November 2019 - Parks & Recreation - 45

According to Bob Fonte, park director of the Stark County Park
District in Canton, Ohio, the district partnered with Stark Mental
Health Addiction and Recovery, a
local mental health agency, to create a " Mindfulness Walk, " consisting of a trail with 10 stations. The
Walk was designed in partnership
with mental health professionals
and built with the help of several scout groups and park district
staff. The stations, which include
a Zen sand garden, a musical instrument, stacking stones and a
labyrinth, promote relaxation, focus and awareness, reflection and
embracing the present moment.
In addition, a public relations
campaign was launched when the
Walk opened in June 2019. Fonte
hopes this program will be an added benefit to the community, which
has dealt with an increased number
of suicide deaths in a local high
school over the past two years.

Lexington, Massachusetts
The town of Lexington, Massachusetts, created a Mental Health
and Wellness Task Force (www.
lexingtonma.gov/mentalhealth)
that includes the Lexington Recreation and Community Programs
Department. The Task Force is
funded and staffed by town officials and Lexington Public Schools
staff. The group provides leadership and a community-wide focus
by engaging providers, residents of
all ages and the greater Lexington
community in mental health and
wellness initiatives.
The task force leads four distinct
advisory groups made up of several members of the community
from cultural groups, faith groups,
advocacy groups and other service
providers. This is unique in that the

community advises the task force on
all initiatives. The initial goals are
centered on identifying what all providers are doing in town to support
mental health initiatives and developing a centralized place to access
this information. This effort will also
help to identify areas of duplication,
as well as gaps in service offerings for
specific populations that have a need
for programming and services.
In addition to these initiatives,
a town staff person has received
Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)
training (https://qprinstitute.com),
which focuses on suicide prevention and approximately 200 participants have received this training.

The National Council for
Mental Health and the
Missouri Department of
Mental Health
The National Council for Mental
Health and the Missouri Department of Mental Health operate
Mental Health First Aid (www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org), a nationwide
training initiative that focuses on giving students the tools to respond to a
mental health crisis. As the website
states, " Too few of us would know
how to respond if we saw someone
having a panic attack or if we were
concerned that a friend or co-worker
might be showing signs of alcoholism. " Courses are offered throughout the United States, so park agencies can train their staff to recognize
the signs of mental health conditions
and give them tools to respond appropriately. Austin, Texas, and the
New York City Parks and Recreation Department Park Rangers are
examples of agencies that offer this
training program.

Miami-Dade County, Florida
In Miami-Dade County, Florida,
the Parks, Recreation and Open

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID PILDNER/THE STARK COUNTY PARK DISTRICT

Stark County, Canton, Ohio

Spaces Department has launched
Fit2Lead
(https://tinyurl.com/
yyxs3j4e) for youths 12-17 years
old, an age group that's particularly
vulnerable to mental health issues
(https://tinyurl.com/y67m5twx)
and that lacks access to treatment.
Teens can find enrichment opportunities focusing on promoting mental, social and physical health, or
apply to become a part-time, paid
park intern. Park interns receive onsite practical work experience and
enrichment classes that focus on
topics, such as budgeting, résumé
writing, communication, stress
management, health, goal setting
and making positive choices.

Palm Beach County, Florida
In Palm Beach County, Florida, a
new initiative aimed at raising suicide awareness has gained momentum. Josh's Benches for Awareness
(joshsbenches.com), a Wellington-based nonprofit, was founded
in honor of Joshua Nadelbach,
who died from suicide at age 21.
Josh's Benches installs bright yellow benches in participating parks,
which are engraved with information and resources to assist those
struggling with their mental health.
In an interview with the Town-Crier,
a local newspaper, Josh's mother,
Cindy, says, " Yellow is for 'hello.'
I have gone to suicide awareness
walks, and all the posters say to
take the stigma out of the darkness.
People don't want to talk about it,
they push it under the carpet, and
they think if you don't talk about

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Parks & Recreation

November 2019 - Parks & Recreation

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