In 2021, the Legislature directed the Department of Health (DOH) to convene a task force focused on developing a parks Rx health and wellness pilot program. The Washington Parks Rx Legislative Task Force (Task Force) was required to provide recommendations on a three-region pilot program, in the Puget Sound, Eastern Washington, and Southwest Washington regions, and create three regional advisory committees (RACs) to represent each region. The Task Force was directed to develop:
The Task Force convened between August 2021 and June 2022, and the three RACs convened between January 2022 and June 2022. The Task Force recommended:
DOH reported findings and recommendations from the Task Force to the Governor and Legislature in September 2022.
DOH must create an advisory committee for the parks Rx health and wellness pilot programs. The membership of the committee shall include communities that have been historically marginalized in access to parks. Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, DOH in collaboration with the advisory committee must:
PRO: Prescribing outdoor experiences could be another tool to address mental health challenges, and increase physical activity. These parks Rx pilot programs are a really good asset and opportunity to invest in the community and to see the return in that investment. This would provide an opportunity for employers and insurers to offer outdoor incentives so that their employees can earn wellness points, providing an opportunity to lower the cost of health care in the long run. Last year we received wonderful recommendations back from the Task Force. The Task Force was successful through collaborating with local communities, gathering information from other states, and developing recommendations for the pilot program phase. This is really exciting work and has incredible potential to show us an innovative way to make a health impact in our communities.