions of campers and staff persons involved in the youth camping enterprise, it is to be expected that many instances of illness and injury will occur, some of them undoubtedly serious or even fatal. However, the frequency and causes of such untoward incidents have never been accurately determined. In June 1972, the Congress passed the Education Amendments of 1972 (Public Law 92-318). Title VI directed the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (DHEW) to "make a full and complete investigation and study to determine: (1) the extent of preventable accidents and illnesses currently occurring in youth camps throughout the nation; (2) the contribution to youth camp safety now being made by State and local public agencies and private groups; (8) whether existing State and local laws adequately deal with the safety ́of campers in youth camps; (4) whether existing State and local laws relating to youth camp safety are being effectively enforced; and (5) the need for Federal laws in this field." A preliminary search by DHEW in 1973 revealed few comprehensive research studies on injuries and illnesses in camps, or on camp conditions. The 1 A youth camp was defined for this study as any parcel or parcels of land having the general characteristics and features of a camp as the term is generally understood, used wholly or in part for recreational or educational purposes and accommodating 5 or more children under 18 years of age living apart from ther relatives, parents, or legal guard. fans for a period of, or portion of, 5 days or more. |