DEPARTMENT: Parks and Recreation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Homer Garcia III, Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Self-Monitoring Standards for the 2021 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 27 years. These programs provide supervised, structured recreational activities to children ages 6 through 14 years. Historically, the programs operate for approximately 8 weeks and serve over 5,000 children at approximately 60 sites each summer, consisting of community centers, school sites, and other City locations throughout the community. In 2021, based on the current COVID-19 circumstances, the Parks and Recreation Department is planning to offer the Summer Youth Program at 21 Parks and Recreation facilities with limited capacities. 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 ten to one (10:1) participant to staff ratio planned in 2021 due to the current COVID-19 circumstances. 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 themed programming. These recreation programs have operated under Self-Monitoring Standards since 2003.
The recommended Self-Monitoring Standards were presented on February 22, 2021 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. There were no recommended changes to the 2021 Self-Monitoring Standards.
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 which would require additional staffing and funding. The Parks and Recreation Department has operated under these standards since 2003 with oversight from the State.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of these Self-Monitoring Standards.
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.