Disclosure: Molly is an employee of Providence Children’s Center
In the Spotlight: Camp Prov
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Shanna Van Horn about the historic program Camp Prov. Shanna is the manager of Providence Children’s Center, Maternal Fetal Medicine, and Camp Prov. All these programs are housed through Providence Women and Children’s Pavillion (part of Providence Regional Medical Center Everett) in Everett, WA.
This summer will mark the 30th year that Camp Prov has been running! It started in 1996 in someone’s backyard. Now, Camp Prov takes place at Forest Park in Everett, WA. It hosts 380+ children with disabilities (and their siblings) across 5 weeks in July/August. Each camper attends for 1 week for 3 hours/day (AM or PM) Monday through Friday. Children aged 2-13 with any diagnosis or disability are eligible to attend. Camp Prov is supported and funded by the generosity of the Providence General Children’s Association and the Providence General Foundation.
Each summer Camp Prov has 300+ volunteers. Volunteers are 14+ years old. It also employs 25 Unit Leaders. Unit Leaders must be 18+ years old and are usually enrolled in or pursuing a degree in a health care or educational program. There are also 1-2 nurses on site at all times to provide first aid and address minor health concerns.
The Camp Prov registration form provides extensive information on each child. Parents and caregivers share
- information about their child’s strengths and abilities,
- their goals for their child’s camp experience,
- as well as information about their behavior, mobility, dietary needs, medical conditions,
- and their communication abilities.
With respect to communication, parents and caregivers report on their child’s specific ways of communicating. They share the specific signs or gestures their child uses and whether they have an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. If the child has an AAC device, they are encouraged to bring it to camp and review its use with the camp staff. If a camper does not have an AAC device but does not have sufficient or reliable speech, the staff use pictures to help them understand the schedule and to transition between activities.
Before each week of camp, a camper is assigned to a buddy and a Unit Leader. If there is an elopement or safety risk a camper may be assigned two buddies. Buddies and Unit Leaders read all the camper’s registration forms. Buddies and Unit Leaders learn about their campers
- likes,
- dislikes,
- strategies that help them to calm down if they’re upset or dysregulated,
- and how they communicate if they’re in pain or if they are having a good time.
Shanna shared that she loves Camp Prov because
“kids that would never have an outdoor camp experience get to have this experience with their siblings in a safe and fun environment.”
Camp Prov is already full for summer 2026. Applications for campers start in March each year. If you’re interested in more information about Camp Prov you can email campprov@providence.org. If you are interested in volunteering with Camp Prov you can reach out to volunteerservices@providence.org.
Share your comments or questions.