Prescriptions

If your camper takes medication, this is the one to read closely — here's how we handle it.

How does CYJ handle camper medications?

All camper medications are packed in blister packs before arriving at camp. This has been our system for two years now, and it's how we keep medication tracking safe and organized. Think of a blister pack like a little calendar for medicine: each dose sits in its own sealed bubble, organized by time of day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime), so our nurses always know exactly what's been given and when.

What goes in a blister pack?

Only daily medications — prescription or over-the-counter — that your camper takes on a regular schedule (allergy meds, daily supplements, etc.).

Don't send "just in case" over-the-counter medications. We keep a full stock of common items — Tylenol, Advil, Claritin, Tums — in the Health Center and will provide them as needed. No need to pack a backup.

Daily OTC medications, vitamins, and supplements require a doctor's note to be dispensed at camp — even something as routine as a daily multivitamin.

What about "just in case" prescriptions, like an EpiPen or inhaler?

Send those separately, in their original packaging. EpiPens, inhalers, and other prescription medications your camper might need based on medical history should not go in a blister pack — they're stored separately by our nurses and kept readily accessible.

What can't go in a blister pack?

• Liquids and gummies — not compatible with our packing system, unless it's genuinely the only available form of a necessary daily medication (for example, certain ADHD medications with no pill option). Gummies in particular can melt and compromise other medications in the pack.

• Chewable tablets — these go in a clear ziplock bag in their original packaging, with a note, not in the blister pack itself.

• Creams and ointments — these don't need to be turned in at all. Your camper can keep them in the bunk and self-administer as needed.

How do I actually pack a blister pack?

1. Map out the schedule. Figure out how many medications your camper takes and when — each time slot (breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime, even mid-afternoon if needed) gets its own blister pack.

2. Align with the calendar. Start filling at the bubble matching your camper's first full day at camp (camp starts June 15? Start at bubble #15). You only need one pack per time of day — when you hit the end of the month, loop back to bubble #1.

   • Skip breakfast on the first day of camp (campers arrive after breakfast).

   • Skip lunch and dinner on the last day of camp (campers leave after breakfast).

3. Fill each bubble with everything due at that time — multiple pills taken together go in the same bubble.

4. Seal carefully. Peel the adhesive slowly, fold along the guide, and press firmly so nothing shifts.

5. Label every single pack with: time of day, camper's full name, date of birth, Aidah, and a list of what's inside. We cannot administer anything without this information.

6. Photograph everything — each prescription bottle label and each pill next to its bottle. This extra documentation matters in an emergency.

7. Bag it all together. All blister packs go into one large ziplock bag, labeled with your camper's name, date of birth, Aidah, and the prescription photos.

Where do I get blister packs?

Watch the instructional video first — it walks through exactly how our team needs things packed. Then request blister packs here and we'll mail them to you. Please don't substitute other blister packs, even ones you already have at home — ours are built to match our system.

When do I hand everything in?

On Opening Day. Send the fully packed, labeled medication bag with your camper — don't mail it separately or send it ahead of time.