June 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 39

the proper help they need. For instance,
at Golden Gate Park, grounds maintenance workers and addicts seeking refuge in the park interact on a regular basis. Having people on the frontline who
have daily interaction with drug users
and can identify issues is an integral part
of providing intervention and help.
" Being alone is a huge risk factor in fatal overdoses, " says Bunde. " Those tending to the park grounds are there early
in the morning and are able to identify
potentially dangerous behavior and notify the park rangers, who then work with
their constituents. "
Since opiates affect the brain's receptors that release dopamine - a
neurotransmitter that produces a " feel
good " reaction - many experts agree
that recreation and physical activity can
help offer an alternative lifestyle for opioid addicts. This can translate into parks
becoming a haven for addicts seeking recovery activities and a positive way for
them to channel their focus and energy
into beneficial exercise, and ultimately, a
method of rehabilitation.
Sarah Welton, of the Well Building
Institute, is a triathlon coach in the San
Francisco Bay area and agrees that exercise can trigger a similar " feel good "
reaction as opioids by creating increased
serotonin and dopamine levels in the
brain. " Fitness and wellness groups
should become an integral part of the
community coalition and stakeholder
groups, " Welton adds.
While the opioid epidemic is a highly
complicated one to understand and address,
the clear message for the park system is to:
* Work with a dedicated coalition of
professionals in the community to
identify and treat substance abuse disorders.
* Design or adopt a protocol for addressing
needle disposal that keeps everyone safe.
* Consistently identify and mitigate " at
risk " or untended areas within a park
to prevent dealers and users, particularly at night and early in the morning.

* Offer activities and programs that give people a community to be a part of, including
sports, and welcoming faith, emotional
and drug abuse support programs to meet
and host gatherings in the parks.
Bunde adds, " Opioid addicts are people who have lost their way and the parks

are where they find refuge. It can be the
start of where we can help them to become as healthy as possible. "
Mareya Ibrahim is a Freelance Writer, based in
Aliso Viejo, California (mareya@eatcleaner.com).
Cort Jones is the Associate Editor for Parks &
Recreation magazine (cjones@nrpa.org).

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Parks & Recreation

June 2017 - Parks & Recreation

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