Park Prescriptions Lead the Way
for Health Equity in Santa Cruz County
Much has been said about the healing power of nature. Now, it is being increasingly prescribed by medical professionals in Santa Cruz County.
In addition to checking blood pressure and other vitals, providers at participating clinics also now ask patients how many minutes per week they spend outdoors. If the answer is less than 120 minutes per week, the patients are prescribed a personalized "ParkRx Consultation." This determines what program can best match the patients interests, availability and needs and then enrolls the patient in a free parks program.
ParkRx is an international movement that prescribes targeted outdoor programming to improve physical and mental health. The local effort, called ParkRxSantaCruzCounty (ParkRxSCC), is a collaborative effort led by County Cruz County Public Health and County Park Friends, with leadership from City of Watsonville Parks and Community Services, County Parks, Salud Para La Gente and Santa Cruz Community Health and additional partners.
ParkRx's unique patient-driven design process tailors programs to meet patient interests, accessibility, location and availability. One example is a series of Nature Hikes with transportation provided from Live Oak to various locations in Santa Cruz County and guided by bilingual County Park Friends staff. The series traverses stunning State and County Parks and Beaches including Henry Cowell Park, Nisene Marks, Quail Hollow County Park, and Seacliff State Beach.
All of the diverse ParkRx programs are offered free of charge and are designed to match patient needs because simply spending time outdoors can support the health of the body and mind. In fact, research shows that spending 2 hours outdoors a week can improve your health! ParkRx Santa Cruz County is available to be prescribed through Salud Para La Gente and Santa Cruz Community Health.
“Park prescriptions as a practice are evidence-based and address many health needs of our community,” says Kristal Caballero, Project Director for CalFresh Healthy Living and co-lead for ParkRxSCC. “They increase physical activity and park visits, decrease stress and loneliness, and increase overall well-being and quality of life.” Just 120 minutes a week can lead to these benefits, and it doesn't matter how these minutes are achieved or in what increments, as long as folks get outdoors.
Santa Cruz County parks, beaches and programs offer a wealth of impactful, cost-effective, health-promoting resources. Clinical prescription of these resources by a trusted health professional is shown to be effective in encouraging new habits and increasing participation.
“Similar programs have been successful in other communities and we are thrilled with the response here in Santa Cruz County,” says Mariah Roberts, co-lead for ParkRxSCC. “This local effort came about during and after the COVID-19 pandemic as both mental and physical health issues sky-rocketed and the outdoors became a haven for many.”
Health providers at Salud Para La Gente are thrilled about the program, too, and see its potential. “At Salud, we know how important being outside in nature is to our physical and mental health. ParkRxSCC has been the perfect partner for us by giving us the tools to share with our patients on how they can increase their time outdoors in our amazing local parks and green spaces.” says Devon R. Francis, MD, Director of Pediatrics, Salud Para La Gente.
Due to popular demand to scale to more clinics, the ParkRxSCC team has also created materials that can be used widely by health professionals across the County. Printable Tip Sheets, educational materials and videos are available now on the ParkRxSCC website (parkrxsantacruzcounty.org) for any provider, clinician or health educator to download and utilize. These resources outline self-directed options like prescribing a specific amount of time outdoors per week or identifying parks near a patient’s home.
“ParkRx Santa Cruz County is a model public health program and approach,” says Emily Chung, the Public Health Director for Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency.” Not only does it engage multiple sectors to address racial and health equity in collaborative ways, but also helps address climate change impacts by developing a greater understanding, connection to, and appreciation of our natural environment. It’s a win, win, win for our community, and we’re excited to continue to see it grow.”
