River Crossing YMCA Announces National Accreditation from Praesidium

DOYLESTOWN - River Crossing YMCA announced it has earned Praesidium Accreditation®, recognizing the Y’s demonstrated commitment to the highest standards of abuse prevention in its branches, centers and programs. The accreditation, representing a sustained commitment to the safety of members, staff and participants, lasts for three years, through 2029.

“Praesidium Accreditation acknowledges that our Y lives out our safety standards and policies every day,” shared Zane Moore, president/CEO of River Crossing YMCA. “Providing a safe, abuse-free environment for everyone who comes through our doors sets a baseline for all that we strive to achieve at our Y. It’s one thing to articulate these standards in policy, but it’s something else to demonstrate them in culture and practice. We are proud to partner with Praesidium to help us demonstrate community transparency and the continuous improvement in preventing abuse throughout our organization.”

The Praesidium accreditation process rigorously assessed the YMCA’s policies and practices to prevent all forms of abuse. Through partnership with River Crossing YMCA, Praesidium evaluated Y operations over the course of 15 months, including staff candidate screening and hiring, onboarding and professional development, child supervision practices, internal communication, response systems and leadership practices.

“Achieving Praesidium Accreditation demonstrates that families can feel assured and confident that their children are safe in Y programs throughout our service areas,” explained Nicole Bandura, executive director of risk management and brand integrity for River Crossing YMCA, which operates 11 child care centers and 20 summer camp locations serving thousands of children each year in Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton and Hunterdon (NJ) counties.