EXPERIENCES WITH GREEN CARE FARMING IN THE UNITED STATES

Despite decades of effective implementation in Europe, the Green Care Farm (GCF) model of care has only recently arrived in the United States (US). In the US, differences in health care approaches, funding systems, liability issues, and societal attitudes toward older adults and individuals with disabilies create substantial challenges to replicating the GCF model. In this session, we will explore the past, present, and future of the GCF model in the US. First, a program director from the Netherlands will discuss his past five years of experience in transplanting and growing the GCF model in Montana. Next, a researcher will provide findings from a qualitative study (N = 19) exploring the views and experiences of participants, family members, farmers, and administrators involved with the Montana GCF program. Finally, both presenters will explore the practice and policy implications associated with expanding the GCF model in the US.