{"id":313061,"date":"2025-11-25T16:22:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T16:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/313061\/"},"modified":"2025-11-25T16:22:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T16:22:09","slug":"texas-camps-brace-for-more-mental-health-issues-among-youth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/313061\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas camps brace for more mental health issues among youth"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy<\/a>, and give us feedback<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Texas officials are requiring youth camps<\/a> to have weather alert systems, mandated emergency preparedness plans, and various communication methods to help children and their families feel safe when they return this summer. But one thing is still missing from the state plan that some camp leaders say would ensure complete safety at all camps \u2014 initiatives to address the mental health of those returning to a place of tragedy.<\/p>\n

After the devastating July 4 Hill Country floods that killed at least 137 people, including 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, those who are expected to return to Texas camps this summer could be dealing with the fear of the water, extreme emotions during weather events, consistent nightmares, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the flooding, we were hearing from parents and schools that when there was just a simple rainstorm, many of their kids were very, very distressed,\u201d said Julie Kaplow, a licensed clinical psychologist and executive vice president of trauma and grief programs at Dallas-based The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One of the primary challenges in addressing the mental health needs of campers, staff and their families is that they are spread out across the state, only coming together during the summer. Resources have<\/a> been poured into Texas Hill Country for flood victims, but for campers and their families who might live miles away, this does little to help.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Camp owners say this is why camps should be better prepared for their return. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI am in 100% support of engaging in the physical safety, but I think it has distracted a little bit from the importance of focusing on other aspects of wellness,\u201d Brandon G. Briery<\/a>, chief program officer at Centerpoint-based Camp Camp, said.<\/p>\n

State lawmakers over the summer passed House Bill 1<\/a> and Senate Bill 1<\/a> requiring camps to address various safety measures including emergency preparedness plans and communication systems, but they gave no guidance to camps on how to serve the mental health needs of campers and staff.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Keli Rabon<\/a>, a Houston mother whose sons survived the flood at Camp Junta, told lawmakers <\/a>three weeks after the Hill Country flood<\/a> during a committee hearing in Kerrville, that for her family the storm wasn\u2019t over. She said her son scans every room for higher ground, checks the weather constantly and battles nightmares of water dripping from the ceiling, and she has been struggling to find the mental health resources to help him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI have asked the camp. I have asked FEMA. The answer is the same: \u2018Sorry, we don\u2019t know what to tell you. You are in Houston,\u2019\u201d Rabon said demanding that mental health care be a central, funded part of the state\u2019s disaster response. \u201c\u2026 I shouldn\u2019t have to rely on a Facebook group of volunteers to find trauma care for my children.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sens. Pete Flores<\/a> of Pleasanton and Charles Perry<\/a> of Lubbock, who were\u00a0committee chair and vice chair of the flood investigation committee and authors and co-sponsors of SB 1 and HB 1, did not respond to interview requests about mental health resources. Gov. Greg Abbott<\/a>\u2019s office forwarded questions about mental health resources for camps to Texas Health and Human Services, which did not provide information by the story\u2019s publication.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Even before the flood, the mental wellness of campers and staff had been a growing concern for camp leaders. As youth mental health has declined across Texas<\/a> and the country over the past six years, camp directors have reported multiple campers coming in with signs of anxiety and other mental illnesses, and staff \u2014 usually college students and young adults \u2014 with signs of depression and other more severe mental health problems.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This has led organizations like the American Camp Association<\/a>, in collaboration with the Alliance for Camp Health<\/a> and supported by the H.E. Butt Foundation<\/a>, to create a six-hour mental wellness training program called CampWell<\/a> to teach staff how to listen and regulate their emotions. This skill can be used for campers and themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Briery<\/a>, whose six-year term on the state\u2019s Youth Camp Program Advisory Committee ended in August, said he and several others had been advocating for the state\u2019s camp licensing board to consider adding higher-level training requirements for staff to address mental health concerns. He said a work group had been created around the topic and was supposed to convene after the summer camp season ended, but the July 4 flood put those plans on hold \u2014 right when it was needed most.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the physical safety of our camp community is what\u2019s on everyone\u2019s top of mind right now after the events of July, we have to look at the entire person\u2019s safety, and that includes mental wellness,\u201d Briery said.<\/p>\n

Weather-related trauma<\/p>\n

When news about the tragedy at Camp Mystic reached Laity Lodge Youth Camp<\/a> in Leakey, it was like the world had been turned upside down. Laity staff members mourned the deaths as if they were their own while they answered the anxiety-riddled questions of their young campers. The portion of the East Frio River that butts up against them \u2014 a source of joy for so many of them before it was shuttered for the rest of the summer \u2014 became a grim reminder of the tragedy that unfolded just 36 miles away.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I think of the summer, it is split into two parts. Pre-flood and post-flood, because everything felt so different. There was this heaviness afterwards,\u201d said Blayze Sykes, the camp supervisor for Laity Lodge.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"BlayzeBlayze Sykes, associate for Laity Lodge Youth Camp, at the H.E. Butt Foundation headquarters in Kerrville on Friday, November 21, 2025. Brenda Baz\u00e1n for The Texas Tribune<\/p>\n

Over the past decade, Texas has faced numerous natural disasters, including Hurricane Harvey in 2017<\/a>, the Bastrop Complex Fire in 2011<\/a>, the 2021 winter storm<\/a>, and, most recently, the catastrophic flash flood in the Texas Hill Country<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kaplow said each year, more Texas children are becoming survivors of natural disasters, creating a generation of weather anxiety-filled youth<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

A study by the Society for Research in Child Development<\/a> found that as many as 50% of children report post-traumatic stress symptoms after experiencing a disaster, such as recurring thoughts about the disaster, hypervigilance, or difficulty sleeping or concentrating. Children exposed to natural disasters <\/a>also often experience symptoms of depression and anxiety<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A study<\/a> of the Greater Houston area from 2019 to 2023 found that successive weather disasters and events had an effect on emergency department visits for depression and anxiety. It found distinct seasonal patterns, with specific periods, consistently showing higher demand for mental health services.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Weather-related mental illness can be complex to diagnose in children at first glance because their actions mirror ADHD symptoms, Kaplow said. Children affected with weather-related trauma may be hypervigilant, which might appear as though they are easily distracted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Other signs can range from a student exhausted at their desk in the classroom to obvious signs of crying or becoming aggressive toward other peers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not enough to intervene in the immediate aftermath. We want to make sure people recognize that this will be a long-term effort to help kids heal,\u201d said Kaplow.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gov. Greg Abbott launched a free statewide counseling service for those affected by the floods, the Texas Flooding Emotional Support Line<\/a>, but camp directors say more can be done.<\/p>\n

Experts say one of the best ways policymakers can support children affected by disasters is to increase access to mental health services, including therapists, school counselors, grief therapy and medication<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While camp can\u2019t be the replacement for professional mental health treatment, studies<\/a> have found that well-structured mental health programs at camps can counter struggles regarding depression, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, and difficulty forming positive peer relationships in young people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe time is now. Suppose there were ever a time to give attention to mental well-being at camp, to create an environment where it thrives. In that case, it\u2019s now,\u201d said Cary Hendricks, executive director of Laity Lodge Camping Programs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

One approach to integrating mental health into camps<\/p>\n

Families seeking to disconnect their children from technology have long turned to summer camps to help them immerse in nature. Mental health experts have also promoted<\/a> the benefits of nature-focused camps for children\u2019s emotional well-being.<\/p>\n

But, what happens when the outdoors becomes the reason for grief?\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know, and frankly, take it for granted that so many camps are in the outdoors and therefore have that kind of restorative benefit for campers and staff. The events of July 4 reminded us that those elements are also hazardous and destructive,\u201d said Laurie Pearson<\/a>, the senior director of innovation and learning for the American Camp Association.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"AnotherThe heavily damaged Heart O\u2019 the Hills Camp for Girls in Hunt on July 5. Brenda Baz\u00e1n for The Texas Tribune<\/p>\n

Camps across Texas are wrestling with trying to maintain the summer-camp feel of the past for campers and staff who are now very aware of the dangers that surround them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI know we have already had campers signed up who have experienced very traumatic things, so that is where we are focused on. What can we do?\u201d said Meg Clark, owner of Camp Waldemar.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pearson said the CampWell program, a six hour skills-based training course on building resilience, teaches staffers and campers how to regulate their emotions, like fear and anxiety, using methods such as breathing exercises, activities, conversation, and other non-medical means.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Camps who go through CampWell training try to create a safe, supported and connected environment among staff who can then model and teach relevant skills to campers. This in-person program evaluates a camp\u2019s culture, including its training and screening processes and programs, to ensure it promotes mental and physical well-being.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fifteen camps in Texas began implementing the CampWell program earlier this year. Little did these camp directors know how necessary this training would be for staff later that summer, when the flood required them not only to deal with their own emotions but also to address the emotions of hundreds of young campers who had a slew of questions about what happened. Those who went through the training said it helped them by teaching them emotional regulation techniques like breathing exercises and confidence building.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sykes said in the months after the flood, the CampWell program has helped Laity\u2019s staff build their own community of support.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking back at it, the greatest resource we had was each other,\u201d Sykes, staff manager at Laity Bird Lodge campgrounds, said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hendricks said lawmakers have the opportunity to lay the foundation for a better future for youth mental health, and it should start with youth summer camps.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe same way that the state requires us to do proper lifeguard training and food services, what if mental health were equally as important, and what if camps were required to do some mental well-being training? We would love to see that future,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"AA volunteer who helped after the July 4 flood visits Kerrville to look at the landscape at Louise Hays Park on Nov. 21, 2025. Brenda Baz\u00e1n for The Texas Tribune<\/p>\n

Jessica Shuran Yu contributed reporting. <\/p>\n

Disclosure: Facebook has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune\u2019s journalism. Find a complete\u00a0list of them here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For 24\/7 mental health support in English or Spanish, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration\u2019s\u00a0free help line<\/a>\u00a0at\u00a0800-662-4357. You can also reach a trained crisis counselor through the\u00a0Suicide and Crisis Lifeline<\/a>\u00a0by calling or texting 988.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":313062,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[14124,97,8496,259,260,8495,127235],"class_list":{"0":"post-313061","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mental-health","8":"tag-camp-mystic","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-kerrville","11":"tag-mental-health","12":"tag-mentalhealth","13":"tag-texas-hill-country","14":"tag-well-a-homepage"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=313061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/313062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=313061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=313061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=313061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}