Health and Wellness at Camp

Our medical staff provide a wide range of health care services including the diagnosis and treatment of common childhood illnesses and conditions. Our staff will also support the management of known chronic and complex health issues in partnership with the family and home providers.

There is a staff of licensed mental health professionals to provide support to students if needed, and to help guide cabin counselors in their interactions with students. Due to the short duration and nature of our Camp programs, it is not possible to provide counseling and psychological services that require ongoing and involved therapeutic attention. While individual personal concerns may arise that can benefit from the support of the Counseling Services staff, as a general rule Camp students must be able to function independently, without frequent support from a therapist. Students whose needs go beyond the scope of what staff can reasonably provide in the Camp setting may have to return home for appropriate treatment.

Discussions of personal matters are confidential and are shared only on a “need to know” basis. Just as with medical personnel (noted above), state and local child protection laws require Interlochen personnel to report to authorities any suspected cases of abuse (physical, mental, or sexual) or neglect.

State of Michigan camp regulations prohibit students from keeping any medications in their cabin or with them (with the exception of Lactaid, EpiPens, insulin, and asthma inhalers). Do not send over-the-counter medications to Camp with your child (e.g. Tylenol, Advil, etc.) Commonly used medications such as these are readily available in the Health Centers if needed. If over-the-counter medications are sent without a prescription, those medications are stored in the health center for the duration of Camp and are NOT dispensed. It is then the responsibility of the camper to collect those medications at the end of the session. Over-the-counter medications will not be shipped home if left behind.

To best ensure student medication safety and security, all prescription and nonprescription medications that are taken daily must be filled through Thompson Pharmacy in nearby Traverse City. These medications will be filled, packaged, and delivered to campus ahead of your student’s arrival by the pharmacy, and dispensed by authorized Interlochen personnel. Parents and/or their medical insurance carrier will be billed by the pharmacy. 

We strongly discourage any unnecessary over-the-counter vitamins, herbs, or supplements. If items such as these are critical to the student’s health, these must be PRESCRIBED by the health care provider and processed through Thompson Pharmacy in order for Interlochen staff to dispense these items. There are no exceptions to this policy.

This process for utilizing Thompson Pharmacy is:

1. Health Care Provider mails, faxes or e-scribes prescription to:

Thompson Pharmacy
Attn: Interlochen
3850 North Long Lake Rd
Traverse City, MI 49684
231.947.2907 - FAX
231.947.2880 - PHONE
866.870.7204 - EFAX

OR

2. Parent mails an original paper prescription to (emailing or faxing is NOT permitted):

Thompson Pharmacy
Attn: Interlochen
3850 North Long Lake Rd
Traverse City, MI 49684
231.947.2880 - PHONE

A Camp Health Form is required annually and must be received by Health Services at least two weeks prior to the start of a child’s Camp session. Medical information is kept confidential and shared with others on campus only on a “need to know” basis. State and local child protection laws require Interlochen personnel to report to authorities any suspected cases of abuse (physical, mental, or sexual) or neglect. Due to confidentiality issues, information about completing the Camp Health Form through Camp Doc is sent to parents via email.