Mass. debuts country’s first social prescribing program: Arts and culture participation is focus

Massachusetts recently launched the first statewide arts prescription solution in the United States, to prescribe arts and culture participation to individuals with a range of mental and physical health concerns.
The venture is a joint effort between the Mass Cultural Council and social prescribing healthcare company Art Pharmacy. Social prescribing can be beneficial for several conditions, including depression and anxiety disorders, issues related to social isolation and loneliness, as well as chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, said Chris Appleton, CEO of Atlanta, GA-based Art Pharmacy.
“It’s important to acknowledge that healthcare providers have been doing community referral for literally hundreds of years,” said Appleton. ...