This New Policy will apply to ALL Lodge Events as well.

New Policy - Elimination of the 72-Hour Rule:

Current BSA policy allows non-registered adults to accompany Scouts on overnight events as long as there are at least two registered Scouters present and the non-registered adults are there for less than 72 hours total. This policy is being revoked by National effective September 1 of this year. Allegheny Highlands has set the earlier date of July 1 to eliminate the 72-Hour Rule in our Council. As of that date, all adults attending overnight Scouting events in our Council must be registered members of BSA with Youth Protection Training and National background check completed. [Note: Merit Badge Counselors, Lion and Tiger Partners, and Executive Heads do not meet this requirement since they are not subject to the background check, unless they also hold another position that does include the check.] Please realize that registration is not complete until National has performed the background check – you should allow up to six weeks from submitting the application (with YPT certificate included) for this to be finished.

There is a small exemption in the Cub Scout program: parents or guardians who are not registered may accompany their own child on these events, but must be accompanied by a registered adult any time they are with a group of youth members, and are required to have read the section of the Cub Scout Handbook that deals with abuse prevention.

Thank you for your compliance with this new policy.

Douglas Cashing

Allegheny Highlands Council Commissioner 

The Below Information has been pulled from - https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/yp-faqs/

Q: What is an adult program participant?

A. An adult program participant is an individual aged 18 or older (most often aged 18-20) who is registered as a program participant in which youth members are also eligible to participate (for example Venturing, Sea Scouting, and Exploring). Adult program participants are subject to the same youth protection policies and guidelines as adult Scouters. 

Q: What position should I register in to stay/participate in overnight programs? 

A. Adults may select from the list below of adult leader position options provided in the “Registration Guidebook of the Boy Scouts of America” that is available for their unit, district or council position. Adult volunteers must register in the position(s) they are serving in.  Adults registering in a unit position must be accepted and approved by the head of the chartered organization or the chartered organization representative. 

Unit Positions 

Council and District Positions