| Overview:
Actively involve the health community in greenways development to promote physical activity and wellness in the Commonwealth.
Most Pennsylvanians are aware of greenways’ environmental benefits, yet do not recognize greenways for their benefits to health and wellness. This strategy encourages the development of greenways to promote physical activity and wellness programs for people of all ages in Pennsylvania’s communities.
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Targets:
- 2002: Integrate greenways into the State Health Improvement Plan.
- 2003: Undertake the Greenways and Healthy Communities initiative.
- Annually: Work with communitybased health improvement partnerships to
support and promote greenways with a physical activity focus.
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Benefits:
- Promotes physical activity and improved health through the use of greenways.
- Enhances greater public support and interest for greenways consistent with the public’s growing interest in fitness.
- Provides for expansion of the greenways partnership base--as hospitals,
HMOs and other health-related organizations become logical partners in the
promotion and development of greenways.
- Increases development of greenways with a focus on health and wellness.
Actions:
1. Include greenways in the State Health Improvement Plan.
The first State Health Improvement Plan developed by the Department of
Health in 1999 outlined a process and action plan for establishing
public/private partnerships to improve the health of residents of the
Commonwealth's communities. The report includes objectives that seek to
decrease the incidence of common health problems such as obesity and
cardiovascular disease. Greenways can provide "close-to-home" opportunities
for residents to engage in physical activity, which reduces the risk of such
diseases. The Department of Health should update the State Health
Improvement Plan to promote the use of greenways as an effective strategy to
improve the health and quality of life of Pennsylvanians.
2. Undertake a Greenways and Healthy Community Initiative.
DCNR, the Department of Health, the Commission and the Governor's Council on
Physical Fitness and Sports should combine forces to initiate an outreach
campaign aimed at promoting greenways. Healthy Community Initiatives seek to
fulfill the overarching goal of the State Health Improvement Plan--to create
community partnerships that work together to improve the health status of
residents in Pennsylvania communities. The Initiative should emphasize the
links between greenways-based physical activity and weight loss, disease
prevention, mental health and longevity. Targeted audiences for this
outreach plan could include:
- Community health improvement partnerships
- Elder care facilities
- Health care facilities
- Schools
- County and local governments.
3. Partner with community-based health improvement partnerships to support and promote greenways development in communities throughout the Commonwealth.
The Department of Health regularly works with community-based health
improvement partnerships to improve health and wellness in local
communities. Each partnership takes a broad view of health and wellness and
sets health priorities that respond to local issues. The Department of
Health should encourage these community partnerships to take the lead in
supporting and promoting local greenways.
4. Revise applicable health-related funding programs to include greenway projects.
Traditionally, greenways may have been considered unrelated to health
improvement; however, with the growing recognition of greenways as
"close-to-home" facilities for increasing physical activity within
communities, the link between greenways and health improvement is becoming
increasingly clear. In support of this realization, the Department of Health
and the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports should evaluate
and revise their current funding programs to include support for the
planning and development of greenways.
