Patricia Leigh Brown looks at the community gardens funded by the California Mental Health Services Act of 2004, which help to heal disadvantaged refugee communities less inclined to use formal mental health treatments.
Brown visits the Hmong Village Community Garden, "one of seven in Fresno created for immigrants, refugees and residents of impoverished neighborhoods with mental health money from the state."
"The thinking of community leaders and health professionals is that gardens can help foster resiliency and a sense of purpose for refugees, especially older ones, who are often isolated by language and poverty and experiencing depression and post-traumatic stress," she explains. "Immigrant families often struggle to meet insurance co-payments, and culturally attuned therapists are in short supply."
"Spending state money this way has been controversial, with some advocates for those with mental illnesss arguing that gardens are an unaffordable frill in an era of diminishing resources."
FULL STORY: Seeking Serenity in a Patch of California Land
The Panacea of Outdoor Human Movement
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The Unseen Aftermath: Wildfires’ Lasting Health and Emotional Burden
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Study: Walkability Can Help Reduce Dementia Risk
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Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
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Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
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LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions