EM's Health & Safety Plan

Reviewed by EM Staff - Updated: September 2026

Are Experience Mission trips safe for teens and young adults?

Experience Mission (EM) builds safety into every week-long group mission trip. EM field staff hold First Aid and CPR certification, and every site has medical kits and a tiered emergency response plan. Every team is required to come with at least one adult leader age 21 or older, and every participant 18 and older completes a state and national criminal background check (verified by the Team Leaders before arrival). Teams with minors bring chaperones: one adult for every 7 high school or 5 middle school students.

No mission trip removes every risk. Teams often sleep in simple housing, serve on active worksites, and travel through unfamiliar places. EM's plan prepares field staff and team leaders to respond quickly and calmly, whether someone catches a stomach bug or faces a life-threatening emergency.

How does EM keep teams safe on a mission trip?

Safety on an EM trip rests on several layers that work together:

• Trained EM field staff - Field staff hold current First Aid and CPR certification
• Adult team leaders - Every team travels with at least one leader age 21 or older who stays with the team all week
• Appropriate amount of chaperones for minors - Teams with participants under 18 bring at least one adult for every 7 high school students and every 5 middle school students, so students are supervised and kept safe at all times
• Background checks - A state and national criminal background check, run within the last three years, for every participant 18 and older - EM's Background Check Policy
• Medical kits and an emergency plan - First-aid kits at every site and a three-level response plan, outlined below
• Leader phones for emergencies - Team leaders keep their phones available so families can reach the team, while participants are encouraged to leave phones at home - EM's Mobile Phone Policy
• Insurance - International medical insurance is required for everyone serving abroad, and health insurance is strongly recommended for domestic trips

We encourage team leaders can share these policies with parents and participants before the trip so every family knows what to expect.

Why does EM share safety responsibility with team leaders?

EM field staff coordinate logistics, worksites, and help with emergency response, but they do not supervise minors. Parents and church leaders know their students best, so each team's own adult leaders stay with their students at all times. That keeps accountability close to home while EM supports the team on site and helps the team serves alongside local partners.

Staff Certification

All EM field staff hold current First Aid and CPR certification, giving them the ability to help respond in the case of a medical emergency.

Medical Kits

EM provides a medical kit at every site, stocked with first-aid supplies for general accidents and common ailments. In domestic locations, we ask each team to bring its own over-the-counter medications - Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl, and Imodium - since needs and preferences vary from person to person, and teams know their members best.

For most international communities where clinics are not available, EM provides a larger comprehensive medical kit for major emergencies. The kits contain a small amount of basic OTC medications for emergency use. However, team members should also plan to bring their own supply of Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl, and Imodium for their personal use.

Emergency Response Plan

Not every medical situation calls for the same response. EM matches its action to how serious an emergency is, so teams get the right level of care without unnecessary alarm or delay.

Medical Care & Insurance Responsibility

All medical care is the sole responsibility of the team member. EM requires international medical insurance for everyone serving abroad and strongly recommends health insurance for participants on domestic trips.