Camp Starfish is responding to the fact that children with emotional, behavioral and learning problems are often not afforded the opportunity for a safe, successful, and fun summer camp experience. According to the New England Chapter of the American Camping Association, there are very few camps that adequately service children with special needs. The camps that do exist have average camper to staff ratios of five-to-one and annual waiting lists exceeding 100 campers. Camp Starfish is responding to this inequity, and opened in the summer of 2000, serving approximately 100 at-risk, emotionally disturbed campers with a one-to-one camper to staff ratio.