The New Hampshire Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would create a three-year pilot program that would provide state park admissions to recovery centers and community mental health centers.
under Senate Bill 387Sponsored by Dover Democratic Sen. David Watters, centers registered with the Department of Health and Human Services are eligible for one or more passes.
New Hampshire has 93 state park facilities, including parks, campgrounds, beaches, historic sites, recreational trails, and more. season pass Give individuals and families unrestricted access to most of them. Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, Flume Gorge, Hampton Beach State Park South, Wallis Sands State Park, as well as campgrounds and metered parking.
At the January hearing on SB 387, Holly Stevens, New Hampshire public policy director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), said outdoor activities have a positive impact on many populations, including people with severe mental illness. He testified that this has been overwhelmingly proven by research.
Stevens pointed out that nature-based interventions such as forest therapy can significantly reduce depression and anxiety. The state has 10 community mental health centers, serving more than 60,000 people in 2022, she said.
On the Senate floor, Sen. Regina Barthel, R-Hampstead, said the bill's fiscal impact would be less than $10,000 for each fiscal year of the three-year pilot program, during which participating centers would have to report annually. He said it was necessary to do so. Usage and impact.
Watters said in a statement after the vote: “Substance use disorders and mental health issues continue to have a significant impact on residents in every corner of the state. Addressing this crisis requires a multipronged approach with a comprehensive strategy. Yes, and SB 387 is part of that.”
He continued: “Extensive research shows that being outdoors is beneficial for people in recovery and those with mental health issues. The three-year pilot program established by SB 387 , which provides park passes to registered recovery and mental health centers, giving people in recovery the opportunity to access the evidence-based benefits of the outdoors.”
