Park Prescription Program Growing in Greater Washington DC Area

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The National Park Service’s (NPS) Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program is working with doctors, healthcare providers, and other local organizations as part of the Healthy Parks Healthy People (HPHP); Greater Washington Area Initiative (DC, VA, MD, and WV) to connect physicians with ParkRx.

ParkRx (Park Prescriptions) are programs designed in collaboration among public land agencies, healthcare providers, and community partners to encourage people to utilize parks, trails, and open space for the purpose of improving individual and community health. Doctors use a prescription pad to actually prescribe park time outdoors in nature or in a park. Park prescriptions can improve their health-physical and mental-and create a generation of lifelong park stewards.

Since 2013, Robert Zarr, M.D, Pediatrician with Unity Health Care has been working with numerous organizations around Washington D.C. (17.4% Latino) to rate all of the green space. Zarr is a Park Rx Physician Champion. The goal of rating the parks is to get a better idea of the available green space in order to fully utilize the ParkRx program and send patients outdoors.

Zarr and his partners wanted to look at factors like safety, accessibility, and activity levels. Using a standardized tool they rated all of the parks in the area (over 350) and developed 1-page summary sheets for each.

“In my office, I am now able to prescribe parks in and around the area where my patients live,” Zarr said.

Latino families often lack access to safe, quality green space, thus are less physically active and burdened by health disparities. The ParkRx program could draw attention to inequity in green space and help to make the case to improve and/or increase park space in disadvantaged neighborhoods. This could have a positive impact on Latino physical activity levels and help to build a culture of health.

Learn more about the Park Prescription Initiative here.

April 24th is National ParkRx (Park Prescription) Day. Keep an eye out for special events.

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