TALLAHASSEE
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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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