Applying the Arts in Clinical and Non-clinical Settings
Clinical expressive arts therapy and non-clinical applications of the arts are used in educational, medical, and a wide variety of community programs. In addition to many advances made in mental health services, the arts are used to treat and educate communities about risk, prevention and care for wide ranging public health, environmental and medical issues including obesity, asthma, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cancer, heart disease, dementia, palliative care, hospice services, and violence as a health epidemic. The arts are increasingly being used to help active duty military service members, veterans, their families and caregivers address health disabilities stemming from their service.
The Value of Arts Initiatives
Personal expression through creativity and the arts has been proven to access the body, mind, spirit and heart continuum in the process of healing and recovery. Increasingly attention is being given to the value of the arts in enhancing job satisfaction and the well being of professional and family caregivers. Across the nation more medical schools are offering arts initiatives in the training and continuing professional development of medical practitioners toward a goal of increasingly compassionate and empathic treatment, which is proving to result in cost effectiveness and increased patient satisfaction.
Positive Change through Arts Applications
- Enhancing the patient experience
- Reducing stress and pain
- Increasing caregiver job satisfaction
- Improving long term and elder care
- Identifying the cost-benefit analysis of the arts and other forms of evidence based practice that address the concerns that are in the forefront of institutional health providers
- Using arts based interventions to advance social justice and build equal access programs for all peoples across all cultures
- Developing arts based wellness and prevention programs
- Increasing visibility in areas of trauma, neurology and health psychology
- Advance the role of art and artists in comprehensive healthcare
Institute Mission and Objectives- Provide continuing professional education to practitioners in the expressive arts therapies and the arts in healthcare, medical care, community health and their allied professions
- Foster research that examines the ability of the arts to further health, well being, and quality of care for individuals, families, and care-givers
- Strengthen the awareness, capacity, and willingness of healthcare institutions to incorporate the arts as part of integrated care deliveries that will further quality, cost effectiveness, and patient/family satisfaction
- Influence policy in a manner that integrates funding, access and incorporation of the arts across educational, community and institutional settings
- Realize the potential of arts to further social change and public health
haim topol accepts arts and health service award
Israeli Actor Haim Topol Receives the Arts and Health Service Award at the Arch of Arts and Health Conference in Haifa, Israel, March 2013.