Frequently Asked Questions

Summer Camp

Camp Jotoni’s primary program is our Summer Camp, which runs from late June through late August. We offer several types of sessions:

Day Camp

• Two one-week day camp sessions are offered each summer. Sessions run Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
• Optional AM and PM care is available for an additional fee (AM: 8:00–9:00 a.m.; PM: 3:00–4:00 or 5:00 p.m.).

Overnight Camp

• Five one-week sleepaway sessions. Drop-off is Sunday between 1:00–3:00 p.m.; pick-up is Friday between 2:00–3:00 p.m.
• One two-week sleepaway session. Drop-off is Sunday between 1:00–3:00 p.m.; pick-up is on the second Friday between 2:00–3:00 p.m.

Spring/Fall Respite Weekends

We host sleepaway Respite Weekends in both the Spring and Fall. Drop-off is Friday at 5:00 p.m., and pick-up is Sunday between 1:00–3:00 p.m. Typically, six weekends are offered each season.

Special Events

During the Winter, we offer a variety of seasonal programs. Some events are held on Saturdays (drop-off at 9:00 a.m.; pick-up at 5:00 p.m.). Others take place on weekdays (drop-off at 5:00 p.m.; pick-up at 9:00 p.m.). These events are usually themed around holidays, though dates may vary each year.

We serve campers starting at age 5 and have no upper age limit. While our sessions are not divided by age, we aim to group campers with peers of similar ages whenever possible.

51 Old Stirling Road, Warren, New Jersey 07059.

Private tours are not available. However, we host an annual Camp Showcase Night, typically on a weeknight in mid-June, where families can tour the camp with our staff. The exact date will be announced through our newsletter.

Summer Camp: Opens in February and remains open for one month. The exact date is announced in November.

Spring Respite Weekends: Open in January; the exact date is announced in November.

Fall Respite Weekends: Typically open in June/July; the exact date is announced in May/June.

Winter Special Events: Typically open in September/October; the exact date is announced in August/September.

You won’t need much at the time of registration, and if you make a mistake or are missing information, we can update your application later. We recommend deciding in advance which sessions, weekends, or events you want to request so you can list your preferences quickly—your preference list is what we work from if we are able to place your camper.

If your camper will be using PerformCare or DDD funding, please have their ID number and DDD tier available, if known. Most other information requested during registration is basic.

If you are new to our CampBrain registration portal, you can click here to view a YouTube walkthrough video we created in 2024. Please note that while the process is largely the same, some questions may have changed since the video was made.

You will receive an email regarding your camper’s status within 4–6 weeks of submitting your application. Each registration will list a target date by which confirmations should be received. If you do not hear from us by that date, please contact us.

If your camper is new to Camp Jotoni, or has not attended for several years, an in-person intake meeting is required before we can process the application. We will email you to schedule this.

Once accepted, you must complete all required paperwork before your camper can attend. Most forms can be submitted online; however, a physical examination form from your physician and Genoa Pharmacy enrollment forms must be completed separately. Paperwork is required once per year, unless your camper’s medications or behaviors change.

Camp Jotoni has limited staffing—especially during the Spring, Fall, and Winter—so we accept campers based on available staff. As we hire additional team members, spaces may open and your camper may be moved off the waitlist. We also have a limited number of spots for campers who require 1:1 support. To ensure everyone’s safety, we only accept campers when we have the staff necessary to support them properly. If a space becomes available, we will notify you immediately.

I’m interested in applying for Camp Jotoni, but registration is not currently open. How can I be notified when registration dates are released?

The best way to stay informed about upcoming registration dates is to sign up for our newsletter.

Yes! We accept campers who require 1:1 support, whether it’s due to mobility needs, elopement risks, or behaviors requiring additional supervision. However, because of staffing limitations, each session has a limited number of 1:1 spaces. We recommend registering as soon as registration opens for the best chance of securing a spot. Camp Jotoni provides all 1:1 staffing – families cannot provide their own aides.

Probably not. While we do not have a formal limit, we prioritize giving as many campers as possible the opportunity to attend at least one session before offering a second. Due to current staffing levels, it is unlikely that a camper will be accepted into more than two sessions.

If your camper is accepted into back-to-back sessions, please note that they must be picked up for the weekend and dropped off again at the start of the next session.

No, Camp Jotoni does not currently provide any transportation services for any of our programs.

During both Day Camp and Residential Camp sessions, campers enjoy a variety of activities. Each day begins with morning exercise, followed by half the day spent on activities and the other half at the pool. Daily activities include Arts & Crafts, Music, PE, Nature, and the Sensory Barn. Our schedule follows an A/B rotation—if pool time is in the morning on Monday, it will be in the afternoon on Tuesday. Lunch is around 11:30 a.m. or noon, depending on their schedule.

During Residential Camp weeks, campers have an additional afternoon swim. In case of bad weather, swim time is replaced with indoor activities like movies, bingo, or other games. After the afternoon session, campers have an hour of rest in their cabins. Following dinner, everyone gathers for a night activity, which may include campfires, talent shows, karaoke, dance parties, Jeopardy, Minute to Win It, scavenger hunts, movie nights, and more! During a residential session, campers typically go to bed around 9:00 p.m. and wake up at 7:00 a.m.

Our Respite Weekends feature many of the same activities as our summer sessions – Arts & Crafts, dance parties, campfires, and more – but on a more relaxed schedule. With smaller groups, we can tailor activities to campers’ interests. A key highlight of each weekend is a community outing. Past trips have included the cinema, bowling, Liberty Science Center, pumpkin patches, Rita’s Italian Ice, mini golf, and visits to arboretums.

Camp Jotoni offers a variety of accessible and modern facilities, including:

• Air-conditioned and heated cabins (built in 2021 and 2022)
• Dining hall
• Activity pavilions and barn
• Outdoor pool
• Sensory garden
• Nature trail
• Monarch Butterfly Station

The pool is 7 feet at its deepest point. A shallow end is roped off from the deep end for campers who cannot or prefer not to enter deeper water.

Our pool has a zero-entry design, which allows staff to safely transfer campers from their wheelchairs into our pool wheelchair and guide them into the water securely.

We do not offer swimming lessons at Camp Jotoni. Pool time is for fun and play. Lifeguards and staff are informed of each camper’s swimming ability, and campers who cannot swim are provided with life jackets, kept in the shallow end, and supervised closely according to family instructions to ensure their safety.

During the summer, each session typically includes 30–40 campers, depending on the week.

In the Fall, when international staff are still onsite, we can host up to 25 campers per weekend.

For typical Spring and late-Fall respite weekends, we host 8–15 campers.

Winter Special Event capacity varies based on staffing, and has ranged from 8–20 campers in recent years.

Summer Day Camp:

• Minimum staffing ratio: 1:3, unless a camper requires 1:1 support.
• Groups usually include 4–8 campers with 2–5 staff.

Summer Residential Sessions:

• Standard staffing ratio: 1:4, unless a camper requires 1:1 support.
• Each cabin room can hold up to 8 campers with 4–5 staff.
• Groups typically include 5–8 campers with 2–5 staff.

Spring, Fall, and Winter Events:

Staffing ratio remains 1:4, unless a camper needs 1:1 support.

Camp Jotoni hires a diverse team, including professionals who work with individuals with disabilities—such as teachers, occupational therapists, and paraprofessionals.
During the summer, we also welcome many international staff through cultural exchange programs. Past team members have come from countries such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, the Netherlands, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, China, and more.

All staff participate in a comprehensive orientation week and receive training in:

• CPR and First Aid
• Personal care
• Wheelchair lifts and transfers
• Seizure response
• Abuse and Neglect Prevention
• Verbal Intervention (de-escalation techniques)
• OSHA
• Danielle’s Law
• Komnino’s Law

Additionally, all staff must complete background checks, fingerprinting, and drug testing before working at camp.

Camp Jotoni is accredited by the American Camping Association for it’s Summer Camp Season.

Yes! We accommodate a wide range of dietary needs, including dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets. If your camper has a specific restriction and you’re unsure whether we can accommodate it, please contact us—we’re happy to help.

No. Camp Jotoni is a nut-free campus due to the number of campers with severe allergies. Any snacks or lunches brought onto camp property that contain nuts will be disposed of.

Absolutely—please send your camper’s AAC or communication device with them. Supporting all your camper’s communication is essential, and our staff are trained to support all communication methods. We will ensure your camper has their device with them at all times and is encouraged to use it throughout their stay.

Yes—this is your choice. We encourage full participation in camp activities, but we also understand that devices can help with regulation or relaxation. Some families prefer to leave devices at home, and our staff offers plenty of engaging options during downtime for those campers.

If your camper brings a device, please let their counselors know at drop-off and share any guidelines you’d like us to follow. We generally encourage campers to keep non-AAC devices in the cabin to reduce the risk of loss or damage, but our staff will follow family instructions. Please note: staff will not confiscate or hide a camper’s device without the camper’s permission.

Yes, we have laundry facilities and can wash a camper’s clothing or bedding if they have an accident. However, we ask families to pack enough clothing for the entire session.

Yes! Please click here for Camp Jotoni’s most recent packing list. Make sure all clothing and personal items are clearly labeled. With many campers and staff sharing space, items can easily get mixed up. If your camper has items of special importance (such as a favorite toy or stuffed animal), please let their staff know so we can help ensure they come home safely.

Yes. We do our best to honor grouping requests when possible. Please reach out to Camp Administration to submit your request.

Yes, but all visitors must receive approval from Camp Administration. We limit the number of visits each session to avoid disrupting the schedule. If your camper would like a visitor, please contact us in advance.

Yes. If your camper brings their own device, you may call during their free periods—ideally during rest time (4:30–5:50 pm) or right before bedtime (8:15–8:45 pm).

If your camper will not have their own device, our administrative team may be able to arrange a call using the camp phone. Please let us know before or at drop-off if you’d like to schedule this. We will do our best to make these calls happen, but availability is limited due to the busy nature of camp and our priority of keeping campers safe and engaged.

Absolutely. Many of our campers take medications. Our nursing and medication team can administer most medications, including controlled substances, liquid medications, and medications that must be crushed and given with applesauce. If your camper has unique medical needs – such as injectable medications or G-tube administration – please contact the Camp Jotoni administrative team to confirm whether we can accommodate them.

Beginning in 2026, Camp Jotoni will be partnering with Genoa Pharmacy to streamline and enhance our medication administration process. This partnership is designed to increase health and safety, reduce potential medication errors, and allow staff to spend more time engaging with campers and activities.

Why are Why We’re Making This Change:

For several years, families have expressed how difficult it can be to obtain bubble packaging for camper medications from traditional pharmacies. Partnering with Genoa Pharmacy provides an easy and reliable solution. Genoa will fill, package, and deliver medications directly to camp before your camper’s arrival.

Benefits for Families:

• Improved safety and accuracy in medication administration.
• Simplified preparation—Genoa coordinates directly with your prescribers and insurance.
• Faster check-in—medications arrive at camp in advance, giving you priority at registration.
• Less last-minute stress—no more urgent pharmacy visits before camp.

While families who do not enroll with Genoa Pharmacy may still participate in camp, we strongly urge all families to use this service to ensure a safe and consistent medication process for all campers. Please note that beginning in 2026, check-in priority will be given to families enrolled with Genoa Pharmacy.

At registration, you’ll receive paperwork to enroll in Genoa Pharmacy. Completing it early won’t affect your camper’s acceptance and only needs to be done once — it will carry over for future years. The form does not require a physician’s signature. You’ll still need a Camp Jotoni Physical Examination Form signed by a physician within a year of camp.

Once accepted, your physician will send prescriptions to Genoa (electronically or physically). Genoa handles the rest! At drop-off, you’ll skip the usual medication check-in with the nurse — saving time — though you can still speak with a nurse if needed.

Please submit the Genoa form indicating you’re not enrolling, so we know no further information is needed. You’ll still need the signed Physical Examination Form noting that your camper takes no medications.

No. Genoa bills your insurance directly – you’ll only pay your regular copay.

Genoa will coordinate with your insurance and providers to supply the necessary camp doses.

Yes. Genoa can fill all these medications as long as they receive the proper prescriptions. Controlled and refrigerated meds are securely packaged and logged. 

It depends on the season. We accept DDD funding and private pay for all of our programs. For our summer sessions, we also accept PerformCare funding.

Camp Jotoni and The Arc of Somerset County are committed to reducing financial barriers to attendance wherever possible. Camperships will be available to assist in payment as funding resources allow in a given period of time. Please reach out to administrative staff for more information about this process.

Payment deadlines vary by season. Please refer to the specific due date listed in your camper’s acceptance letter for their session. Please note: If payment is late, your camper’s spot may be offered to someone on the waitlist. It is the family’s responsibility to secure funding approval from DDD or PerformCare in a timely manner.

Scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email address in the section labeled “SIGN UP FOR CAMP JOTONI’S NEWSLETTER”. Make sure that you click the “Sign Up” button to submit your email.

During the summer and the off season, please feel free to contact our Camp Director Joe Miller or our Assistant Director Nikki Panckhurst Miller:

Joe Miller
joem@thearcofsomerset.org
908-963-0092

Nikki Panckhurst Miller
nikkip@thearcofsomerset.org
908-963-1136

If you are a support coordinator looking to get a draft SDR approved, please forward it to Vicky Gaffney:

Vicky Gaffney
vickyt@thearcofsomerset.org