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Pennsylvania is trying to help more people with substance use disorder to find peace in nature for National Recovery Month this September.
The state Departments of Drug and Alcohol Programs and Conservation and Natural Resources are teaming up for a “Recovery in Nature” initiative.
Spending time in nature can be a powerful tool to boost mental and physical health for people in recovery from drug addiction.
So, the agencies are designating certain state parks and trails for each of nine regional recovery hubs across the state.
Recommended trails in the initiative include the D&L trail in Lehigh Gorge State Park in Carbon County; Three Rivers Heritage Trail in Point State Park in Allegheny County; and the Benjamin Rush Trail System in Philadelphia.
Some organizations are planning special events to mark the month. The Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers Association is planning a recovery-based hike Sept. 25 along Doubling Gap Nature Trail in Colonel Denning State Park in Perry County. There will be a mid-point stop along the trail for people to share their recovery stories.
The recovery hubs were established in 2023 with $4 million in grants from the Shapiro Administration. The hubs are meant to be coordinated networks of community-based services for people with substance use disorder.
“Nature can help heal and Pennsylvanians are fortunate that there are hundreds of state and local parks and thousands of miles of trails that are waiting for them to explore,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn.
Surveys for DCNR’s outdoor recreation plan show that 65% of Pennsylvanians believe that trails and parks are an essential component of the health care system.
All state park officers are trained in administering the overdose-reversing drug naloxone and carry naloxone kits.
People seeking treatment or recovery resources for themselves or a loved one can be connected to local resources by visiting treatmentatlas.org or by calling the toll-free PA Get Help Now helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
The full list of recovery hubs and recommended parks can be found here.
This story is produced in partnership with StateImpact Pennsylvania, a collaboration among WESA, The Allegheny Front, WITF and WHYY.
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