Health, Wellness & Inclusion

IC has a team of Wellness Specialists who help teens with mental health and emotional needs. Wellness Specialists can be found throughout convention and can be accessed by request through IC staff.

BBYO teens who have been trained in teen Mental Health First Aid will also be available throughout the convention. Teens are trained in how to recognize and respond to their peers dealing with a mental health challenge and helping connect them to a safe adult.

All BBYO staff are trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid and Healthy Relationships. Staff are equipped to recognize mental health challenges and connect teens to the appropriate support.

The more information BBYO staff have in advance the better able we are to help support your teen. To speak to a BBYO professional about any mental, emotional, or social health considerations in advance please contact Ari Handel.

IC has an onsite Medical Center staffed by nurses and doctors. Staff are available for onsite needs and to determine if a teen needs to see an additional medical professional offsite. The Medical Center will have some over-the-counter medications for unexpected needs, but if a participant requires daily medications, they will be responsible for managing that independently.
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‍What Happens If a Delegate Gets Sick at IC? 

IC hosts a medical team of professional nurses, mental health professionals, and doctors onsite. If a delegate requires medical attention, an IC staff member can assist them in contacting a member of the Medical Team.

In case of an emergency, BBYO will utilize the nearest hospital. If additional information or out-of-hotel medical services are needed, a member of the IC Leadership Team will contact the delegate's parent or guardian.
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‍How Do I Get In Touch with Someone at IC? 

If there is an emergency during IC, parents are encouraged to call the IC Hotline at 1-800-421-9843.

The IC office will be fully staffed from 8:00 AM through 10:00 PM ET everyday. While our office team will be working until very late at night, should you get our voicemail in the evening, please leave a message. We’ll be checking messages frequently and will get back to you as soon as possible.

If a participant would benefit from additional support, arrangements need to be discussed by November 21, 2023. Any specific needs must be arranged through the Senior Director of Wellness and Inclusion. Individualized needs must be emailed to ahandel@bbyo.org.

As a reminder, delegates have signed a Code of Conduct and Community Standards agreement upon registering for BBYO membership. This indicates their full understanding of BBYO’s behavioral expectations. Should a delegate choose to act outside of the Code of Conduct, the incident will be addressed by appropriate staff members.

‍BBYO has a zero-tolerance approach to any violation of the Code of Conduct and any disciplinary matter that comes to the attention of IC staff. If a delegate is dismissed from IC for disciplinary reasons or Code of Conduct violations, BBYO will arrange for travel home immediately, at the delegate’s expense and without a refund.

‍The most common Code of Conduct violations and consequences can be found here.

As part of the registration process for any overnight program, including IC, families will be asked to confirm that their teens have been vaccinated for childhood vaccines. BBYO’s most updated immunization policy can be found here.

Vaccination: All those who are in attendance at BBYO overnight experiences are highly recommended to receive a yearly flu vaccination.   

‍Testing at International Overnight Programs: BBYO will test individuals that present with flu-like symptoms. A refusal to test warrants an automatic removal from the program.

‍Testing Positive at International Overnight Programs: Individuals who test positive for the flu at a BBYO overnight event will be immediately placed in quarantine. Teens will need to depart IC within 24 hours of a positive test.

If You’ve Contracted the Flu Before an Event: Participants who have contracted the flu will be eligible to participate in all BBYO events after five days from receiving a positive test result, and must be fever and symptom free without the use of fever-reducing or other over the counter medications.

‍Testing at International Overnight Programs: BBYO will test individuals that present with Streptococcus (Strep Throat) like symptoms. A refusal to test warrants an automatic removal from the program.

‍Testing Positive at Overnight Programs: Individuals that test positive for strep throat at a BBYO overnight event will be immediately placed in quarantine. The medical team will coordinate an appointment with a medical professional as soon as possible. Staff and teens may return to programming 24 hours after their fever is gone without the use of  fever-reducing medication, and after they have been taking antibiotics for at least twelve hours.  

‍If You’ve Contracted Strep Throat Before an Event: Participants who have contracted strep throat will be eligible to participate in all BBYO events after taking antibiotics for twelve hours and without a fever present for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.

Testing at International Overnight Programs: BBYO will test individuals that present with COVID-19 like symptoms if the nurse deems necessary. A refusal to test warrants an automatic removal from the program.

Testing Positive at International Overnight Programs: Individuals that test positive for COVID-19 at a BBYO overnight event will be immediately placed in quarantine.  Teens will need to depart IC within 24 hours of a positive test result.

If You’ve Contracted COVID-19 Before an Event: Participants that have contracted COVID-19 will not be eligible to participate in BBYO programming until 10 days after their positive test.