In this infographic brief, the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research provides information from their evaluation of the 2022 Parks After Dark (PAD) program in Los Angeles County.

PAD is a Los Angeles County initiative led by the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), in partnership with other County departments and community-based organizations. PAD is implemented in Los Angeles County areas with high levels of violence, obesity, and economic hardship. Thirty-four DPR parks hosted PAD between June and August 2022, after a two-year halt in programming because of the COVID-19 pandemic. PAD was offered three nights a week for eight weeks, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.

PAD has 7 overarching goals:

• Decrease community violence and increase safety
• Facilitate cross-sector collaborations in park communities and countywide
• Increase social cohesion and family and community well-being
• Increase access to free recreational programming, health, and social services that reflect the interests and needs of communities served
• Increase physical activity and decrease chronic disease risk
• Contribute to positive youth development
• Achieve cost savings