Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
An MMA webinar on May 12 explored innovative uses of arts and culture activities as a tool for substance use prevention and recovery. Speakers included (clockwise from top left) Emily Devlin, head of strategic partnerships and clinical innovation at Art Pharmacy, Mass Cultural Council Executive Director Michael Bobbitt, Franklin Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Lucy Bailey, head of research at art pharmacy, and Franklin Deputy Town Administrator Amy Frigulietti.
An MMA webinar on May 12 explored innovative uses of arts and culture activities as a tool for substance use prevention and recovery.
Mass Cultural Council Executive Director Michael Bobbitt began by discussing the issue of loneliness as a persistent public health challenge. He said “social prescribing,” through health care system referrals, is a way to connect people with local, non-clinical services that improve health and well-being.
The Mass Cultural Council and Art Pharmacy partnered to create the first statewide arts prescription solution, said Emily Devlin, head of strategic partnerships and clinical innovation at Art Pharmacy. At the center of their work is Art Pharmacy’s “biopsychosocial model of health,” which emphasizes the equal importance of biological, social and psychological health in overall well-being.
Art Pharmacy connects community members with prescribing partners who can offer them various arts and culture experiences that are specifically chosen for therapeutic benefits and individual interests.
Franklin Deputy Town Administrator Amy Frigulietti said her town was able to use opioid settlement funds to fund its partnership with Arts Pharmacy for local arts and culture programming. Frigulietti and Franklin Town Administrator Jamie Hellen emphasized that this initiative benefits the community without any cost burden on the town or participants.
Hellen moderated 25 minutes of questions and answers, addressing inquiries regarding whether public schools can get involved, transportation, and who potential prescribing partners could be.
• Culture Heals presentation (4M PDF)
• Art Pharmacy one-pager (800K PDF)