The National Park Rx Initiative Zarnaaz Bashir, MPH Director, Health Initiatives www.nrpa.org
What are Park Prescriptions? “Programs designed in collaboration with healthcare providers and community partners that use parks, trails, and open space to i mprove individual and community health.” -National Park Prescriptions Steering Committee www.nrpa.org
Benefits • Connects the healthcare community and public lands • Creates new stewards and advocates for the environment • Connects with nature, leading to physical, mental, and social benefits • It’s fun, easy, convenient, affordable…. www.nrpa.org
Physicians are Champions! • With our nation’s current epidemic of obesity… it’s time that we doctors prescribe time outside, in nature, for all our patients. –Dr. Robert Zarr MD, Pediatrician • Clinicians and families know why to be in nature for health; the issue is how . –Dr. Nooshin Razani MD, Family Practice • Telling people to get out and exercise wasn't working… Our goal is simple—to transform medicine. We want everyone in the world to have access to this." –Dr. David Sabgir MD, Cardiologist www.nrpa.org
National Park Rx Steering Committee Leadership Team National Organizations – Representing park and recreation professionals, health providers, and nature and environmental champions Subject-Matter Experts www.nrpa.org
Vision To launch a national agenda for park prescriptions that elevates it from a new concept to a best practice in preventive health. – Identify standards and themes across programs – Develop resources for program replication – Launch communications strategy – Identify funding sources www.nrpa.org
Thank You! Zarnaaz Bashir, MPH Director, Health Initiatives zbashir@nrpa.org 703-858-4746 www.nrpa.org
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New Mexico Health Care Takes On Diabetes P R ES CR IP TION TR AILS P R OGR AM w w w . p r e s c r i p t i o n t r a i ls n m . o r g
Prescription Trails Program “Get Up and Get Moving” 1. A program designed to give all health care professionals tools to increase walking/ wheelchair rolling on suggested routes, targeting and promoting healthy lifestyles for individuals and families. (And pets too)
Audience Patients Health Care Professionals • Adopt walking as a life Provide training and long activity tools to implement the Walking is good for most program chronic conditions Reasons for the health care provider Parks are local and free communicating this Become an advocate for message the environment Promote a healthy Walk with a friend – environment for all human and canine species
Exam Room Poster – English and Spanish
Human Prescription in English and Spanish
Canine Prescription in English and Spanish
Park Assessment Worksheet Park assessm ent and evaluation is critical Must have a good experience in park – willing to return Park location – street, parking, and transit Trail surface , width, and slope >2%, grade >5% Trails distance, and steps, loops preferred Shade, benches, and resting areas Attractions for kids Public facilities Signage and lighting Safety, and visibility Trail grade definitions
Walking Guide Tiguex paths: all Grade 1
Walking Guide 1. Inner Loop Trail Distance: .3 mile Difficulty: Grade 1 Steps: 635 Trail Surface: 8 foot wide concrete Grade: Fully accessible to all users; a flat, paved pathway located in or around a park that is suitable for wheelchairs. Attractions Play areas , Basketball courts , Grass fields Picnic tables
Get Up And Get Moving! Charm Lindblad Can we take a walk? clind48535@aol.com Prescriptiontrailsnm.org
BETTER TOGETHER: A regional approach to park/health partnerships Kristin Wheeler Program Director
WE NEED EACH OTHER • Clinicians are on the frontline of the current epidemic of chronic diseases • Socioeconomic disparities in health parallel disparities in access to parks • Parks play an essential role in public health • Fewer people are spending time outdoors • Direct nature experiences lead to emotional attachment – “sense of place”
OUR STRATEGY, DEFINED col·lec·tive im·pact /kəˈlektiv ˈimpakt/ (n): the commitment of a group of important actors from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem. (source: SSIR, Winter 2011)
A ROADMAP TO SUCCESS • Identify partners for change • Parks – Health – Community • Define your scope of work • Define your purpose • Create boundaries • Define terms • Set measures • Create a roadmap • Stay focused • Celebrate success Yes, you will need a lot of post-it notes…
HEALTHY PARKS HEALTHY PEOPLE: Bay Area • 40+ park, health, and community agencies representing all nine Bay Area counties • Formed in 2012 to… • Improve the health and wellbeing of high health need residents through regular use and enjoyment of parks and public lands • All programs must be: • Welcoming, free, consistent, culturally relevant, and guided
WARM HANDOFF & WARM WELCOME Rx from Health Provider Data Shared Fill Rx at Patient with Health HPHP Park Provider Program Park Collects Data
LESSONS LEARNED • Health starts outside the clinic walls Parks are public health • providers • Treat the individual and the community • Perfect is the enemy of good • Park/Health partnerships succeed with community input
THANK YOU & SEE YOU IN THE PARKS! kwheeler@parksconservancy.org instituteatgoldengate.org
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