As you know, BSA recommends that all youth and adult members have annual medical evaluations by a certified and licensed health-care provider. In an effort to provide better care to those who may become ill or injured and to provide youth members and adult leaders a better understanding of their own physical capabilities, the Boy Scouts of America has established minimum standards for providing medical information prior to participating in various activities.  The standards are explained on the new Health Form which is attached to this email.

As you are also probably aware, beginning with Camp Ransburg next year, the new form will be required.  This form is an improvement over the older Health Forms for a number of reasons.

• It will be easier for you as a Patrol Advisor to keep track of since it needs to be updated annually.
• It's short ~ just a 3 - pager with parts A,B&C.
• It's easy to understand:  Parts A&C we'll need on every camp out, and Part B will be needed for campouts such as Ransburg, lasting three full days (72 hrs).
• There's just three signatures, 1 for the doc, 1 for the Scout & 1 for the parent, plus a notary on Page 3.
• It's a form that's easy to complete electronically (except for the signature of course). 

We should be encouraging our parents to use this form right now.  Jim Ellison has agreed to collect and maintain Health Forms for our Troop with all of the appropriate safeguards on this type of information.   We'll still have the Health forms with us on campouts, but please provide your new forms to Jim, who'll help you prepare your Scouts for our annual Summer Camp at Ransburg.

Please make Jim Ellison your point of contact.  You can reach him by clicking on Contact Us  and selecting Jim's name. Thank you to Jim for his help!

Note:  All Adult unit leaders should review participants’ health histories and become knowledgeable about the medical needs of the youth members in their unit.

You can download your copy of the new Health Form by going to Forms and clicking on Health Forms.