Governor signs bill allowing summer camps to hire mental health, other licensed professionals

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Summer camps host all kinds of children, some with special needs.

A bill signed Monday in New York will allow camps to hire mental health and other licensed professionals.

State Sen. Samra Brouk (D, 55), who was one of the bill’s sponsors, said before this law, camps had limited ability to staff certain licensed professionals.

She said she believes this new law will put parents’ minds at ease that kids will be able to get the same care at camp that they’re used to at home.

The law will allow camps to contract with licensed psychologists, social workers and mental health practitioners, and allows licensed physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists/audiologists, athletic trainers and applied behavior analysts to practice at camps.