Community services and programs operated by public agencies and
community groups provide health benefits by facilitating social
interaction and support, promoting healthy living and promoting
equitable access to community resources. Community services:
Ensure easy access to safe parks
Create quality recreational facilities and programs
Increase availability of local school grounds to include
after-school and weekend hours to facilitate physical activity,
social cohesion, and improved neighborhood safety
Provide access to health care and wellness programs
Provide programs and services that promote contact with
nature to reduce stress, improve mental health, and facilitate
recovery from illness
Key words: recreation facilities, recreation programs, joint
use, wellness programs, access to health care, collaborative
decision-making, access to nature
Local governments are essential and important providers of
services and programs that promote health and build community.
Find resources geared to local agencies looking to reinforce the
wide array of services they are already providing to support
health, safety, education, elder care, job creation and financial
assistance.
These case stories show examples of how community services can
support the creation of healthy neighborhoods. Each story
includes lessons learned, links to additional resources and can
serve as examples other agencies may consider and adapt to meet
their communities’ unique circumstances
