Safety Standards

SUWS of the Carolinas considers your child’s safety to be of primary importance.  As a member of the nation’s most comprehensive network of behavioral health programs for youth, Aspen Education Group, we proudly abide by the following safety guidelines:

  • Physical medical exams and a thorough pre-screening process conducted by a licensed clinician so that each student is medically and clinically cleared before leaving campus to join their group
  • Hydration requirements - require students to drink roughly one quart of water per 25 pounds of body weight. Staff documents each student’s water and food intake on a daily basis.
  • Medication management by staff that are certified through a state-taught Medication Administration class.
  • Ongoing health checks and physical assessments - staff conduct feet and hand checks three times per day.  Staff thoroughly investigates any and all complaints.  EMT level Field Medic follows up with student complaints and helps to arrange follow up doctor’s appointments.
  • Additional precautions in inclement weather - field staff is aware of any changes in weather and adjusts the group’s agenda accordingly; if the temperature reaches 90 degrees in summer, the groups stop hiking; if the temperature dips into single digits or if winds go over 30 miles-per-hour in winter, the groups return to covered structures at one of our base facilities.
  • Weather- and activity-appropriate clothing, gear and equipment
  • Evacuation plans
  • Staff safety training and drills - each group has at least one staff that is a Wilderness First Responder which means they have received approximately 80 hours of advanced training in how to respond to emergency situations in wilderness settings
  • Well-established, research-backed therapies with licensed or pre-licensed clinicians.
  • Accessible communication - groups in the field are in regular contact with base via multiple forms of communication, including radio and cell phones. Each group calls in to base every morning to report on the status of the groups and if there are any issues that require more follow up.