DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Xavier D. Urrutia
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Self-Monitoring Standards for the 2019 Summer Youth Program and other applicable recreation programs
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes the adoption of Self-Monitoring Standards for the Parks and Recreation Department's Summer Youth Program and other applicable recreation programs to comply with Texas Department of Health and Human Services regulations.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Parks and Recreation Department has provided recreational summer programs for youth for over 25 years. These programs provide supervised, structured recreational activities to children ages six (6) through fourteen (14) years. The programs operate for eight weeks and serve over 5,500 children at approximately 60 sites each summer, consisting of community centers, school sites, and other designated locations throughout the community. In addition, the Parks and Recreation Department offers additional out of school camps during school breaks.
The Texas Department of Health and Human Services (TDHHS) allows an exemption from child care licensing regulations to municipally operated recreation programs that serve school age youth and adopt Self-Monitoring Standards. These standards must include staffing ratios, minimum staff qualifications, minimum facility health and safety standards, mechanisms for monitoring and enforcement; and are required to be adopted by City Council annually. Copies of the Self-Monitoring Standards are provided to the parents of all program participants as required. Parks and Recreation staff conducts comprehensive compliance reviews to ensure that guidelines are achieved at each program site. The State reserves the right to visit sites and inspect records to evaluate compliance of Self-Monitoring Standards.
The Summer Youth Program is available to registered participants at each site and has a twenty- five to one (25:1) participant to staff ratio. Youth participate in a variety of activities including traditional sports, active games, craft projects, fitness, and reading as well as math and science enrichment programs, as part of weekly theme programming. These recreation programs have operated under Self-Monitoring Standards since 2003. Changes to the 2019 Self-Monitoring Standards include:
• State of Texas no longer requires Self-Monitoring Standards and Ordinance information to be sent to the State on an annual basis. (removed from standards and compliance checklist)
• Phone numbers changed to include area code. (phone numbers revised in standards)
• Self-Monitoring Standards are no longer provided to parents in hard copy form unless requested. Instead, the Self-Monitoring Standards are available to be viewed and downloaded as part of the parent handbook during the automated registration process. (language revised in standards)
• Emergency exit information updated to indicate that exits to fenced areas should have unlocked gate if applicable/allowable. (language revised in standards)
The recommended Self-Monitoring Standards were presented on February 25, 2019, to the City’s Parks and Recreation Board. The City’s Parks and Recreation Board endorsed the recommended Self-Monitoring Standards, and an opportunity for citizen input was provided at the meeting.
ISSUE:
This action adopts Self-Monitoring Standards for the Parks and Recreation Department’s Summer Youth Recreation program and other applicable recreation programs to comply with Texas Department of Health and Human Services regulations.
ALTERNATIVES:
The alternative to this action is to operate the program without these standards, and for the city to move toward operating licensed child care facilities. The Parks and Recreation Department has operated under these standards since 2003 with oversight from the State.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes the adoption of Self-Monitoring Standards for the Parks and Recreation Department’s Summer Youth Program and other applicable recreation programs to comply with Texas Department of Health and Human Services regulations. There is no fiscal impact associated with this ordinance.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the adoption of the Self-Monitoring Standards for the Parks and Recreation Department’s summer youth program and any other applicable recreation programs.