Health Care

One of the aims of Boy Scouting is physical and mental Scouting Outcomes
fitness. Good health is, of course, a part of fitness. Among
This month’s patrol and troop activities should give
the elements required for good health are proper diet,
your Scouts
plenty of exercise, and taking good care of the body. If the
body is abused by drugs, alcohol, or tobacco, all sorts of • A greater understanding of their duty to country and
problems can develop. This program feature is designed their duty to help other people
to drive home the lessons of good health. • Awareness of drugs and how they affect us
Your Scouts have probably already been exposed in
• An improved ability to say “no” to drugs
school to some education about drugs and alcohol. We
can reinforce those lessons by making sure Scouts are • Increased self-confidence
aware of what drugs, alcohol, and smoking can do to
our bodies. Advancement Opportunities
Use the resources available in your community, as By month’s end, all Scouts should meet many of their
well as those from the Boy Scouts of America. All mem- citizenship and physical fitness requirements through
bers of the troop should have a copy of a BSA pamphlet First Class. Depending on the activities, they may also
titled “Drugs: A Deadly Game.” You can get this pam- complete all or part of the following rank requirements:
phlet from your local council.
Tenderfoot
• Outdoor—hiking, camping
• Citizenship—flag ceremonies
• Patrol/troop participation—patrol identification
• Personal development—Scout Oath and Law
• Physical fitness—health, conditioning

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Second Class Parent/guardian Participation
• Outdoor—camping, cooking, hiking The patrol leaders’ council may involve parents in the
• Citizenship—flag ceremonies program feature this month by
• Patrol/troop participation • Asking qualified people to help with instruction on
health planning and drug awareness
• Personal development—Scout Oath and Law
• Inviting families on the campout
• Physical fitness—health, drug awareness
• Asking them to provide transportation to the outing
First Class
• Outdoor—Camping, hiking, cooking, nature Patrol Leaders’ Council
• Citizenship—Flag ceremonies The patrol leaders’ council should meet during the early
• Patrol/troop participation part of the previous month to plan troop activities for
this program feature. If you don’t complete all items on
• Personal development—Scout Oath and Law
the following agenda, continue planning at patrol lead-
• Physical fitness—health, drug awareness ers’ council meetings after each troop meeting.
Merit Badges. Experienced Scouts can concentrate • Consider inviting a drug and alcohol expert to make
on the Personal Fitness and Sports merit badges this a presentation at a troop meeting this month.
month; they should be able to complete many of the • Consider inviting a community leader to a troop
requirements. Depending on activities during the meeting to discuss his or her work and moderate a
­campout, they may also cover the requirements for discussion of the rights and duties of a citizen.
the Cooking, Hiking, Camping, and Citizenship in the
• Plan for the month’s highlight, a health-care and
Community merit badges.
drug awareness display. Make assignments to get
resources from the BSA and community agencies.

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• Plan details of troop meetings for the month. Assign public health departments, and drug and alcohol abuse
patrol demonstrations for the month, covering skills services. (Look in the yellow pages of the phone book
that will be needed for advancement through First under “Drug Abuse and Addiction—Information
Class. For example, assignments might be and Treatment.”)
P
 atrol A—Opening and closing flag ceremonies for In addition to the drug awareness emphasis, your
week 1 Scouts might demonstrate simple fitness exercises, espe-
cially those that can be done while a person is doing
Patrol B—Opening and closing flag ceremonies for something else—waiting for a bus, brushing teeth, read-
week 2 ing the newspaper.
P
 atrol C—Opening and closing flag ceremonies for
Here are other ideas for the display:
week 3
• Set up a VCR and monitor and show the BSA’s
• Make a list of possible patrol Good Turns for
video called Drugs: A Deadly Game. Your local
the c­ ommunity.
­council service center should have a copy the troop
Feature Event can borrow.
• Hand out copies of the “Drugs: A Deadly Game”
Health-Care and Drug Awareness Display
pamphlet or literature from local agencies.
For the troop’s outing (or in place of a troop meeting),
• Have a display of foods—both nutritious and “junk.”
plan a display or booth in a shopping center or mall or
Display a poster with calorie counts of various foods.
some other place with a lot of pedestrian traffic.
Display another poster showing recommended diet
You can get handouts about drug and alcohol abuse
based on what experts recommend.
from the BSA and from local law enforcement agencies,

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 HEALTH CARE
Troop Meeting Plan

Date ______________________ Week 1

Activity Description Run By Time

Preopening Have a local agency set up a display of various drug parapher-

Opening Ceremony • Form troop in single rank, with Scouts at attention. Turn out
all lights except for a single spot (or flashlight) aimed at the
______ minutes U.S. flag. A Scout from the color guard patrol recites (does
not sing) the first verse of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The
troop then sings the verse, and the lights are turned on.

Skills Instruction • New Scouts are tested for push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, stand-
ing long jump, and 500-yard run/walk. Record their results.
______ minutes
• Experienced Scouts work on requirements for the Personal
Fitness merit badge or begin planning health-care and drug
awareness display.
• Older Scouts work on the Venture program or begin plan-
ning a drug awareness rally.

Patrol Meetings

______ minutes

Interpatrol Activity Play Everybody Up. (See the Games section of the Troop
Program Resources.*)
______ minutes

Closing Plan who will do what activities on the outing this month. SM
Each patrol and Scout should have a role in the display. Every
______ minutes Scout should have an assignment to gather information or
make contacts.
Total 90 minutes of meeting
Scout Benediction Ceremony: Have the troop form a circle.
Scoutmaster: “May the Great Master (all make gesture toward
heavens) of all Scouts (inclusive gesture from right to left at
height of shoulder) be with you till we meet again (right hands
being brought to heart and heads bowed).

After the Meeting Patrol leaders’ council reviews the next meeting and plans for
the health-care display. Begin work on next month’s program
feature.

*Troop Program Resources for Scout Troops and Varsity Teams, Supply No. 33588
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 HEALTH CARE
Troop Meeting Plan

Date ______________________ Week 2

Activity Description Run By Time

Preopening

______ minutes

Opening Ceremony

______ minutes

Skills Instruction • New Scouts work on first aid for burns and scalds, puncture
wounds, and bite of rabid animal or venomous snake.
______ minutes
• Experienced Scouts continue planning for health-care and
drug awareness display, or work on Personal Fitness merit
badge.
• Older Scouts work on the Venture program or continue
planning for drug awareness rally.

Patrol Meetings Review Scouts’ assignments for health-care and drug aware-
ness display. Check to see if anyone needs outdoor activities to
______ minutes pass advancement requirements in Hiking, Cooking, Camping,
or Nature.

Interpatrol Activity Play The Struggle. (See the Games section of the Troop
Program Resources.*)
______ minutes

Closing • Scoutmaster’s Minute.

Total 90 minutes of meeting

After the Meeting Patrol leaders’ council reviews the next meeting and plans
for the drug awareness display. The troop committee conducts
a board of review. Continue work on next month’s program
feature.

*Troop Program Resources for Scout Troops and Varsity Teams, Supply No. 33588
60
 HEALTH CARE
Troop Meeting Plan

Date ______________________ Week 3

Activity Description Run By Time

Preopening

______ minutes

Opening Ceremony

______ minutes

Skills Instruction • New Scouts work on first aid for signs of a heart attack, and
learn the Heimlich maneuver.
______ minutes
• Experienced Scouts finish plans for health-care and drug
awareness display; plan to practice demonstrations next
week. Or, continue work on Personal Fitness merit badge.
• Older Scouts work on the Venture program or finalize plans
for drug awareness rally.

Patrol Meetings Finalize all plans for the drug awareness display. Scouts
should bring materials to the next meeting to rehearse setting
______ minutes up the booth and what will be said and done in the display.

Interpatrol Activity Do Indian Hand Wrestling and play Slapjack. (See the Games
section of the Troop Program Resources.*)
______ minutes

Closing • Scoutmaster’s Minute. SM

Total 90 minutes of meeting

After the Meeting Patrol leaders’ council reviews the next meeting and plans for
the display. Continue work on next month’s program feature.

*Troop Program Resources for Scout Troops and Varsity Teams, Supply No. 33588
61
 HEALTH CARE
Troop Meeting Plan

Date ______________________ Week 4

Activity Description Run By Time

Preopening

______ minutes

Opening Ceremony

______ minutes

Skills Instruction Practice setting up the booth for the display. All Scouts prac-
tice their part in the event. Or, have a local drug and alcohol
______ minutes expert conduct a drug awareness program for Scouts.

Patrol Meetings Review last-minute details for the booth display and any
upcoming patrol activities.
______ minutes

Interpatrol Activity Play What’s Cooking? (See the Games section of the
Troop Program Resources.*)
______ minutes

Closing • Scoutmaster’s Minute. SM

Total 90 minutes of meeting

After the Meeting Patrol leaders’ council reviews the next meeting and checks
last-minute details for the display. Finalize work on next
month’s program feature.

*Troop Program Resources for Scout Troops and Varsity Teams, Supply No. 33588
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 HEALTH CARE
Troop Outdoor Program Plan

Date ______________________

Time Activity Run By

Saturday Arrive at location, set up booth. SPL

8:30 a.m. Begin demonstrations (if location is open).

11:30 a.m. Sack lunch

4:30 p.m. Leave for home.

Special equip- Booth display items and handouts

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