Wellness at Camp at the J
Our goal at Camp at the J is to serve the whole child, from supporting their physical and mental wellness to weaving in Jewish cultural education, and making sure they just have a lot of fun!
Camp at the J is partnering with the American Camp Association to build wellness initiatives into the summer camp program.
The term MESSH (mental, emotional, social, spiritual health) was coined by the Association of Camp Nursing and is widely used by the Foundation of Jewish Camp. Since every person has mental health, Foundation for Jewish Camps believes it is important to address the needs of ALL in our Jewish camp communities. This initiative aims to help camps think more expansively about supporting the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health needs of all campers and staff – regardless of whether or not there is a specific mental illness diagnosis. Of course, this can and should be inclusive of supporting those with predetermined support needs.
So what does this look like at Camp at the J? A youth mental health clinician, Jordan Hoffman, is at camp during the summer to support the campers and communicate with parents. She also works with our staff to support their mental health and to help recognize and address MESSH challenges in our campers.
In addition, our facility dog is with us everyday to visit with campers and staff, helping create a positive, calm, and very friendly environment!
If you have specific questions about your camper’s success, please contact the Camp Director, Lauren Smyjunas.
Meet the Team
