Plant a Tree in the Name of Mental Health

By Alicia Sparks

Midweek Mental Greening

June 18, 2009 (tomorrow!) is the deadline to do just that, if you’re one of the more than 1,000 Croydon residents who receive services from the South London and Maudsley National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust (SLAM) who received a patient satisfaction survey to complete.

As part of an effort to encourage patients to complete anonymous patient satisfaction surveys regarding the care they receive from SLAM, the NHS has promised to plant a tree for each completed and returned survey.

SLAM Medical Director Dr. Martin Baggaley says this extra incentive is two-fold: It will encourage patients to share what they like and dislike about SLAM services and help end the shortage of trees in London:

“Taking part in the survey is good both for the local environment and mental health services. We want to hear about what we do well, and what we could do better. We also know people care about the environment they live in, and there’s a shortage of trees in London.

“We plan to plant a tree for every person who completes the survey. That’s potentially up to 1,000 more trees in London.

“We will be working with councils to plant trees in public places, such as parks, as well as at our hospital and community sites.”

Good thinking, SLAM!

I’m wondering if there’s any place here in America that does, or has done, something similar. I know my local community mental health care center has a patient-operated greenhouse, but it’s more for the benefit of the patients and the customers who purchase the flowers and other plants.

Do any of you know if your area mental health care centers have offered such earth-friendly incentives?

Alicia Sparks is the author of the Psych Central blog, Celebrity Psychings, which provides insight and commentary into the world of celebrities from a psychological point of view.