Medical & Health Policy

Annual Health and Medical Record

Find the current Annual Health and Medical Record by visiting www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/ahmr.

• Part A & B only - most activities

• Part A, B & C -- long camps (requires doctor signature)

The Scouting adventure, camping trips, high-adventure excursions, and having fun are important to everyone in Scouting—and so are your safety and well-being. Completing the Annual Health and Medical Record is the first step in making sure you have a great Scouting experience. 

All Scouting Events

All participants in all Scouting activities complete Part A and Part B. Give the completed forms to your unit leader. This applies to all activities, day camps, local tours, and weekend camping trips less than 72 hours. Update at least annually.

• Part A is an informed consent, release agreement, and authorization that needs to be signed by every participant (or a parent and/or legal guardian for all youth under 18).

• Part B is general information and a health history.

• Medical record requires a copy of current insurance card (front & back).

• Routine Drug Administration Record for all medications (includes inhalers & epipens) when appropriate. 

Going to Camp?

A pre-participation physical is needed for resident, tour, or trek camps or for a Scouting event of more than 72 hours, such as Wood Badge and NYLT. The exam needs to be completed by a certified and licensed physician (MD, DO), nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. If your camp has provided you with any supplemental risk information, or if your plans include attending one of the four national high-adventure bases, share the venue’s risk advisory with your medical provider when you are having your physical exam.

• Part C is your pre-participation physical certification

Planning a high adventure trip?

Each of the four national high-adventure bases has provided a supplemental risk advisory that explains in greater detail some of the risks inherent in that program. All high-adventure participants must read and share this information with their medical providers during their pre-participation physicals. Additional information regarding high-adventure activities may be obtained directly from the venue or your local council.

Medication Policy

The following guidance from the Boy Scouts of America on medication use in BSA-related activities has been developed for youth, parents or guardians, and adult leaders. Planning and preparation are key components. The BSA’s guiding principles for the safe use of medications include: 

• All medication is the responsibility of either the individual taking the medication or that individual’s parent or guardian.

• An adult leader, after obtaining all the necessary information and permission, can agree to accept the responsibility of making sure a youth takes the necessary medication at the appropriate time, but the BSA does not mandate or necessarily encourage the leader to do so.

• BSA council camps may have their own standards and policies regarding the administration of medications.

• State or local laws that are more limiting than camp policies supersede any BSA guidance and must be followed.

Please see the full BSA Medication Policy for more details

301 Scouting Units Medication Policy

In order to abide by the BSA Medication Policy, Scouting301 will use the following guiding principles in handling medications on troop activities. The use of legally prescribed medications is acceptable within the guidelines of this policy.

All medications need to be accompanied by: Routine Drug Administration Record

• Scouts are not allowed to carry either prescription or over-the-counter medicine while at a Scout activity. Such medication needs to be given to the designated Medical Officer as indicated on each activity’s permission slip.

• The Scout must provide adult leaders with written authorization and instructions, signed by a parent or guardian, for any medication (prescription or otherwise) to be taken by the Scout.

• All medications must be received in their original container. In the case of prescription medication, a legible label showing the name of the medication, the prescribing physician, and prescription number must be affixed to the container.

• The Scout should bring only a quantity of medication sufficient to last the duration of the BSA sponsored activity.

• Upon receipt of written authorization and instructions, adult leaders agree to assist the Scout in remembering to take the authorized medication at the proper time(s).

• 301 Scouting units will make available the following over-the-counter remedies for common occurrences: aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, eye drops, Pepto-Bismol tablets, Tums/Rolaids, and Kaopectate. There will be a place on each permission slip to deny the usage of these products for your son. Any other necessary medication must be provided by the Scout and is subject to the above policies.