Camp Hazen YMCA, a summer camp and outdoor leadership center serving CT youth, has been awarded Praesidium Accreditation by Praesidium, the leader in abuse risk management. Praesidium accreditation is a prestigious honor that publicly demonstrates the organization has worked to achieve the highest industry standards in abuse prevention.

To achieve accreditation, Camp Hazen YMCA underwent a rigorous process to implement Praesidium’s accreditation standards focusing on eight primary operational areas within their business: policies, screening and selection, training, monitoring and supervision, consumer participation, internal feedback systems, responding, and administrative practices. Praesidium then verified Camp Hazen YMCA’s successful implementation of these standards. Camp Hazen YMCA will be accredited for three years, and during this time will commit to uphold fundamental organizational values and stringent safety practices that demonstrate their commitment to protecting those in their care from abuse.

Praesidium Accreditation provides solid proof of sound risk management practices and the honor distinguishes Camp Hazen YMCA from others in their industry.

“We are pleased to send the message that we will not compromise the safety of those in our care—for any reason,” said Denise Learned, Camp Hazen YMCA, Executive Director/CEO. “As an entire organization, we are dedicated and committed to proactively keeping those in our care safe from sexual abuse.”

Camp Hazen YMCA is a year-round camping, outdoor education and conference center in Chester, Connecticut. Camp Hazen is committed to helping youth develop valuable life skills through camping experiences that build healthy bodies, open minds, and awakened spirits through nine weeks of overnight camp, day camp, and leadership programs each summer. For more information, visit camphazenymca.org.

About Praesidium

Praesidium specializes in preventing sexual abuse in organizations that serve youth and vulnerable adults. For over 30 years, the company has reviewed over 4,000 cases of abuse within organizations to determine the root causes of sexual abuse within organizational settings. Praesidium employs more than 50 staff, including licensed social workers, lawyers, health care researchers, and other experts. The company has served over 5,000 clients with a broad range of products and services to aid organizations in preventing abuse, including online and instructor–led trainings, organizational risk assessments, model policies, and background checks. Having trained more than one million people online and hundreds of thousands in person, Praesidium is the largest and most comprehensive sexual abuse risk management firm globally.