Targeted courses: Graduate and senior level courses in foundations of parks, recreation, leisure, health and wellness, public health, aging and gerontology, social work, and kinesiology.

There is great opportunity to apply interprofessional collaboration concepts and strategies to recreation, parks, and human services. And, in many ways there are strategies that our healthcare colleagues can learn from recreation, parks, and human services. Central to this textbook of case studies is promoting greater quality of life and well-being as well as improving the livability of communities.

Collaboration is more than a “buzz” word to convey interest in working together or one’s ability to bring individuals and/or organizations together to address needs or concerns. Collaboration goes beyond teamwork, cooperation, or coordination. It is about recognizing the unique strengths, weaknesses, and resources that other individuals and organizations possess and leveraging these synergistically with our own to solve challenging problems of mutual interest. Together, we shore-up each other’s gaps in ways that can lead to achievements beyond our individual reach or impact.

With shifts in parks and recreation practice and growing alignment of academic programs with health and wellness initiatives, an in-depth analysis of the opportunities and results of inter-professional collaboration in parks, recreation and human services is a timely endeavor. This text provides foundational information required to gain knowledge related to the ways in which professional services that we provide in communities are strengthened by collaboration.

Rather than attempt to illustrate inter-professional collaboration by describing numerous disciplines and detailing their unique roles and responsibilities, a case study approach was employed. Through the presentation of case studies, aspiring and developing professionals will gain a deeper understanding of inter-professional collaboration and the impact on promoting greater quality of life and well-being in our communities.

What follows are actual cases that illustrate how inter-professional collaboration is applied to address critical issues in recreation, parks, and human services. These cases are organized and presented in the following six themes or topical areas: Section 1) Introduction to Interprofessional Collaboration with three chapters addressing interprofessional collaboration, cultural humility, and diversity; Section 2) Regional Perspectives on Health and Wellness, with chapters devoted to trans affirming health and wellness, rural health and wellness and interprofessional response to COVID-19; Section 3) Collaborative Research addressing outdoor play laboratory, physical activity and leisure and social support; Section 4) Interprofessional Programming for Health and Wellness, with chapters addressing a recreation prescription project in Canada, inclusive recreation, and a STEM and physical activity program; Section 5) Aging, with chapters that provide examples of recreation and nutrition, intergenerational programming, and an example of applying interprofessional skills with an elderly gay couple; Section 6) Youth and Family contains chapters on reading programs, athletics and competition, life skills programs in the juvenile justice systems, and a local park and recreation example of problems encountered in interprofessional collaboration; Section 7) Community Development and Community Building, which presents examples from the Mayo Brothers and their use of leisure with patients, programs addressing the opioid crisis, serving the Deaf community, and an example of a nature preserve programs during the COVID-19 crisis; and Section 8) Land Use and Urban Design, with examples of social reform in Chicago, built environment and social capital, and aligning economic and community goals.

Parks & Recreation Administration

Problem Solving in Recreation and Parks, 5th ed. - eBook

Interprofessional Collaboration in Parks, Recreation, and Human Services - eBook