Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration<\/a> joined leaders in announcing the expansion at Lackawanna State Park in conjunction with National Recovery Month and Suicide Prevention Month.<\/p>\nThe third annual “Recovery in Nature” initiative will expand to include additional opportunities for Pennsylvania veterans, with around 20 state parks and conservation areas taking part.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that spending time outdoors is a meaningful part of recovery for so many Pennsylvanians because at the crux of recovery is finding connection, building healthy routines, and participating in activities that support overall wellness. It\u2019s a perfect fit with all of the vast resources Pennsylvania has to offer through our expansive state parks system,\u201d said DDAP Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones. \u201cBy expanding the initiative, we\u2019re reaching even more Pennsylvanians who will have the opportunity to experience the benefits of nature while getting connected to additional services and supports the Shapiro Administration offers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The program is part of a partnership between the Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) and Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) departments. <\/p>\n
\u201cPennsylvania\u2019s parks, forests, and trails are great places to visit and experience the natural beauty of the Commonwealth along with the restorative benefits nature provides,\u201d said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. \u201cAs Recovery Month nears its end, we in the Shapiro Administration encourage Pennsylvanians to seek the healing power of nature this fall and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n
As part of their collaboration with the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs (DMVA), veterans will have more opportunities to get outside and experience nature while having access to health and wellness resources.<\/p>\n
Organizers said the events were created to promote wellness, connection, and healing while helping veterans reduce stress.<\/p>\n
\u201cTime spent in natural settings provides a restorative environment where veterans can decompress, reflect, and regain a sense of equilibrium,\u201d said Maj. Gen. John Pippy, Pennsylvania\u2019s adjutant general and head of the DMVA. \u201cThese events offer meaningful support for those who have served our nation by promoting mental clarity, easing stress, and fostering overall well-being. These experiences can play an important role in strengthening resilience and supporting a healthier transition beyond military service.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania has 125 state parks, 2.2 million acres of state forestland, and more than 14,000 miles of trails, according to state data.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PENNSYLVANIA (WHP) \u2014 Pennsylvania is expanding an initiative that utilizes state parks and outdoor activities to connect people…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":296866,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,29],"class_list":["post-296865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania-headlines","tag-pennsylvania-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296865","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=296865"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296865\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/296866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296865"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=296865"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=296865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}