PRESS RELEASE: April 16, 2015
NATURE PLAY PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM EXPANDS TO REACH MORE
FLORIDIANS
TALLAHASSEE – The
Florida Department of Health, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and
Get Outdoors Florida! are proud to announce the 2015 renewal and expansion of
the Nature Play “Prescription” Program. Created in 2014, the program was
designed to increase healthy activity for children and their families through
access to Florida’s award winning state parks.
“Nature
Play 'Prescription' is a great opportunity for Florida families to get outside,
get active and enjoy our outstanding state parks,” said State Surgeon General
and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. “This collaboration is a great
example of state agencies working together for Florida’s families in an effort
to improve the health of families, residents and communities.”
As
part of the program, healthcare professional’s give out “prescriptions” that
offer children and their families free one-time entry into a state park. Nature
Play “Prescription” began last year as a pilot with 10,000 “prescriptions” distributed
across 47 counties, and this year the program is expanding to 25,000
“prescriptions” that will be distributed across 51 counties.
“While
in a park, “prescription” recipients can hike a path, swim in a river, ride a
bike, play on a playground or join in many other forms of resource-based
recreation,” said Donald Forgione, director of the Florida Park Service. “They
will create a lifelong link between physical activity, nature and health.”
The
Nature Play “Prescription” Program offers opportunities for children and
families to increase physical activity and represents the most recent effort of
Healthiest Weight Florida. For more information about Healthiest Weight Florida,
visit www.HealthiestWeightFL.com.
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