Senator Waters proposes state‑parks pass pilot to give community mental health centers access to parks

Senator David Waters introduced Senate Bill 450 on behalf of a state parks pass pilot for community mental health centers, saying the measure recognizes “significant mental health benefits of outdoor recreation.” The three‑year pilot would authorize the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) to add a pass option in its fee schedule so each participating center could provide one or more individual state park passes to clients.

Why it matters: Waters and backers said outdoor access can reduce stress, anxiety and depression, and that a pilot with anonymized data collection—done in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services—would let the state evaluate whether the program improves participants’ mental‑health outcomes and whether to continue it.

What the bill would do: SB450 would allow DNCR to set the pass offering in its fees and give the commissioner flexibility to determine eligible participants, park scope and pass types. Waters said he expects minimal cost—“a pass is not much… maybe $1,000 to start”—and that funding could come from state and federal grants, private donations or existing gubernatorial commission monies.

Supporters and questions: Holly Stevens, director of public policy for NAMI New Hampshire, testified in favor and provided prevalence data, saying many who rely on community mental health centers cannot afford park admission. Committee members asked how donations and grants would be handled and which entity would review anonymized data; Waters said HHS would help collect and analyze usage reports and returns to the legislature could be coordinated through either the Senate ENR or HHS committees.

Next steps: Committee did not take final action on SB450 during the hearing and left the item open for possible executive consideration later in the day, noting additional questions and potential amendments to tighten eligibility and reporting language.