Community efforts, community health: seven tips for creating successful health partnerships

Parks & Recreation, May, 2003 by Andrew Mowen

Recreation and park professionals recognize that public parks and programs are key community assets in promoting physical activity, yet our role as a central partner in preventative health care has only recently been acknowledged. We've had a difficult time convincing others of our central role in preventing obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and chronic stress. However, these perceptions are now starting to change. A growing number of studies are documenting the link between park use and health.

Health organizations that had previously eschewed working with parks and recreation are now insisting on forming partnerships to create better access to park and recreation programs and facilities. However, successful partnerships between park and recreation agencies and health organizations don't occur by accident. These collaborations require persistence, mutual trust and a commitment to achieving program objectives. For these reasons, park and recreation professionals might be hesitant to take the plunge into a collaborative health partnership. Here are seven tips for helping your recreation organization develop successful partnerships with health care organizations:

1. INFANT HEALTH PARTNERSHIPS REQUIRE BABY STEPS

When establishing a new partnership with a health organization, don't try to accomplish too much too soon. It may take considerable time to learn about your other partners, and their resources and priorities. Consider kicking off your partnership with an easy-to-implement activity based on common goals. This could be as simple as asking your local hospital to provide a free health screening at a park event.

Another starter activity might be to provide health clinics with referral cards that include a map of local parks and trails. For example, in Lebanon Valley; Pa., local parks and recreation departments have offered referral cards to health practitioners. These practitioners are asked to refer this information to patients who might benefit from park and recreation activities. Once your partnership achieves critical mass with a small project, you'll then be in a better position to create more sophisticated and comprehensive partnership activities. For example, 10,000 Steps[R], a walking program co-sponsored by Three Rivers Park District, in Plymouth, Minn., and HealthPartners, provides participants with a pedometer, a planner and logbook, motivational cards and prize drawings to encourage walking 10,000 steps per day. The success of this program is now leading to other wellness classes and health events between these two partners.

2. LEARN THE LINGO OF THE HEALTH PROFESSION

In today's specialized society, it's crucial to learn the jargon used by your health partners. Know the definitions of morbidity and obesity; know what active living communities are, know the differences between physical activity and exercise, and, most important, know how these terms relate to existing parks and recreation services. Your understanding of this lingo will help you recognize when you and your health partner are discussing similar concepts. Mastery of health terms will also make your partners more comfortable in sharing their thoughts and perspectives with you, helping your partnership to gel more quickly.

3. INTEGRATE HEALTH BENEFITS INTO YOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Park and recreation organizations try to be many things to many different people. To some people, we represent champions of the environment, to others we may be advocates for youth crime prevention. If a park and recreation agency is committed to becoming a health partner, it may have to reposition its communications. Communications need to be consistent with promised health outcomes. It does us no good to say that we're in the health business, but then not explicitly communicate this message in our press releases, program guides and board meetings. In particular, we should write specific health benefits into our program objectives. If the health messages aren't included in your communications, other community health organizations will assume that you're not really in the health business.

4. USE SOLID EVIDENCE TO JUSTIFY THE LINK BETWEEN PARK USE AND HEALTH

A prerequisite in being recognized as a viable health partner is to establish a clear link between use of parks and recreation and improved health. Physically active recreation has significant health benefits for many different age groups and populations. However, just saying that our programs make visitors "feel better" or "help them relax" won't cut it with health professionals. You'll need to provide convincing data that links park use to improved health and fewer non-preventative doctor visits. There are a growing number of studies that document these relationships across a variety of park settings.

For example, a recent study funded by the National Recreation Foundation found that older adults who stayed longer at Cleveland Metroparks were also more likely to have lower blood pressures than those who visited for a shorter periods of time. As more of these health studies are completed, park and recreation professionals will be in a better position to justify their involvement in community health partnerships. See "Research Update" in the April 2003 issue of Parks & Recreation for more hard data on these types of studies.