UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Journal of Parks and Recreation Administration (JPRA), the official publication of the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, has named a paper written by Penn State faculty and alumni as Best Paper for 2014.
Toni Liechty, Andrew Mowen, Laura Payne, Karla Henderson, Jason Bocarro, Candice Bruton and Geoffrey Godbey are the authors of "Public Park and Recreation Managers’ Experiences with Health Partnerships," which appeared in the Summer 2014 edition of JPRA.
The purpose of the authors’ study was to explore experiences with health partnerships from the perspective of park and recreation managers, as public health concerns are on the rise (e.g., obesity and chronic disease) and public health organizations are seeking to increase effectiveness and efficiency through partnerships as research exploring partnerships with park and recreation managers is limited.
Overall, participants suggested that in the current fiscal climate health partnerships represent a viable strategy for pooling resources to increase efficiency and expand services to the community.
Liechty earned a doctorate degree at Penn State in leisure studies with a concentration in biobehavioral health. She’s now an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign.
Mowen is an associate professor and professor-in-charge of Honors Programs with the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management (RPTM) at Penn State.
Payne earned her doctorate degree at Penn State in leisure studies with a minor in gerontology. She is an associate profession in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Godbey is professor emeritus of RPTM at Penn State.
Those interviewed suggested that other professionals not be afraid to approach or consider a wide range of potential health partners and initiatives. However, they cautioned that health collaborators determine the mechanics or “ground rules” of their relationship early on (including leadership roles, resource sharing, communications and other accountabilities). They also noted that public health agencies can provide considerable expertise when evaluating the impact of health partnerships.
“We know that park and recreation services are an important element of our health care system and we know that, for these services to be effective in shaping health outcomes, strong working relationships are needed with the broader health profession,” Mowen said. “I would hope our findings would encourage young park and recreation professionals to partner with their local health providers but also understand the risks and challenges associated with these types of collaborations.
In 2013, the academy approved a journal Best Paper Award, which is issued annually to recognize the authors of a published paper over a calendar year. JRPA publishes original manuscripts that move theoretical movement concepts forward in the field of park and recreation administration, and provide clear implications of theory and research for problem solving and action in park and recreation organizations.