CLEARWATER, Fla. – Eckerd Youth Alternatives’ (EYA) Camps E-Tu-Makee and E-Hun-Tee recently received accreditation by the Council on Accreditation (COA), an international accrediting body of social and behavioral healthcare services.

Now all 18 outdoor therapeutic education programs that EYA operates for troubled youth are endorsed by COA, undergoing reassessment every four years for accreditation.

COA accreditation attests that the programs meet the highest quality national standards and are delivering the best distinctive services to the communities they serve. The COA endorsement process involves an in-depth examination of each camp’s compliance with best-practice standards, including financial and risk management, and quality services for children and families.

“As a leader helping at-risk youth for more than 35 years, EYA programs provide a safe, nurturing environment in which every child has an opportunity to succeed,” said President and CEO Karen V. Waddell. “We hold ourselves to highest standards because these youth deserve no less. COA accreditation is a great affirmation of those standards.”

About Camp E-Tu-Makee
Camp E-Tu-Makee was established in 1983 and is located in Hendry County. The year-round program serves 10- to 17-year-old boys who benefit from hands-on experiential education combined with behavioral treatment in a rural, outdoor residential setting. Staff members help the campers build effective relationships, take responsibility for their choices and understand the consequences of their behavior. The goal is to help the youth succeed, both academically and in life. It is one of five Eckerd Wilderness Education System camps in Florida. In the Muskokee Native American language, E-Tu-Makee means “Side by Side.”

About Camp E-Hun-Tee
Camp-E-Hun-Tee serves at-risk boys, ages 11-16. Located on 275 acres in the Arcadia Land Management Area, this comprehensive residential treatment program integrates group and individual therapy, wilderness adventure programs, relationship- and communication-building skills, and a fully accredited educational component. Camp E-Hun-Tee, meaning "His Growth" in the Muskokee Native American language, was founded in 1981.

About Eckerd Youth Alternatives
Eckerd Youth Alternatives is a private non-profit organization that serves more than 9,500 at-risk and troubled youth each year. Since 1968, more than 60,000 young people have been helped through a range of 41 residential and community-based Eckerd youth programs: outdoor therapeutic treatment programs, juvenile justice programs, follow-up ReEntry programs and Hi-Five early intervention and prevention services. Headquartered in Clearwater, Fla., Eckerd Youth Alternatives provides youth programs in eight states: Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio, Vermont, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. For more information, call 727-461-2990 or visit our Web site at www.eckerd.org.