1 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: From WBZ News Radio in Boston. This is New England Weekend. 2 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: Each week right here we come together talk about all 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,599 Speaker 1: the topics important to you and the place where you live. 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: Thanks again for tuning in this week. I'm Nicole Davis. 5 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: So maybe you find yourself down in the dumps and 6 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: you go to the doctor and you tell them I'm 7 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: kind of lonely or I'm super stressed out and I'm 8 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: not really sure how to get out of this. Instead 9 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: of being handed a prescription for a stimulant or an antidepressant, 10 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: your doctor instead writes you a prescription for culture. That 11 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: could mean visits to a museum, a chance to do 12 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:41,480 Speaker 1: stand up, maybe a nature walk, a dance class, volunteering time. 13 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,239 Speaker 1: All of these are examples of what are called social prescriptions, 14 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,200 Speaker 1: where medical professionals team up with local arts and culture 15 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: institutions and connect people to options that can provide the 16 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: boosts they need and what can be at times a 17 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: very overwhelming and stressful life. Joining us now to talk 18 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: about how all this is playing out in Massachusetts is 19 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: Eric Holmgren. He is the manager of Advancement and Strategic 20 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: Partnerships at the mass Cultural Council, and Chris Appleton is 21 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,960 Speaker 1: here as well. He's the founder and CEO of Social RX. 22 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: They are working directly with the Council to make this 23 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: happen here in the Bay State. Gentlemen, thank you so 24 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: much for the time. And Eric, let's first hear a 25 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: bit about the work that you're doing at the Council 26 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: and how all this came together in the first place. 27 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 2: Sure, So, the mass Cultural Council is a state arts 28 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: agency in Massachusetts. So we are an independent state agency 29 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 2: there receives an allocation of funding from the legislature each 30 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 2: budget year, and we use that money for primarily for grants, 31 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 2: but also to advance the cultural sector through partnerships and 32 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 2: cross sector work, trying to be a part of the 33 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 2: solution of large scale problems like healthcare and other issues 34 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 2: like workforce development and innovation economy and things like that. 35 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 2: So we're a staff of over thirty and have grown 36 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 2: steadily over the last several years. So you know, we're 37 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:00,919 Speaker 2: looking forward to doing some great work you're in the future. 38 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: I love that. And one of your programs that has 39 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: really stuck out to me is the concept of this 40 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: art pharmacy or social prescribing, so to speak. And I 41 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: was doing some research and found that this is actually 42 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 1: something that's pretty well known globally, not so much here 43 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: in the United States. Chris, this is kind of your 44 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: forte as well. Tell us a little bit about what 45 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: social prescribing is all about. 46 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 3: Social prescribing is a pretty common sense practice through which 47 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 3: healthcare providers prescribe participation in community activities like going to 48 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 3: a dance class or a community gardening workshop to support 49 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 3: a whole person health, whether that's an individual's physical health, 50 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 3: their mental health, or their social health. 51 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: Okay, so here in Massachusetts, you know where the first 52 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: state really to have embraced this idea to focus on 53 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: these other angles of the health journey, not just you know, 54 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: throwing a pill at something like, let's actually get out 55 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 1: in the community. And what I love, Eric, is that 56 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 1: we have so many different options for people in Massachusetts 57 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: in our museums, in our in our theaters. Tell us 58 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: a little bit about how this idea to bring this 59 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: to Massachusetts came together through the council. 60 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 2: Sure, so we have to go back all the way 61 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 2: to twenty nineteen when we were looking at a couple 62 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 2: of pieces of information. The first was that Massachusetts has 63 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 2: a celebrated healthcare system. It's known around the country was 64 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 2: kind of the blueprint for Obamacare in a lot of ways, 65 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 2: but it's more than forty percent of the state budget. 66 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 2: At the same time, there's been a mental health and 67 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 2: behavioral health crisis for a long time in this country. 68 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 2: We just started talking about it more publicly, I think 69 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 2: during the pandemic. And so we were looking at the 70 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 2: work that we were doing and some of the data 71 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 2: that we were seeing from the United Kingdom and Canada 72 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 2: and thinking about what our role could be. And so, 73 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 2: as you said, based on recent information that we gathered 74 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: last year or two years ago through the Cultural Asset Inventory, 75 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 2: there's more than fifteen thousand cultural entities in Massachusetts and 76 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 2: more than one hundred and twelve thousand artists. So we 77 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 2: felt like we could be part of a solution to 78 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 2: this problem. So in twenty twenty, we launched a pilot 79 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 2: with two health centers, one in the Berkshire's Macaanie Pediatrics 80 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 2: and another in Springfield Caring Health Center, and twelve cultural organizations, 81 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 2: and we acted kind of as the insurance company, so 82 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 2: we worked with those organizations to utilize arts organizations as 83 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 2: part of patient care. The program grew it was tremendously successful. 84 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 2: We use an external evaluator. We grew over the course 85 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 2: of three years, and then we got to a point 86 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 2: where we recognized we're a state arts agency. As I 87 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 2: said at the top of this, we typically fund programs, 88 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: we don't operate them. So we paused and we took 89 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 2: a year and we looked for a partner who could 90 00:04:54,040 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 2: scale this program statewide. We believe that the arts sector 91 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 2: is one of the largest non clinical behavioral health workforces 92 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,919 Speaker 2: in Massachusetts. At a time when we're facing severe shortages, 93 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 2: we leave a seat in every theater in Massachusetts can 94 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 2: be a part of a patient treatment plan. Every dance 95 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 2: class can be a part of a patient treatment plan. 96 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,159 Speaker 2: But we haven't broadened ourselves to look at it. The 97 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 2: Canadians have done this and have some great data on it. 98 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 2: The UK has collected some phenomenal data. So after a 99 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 2: year long search, in twenty twenty three, we landed on 100 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 2: Art Pharmacy as our partner, and since that time the 101 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 2: program has scaled tremendously to the point where we have 102 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 2: first in the country, external payers paying for arts prescriptions 103 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:48,000 Speaker 2: as part of patient care plans through a number of 104 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 2: different sources that I will let Chris talk about but 105 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 2: the partnership is the first of it's kind in the 106 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: country where the only state that has a statewide program, 107 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 2: and I'm very pleased to say that a number of 108 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 2: other states have now signed up on and this practice 109 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 2: is really gaining steam across the country. So it's an 110 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 2: exciting moment at a time where we need to reduce 111 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 2: healthcare costs, we need to find innovative solutions and our pharmacy, 112 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 2: and now social rx has done that beyond our expectations. 113 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 2: So I'll turn the rest of the story over to Chris. 114 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 2: Starting in twenty twenty three. 115 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:21,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was going to say, Chris, you've been around 116 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: since about twenty twenty two. I think I did my Researchencaw. 117 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 1: It was twenty twenty two when social rx became a thing. 118 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,840 Speaker 1: So before we get into where we're at now, let's 119 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 1: kind of learn about your side of the story and 120 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: see what happened in your journey to start up what 121 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 1: is now social rx. 122 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 3: You know, we that's right, we started in twenty twenty two, 123 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 3: coming out of the early parts of the pandemic. We 124 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 3: were reading the headlines like all of us, like everybody 125 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 3: about the growing mental health crisis in the United States, 126 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 3: the growing loneliness epidemic not just here, but not just 127 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 3: in the US, but globally that the former Surgeon General, 128 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 3: the Vacmrthy, doctor the vac Mrthy, called attention to and 129 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 3: there was a particular challenge that seemed pretty solvable. And 130 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 3: that challenge was that as stigma improved for help seeking 131 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 3: around mental health supports, which is wonderful, right, that improved 132 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 3: stigma and needs increased as a result of the pandemic 133 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 3: and social media. You see just huge crush of demand 134 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 3: for mental health services and not enough providers. Right. You 135 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 3: know that the need for more providers could not only 136 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 3: be addressed by training and hiring more providers. You just 137 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 3: can't do it fast enough. So communities needed more supply 138 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 3: in the care continuum. And you know, you got every 139 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 3: sort of health system and health plan out there saying, hey, 140 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 3: there's not enough supply. But we knew that there was 141 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 3: available supply in every community. In fact, there's excess supply 142 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 3: in every community. We just don't call it psychotherapy. We 143 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 3: call it dance class or museum visit or creative writing workshop. 144 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,679 Speaker 3: And just as Eric was saying that, you know, every 145 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 3: seat every painting work class. You know, this is and 146 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 3: should be a part of the mental health care continuum 147 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 3: and the you know sort of challenges, how do you 148 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 3: connect healthcare and the individuals that are helped seeking through 149 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 3: healthcare for mental health supports to this community asset and 150 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 3: resource which Massachusetts has in abundance. I think that we 151 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 3: have in our network now in Massachusetts more than five 152 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 3: hundred arts and culture partners, a small ford of you know, 153 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 3: the thousands that Eric just reference that exist, and there 154 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 3: needed to be a solution that was kind of the 155 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:18,079 Speaker 3: infrastructure or plumbing to connect these to otherwise disparate fields 156 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 3: that actually very much have a similar mission in mind, 157 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:24,959 Speaker 3: which is to support individual and community health. 158 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: But then if somebody wants to get a prescription, so 159 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: to speak, they're hearing this and I think this is 160 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: a really smart idea. How does this all work? 161 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 3: It certainly depends on, you know, sort of who that 162 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 3: patient is and sure where they live, and who their 163 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 3: insurance is. You know, a whole bunch of caveats, of course, 164 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 3: but you know the best answer is to go see 165 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 3: a primary care provider at your local health system, and 166 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 3: that primary care provider writes a prescription for twelve doses 167 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 3: of arts and culture and calls that prescription into Social 168 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 3: RX and the individual participants connects with a care navigator 169 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 3: at Social RX, and that care navigator really listens to 170 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 3: the story of the of the participant. What are their 171 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 3: health goals, what are their access barriers. One of the 172 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:22,440 Speaker 3: things that I really love about social prescribing is that 173 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 3: it asks this question, not what's wrong with you? But 174 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 3: what matters to you? Right our our we all need 175 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 3: agency and our health journey. And by by understanding what 176 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 3: matters to you, then we can be more effective in 177 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 3: connecting you to the arts and culture experiences that are 178 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 3: most beneficial to you, right that you're going to be 179 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 3: most likely to participate in that are going to have 180 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 3: the most benefit on your mental health and well being. 181 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 3: And so after we after the care navigator talks to 182 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 3: you and hears you out and we do that sort 183 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,199 Speaker 3: of intake, we connect you to the highest efficacy activities 184 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:08,439 Speaker 3: for you and your community. And that might be Holio 185 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:12,720 Speaker 3: of Arts, it may be the Dance Complex or Springfield 186 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 3: Museums or the new Bedford Art Museum, and those you 187 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 3: go and participate and get that dose of arts and 188 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,719 Speaker 3: culture and you get to bring a friend. You know, 189 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 3: if we're trying to do things like boost connection and belonging, 190 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 3: we should enable people to do things with loved ones. Sure, 191 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 3: and then afterwards you come back and you're ready for 192 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 3: your second dose of arts and culture and you know, 193 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 3: and then the process repeats itself. 194 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: We've got so many of these different museums and dance 195 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 1: classes and this, and that tell me about what we've 196 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 1: seen here with this prescription model, how it's impacting all 197 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: the groups you're working with. 198 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, so the cultural sector is always looking 199 00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 2: for new audiences. That's always a challenge, and it's hard 200 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 2: to know who you don't know. And so when you 201 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 2: receive a prescription, you're receiving an invitation to an arts 202 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 2: and culture organization that you may not receive otherwise. So 203 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,719 Speaker 2: we're seeing a lot of first time visitors. Frankly, we're 204 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 2: seeing a new revenue stream for the arts and culture 205 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 2: for the first time. And I don't know how long. 206 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 2: New revenue streams don't just appear right, especially earned revenue 207 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 2: streams for organizations that are philanthropically supported. And so I 208 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 2: think your idea of a win win is accurate in 209 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 2: that cultural organizations are seeing new visitors, they're seeing growth 210 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:45,679 Speaker 2: in their bottom lines, and patients are seeing traumatic improvements. 211 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 2: Some of the statistics and the data behind it, it 212 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,560 Speaker 2: sounds like a great idea, right. I mean, we talk 213 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 2: about this and it's sort of an of course idea. 214 00:12:55,840 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 2: It's remarkably complex to do because you're teaching two systems, 215 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 2: the arts ecosystem and healthcare to do something new together. 216 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 2: That is not easy. And part of the reason that 217 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 2: we part of a social r ACTS is that their 218 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 2: patient journey they just describe is that bridge, right, and 219 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 2: the adherence rates show it. So at twenty twenty five, 220 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 2: study showed that the adherence rate to SSRI medication, so 221 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 2: frontline medications, pills for depression or anxiety, those numbers are 222 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:31,079 Speaker 2: down to around thirty three percent. Wow, So if you're 223 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 2: prescribed to this pill, patients are only adhering to that 224 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 2: medication thirty three percent of the time. Chris, your adherence 225 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:40,680 Speaker 2: rates are at nearly eighty percent. 226 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 3: That's incredible taking. 227 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 2: The medicine right, You're being prescribed as a culture and 228 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 2: people are taking the medicine. 229 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 3: That's step one. 230 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 2: No matter how good a program is. It's the same 231 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 2: thing with school no matter how good an education program is, 232 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 2: it doesn't matter if a kid doesn't go to school. 233 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 2: The same thing is true with your health. It doesn't 234 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 2: matter if you don't take your medicine. And so the 235 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:01,079 Speaker 2: adherence rates are off the charts, more than double what 236 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 2: a traditional pharmacological solution are. The only side effects from 237 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 2: an arts and culture experience that I've heard anecdotally are 238 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:13,479 Speaker 2: that people are out of their homes, They're visiting cultural organizations, 239 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 2: and they're being exposed to other kinds of businesses and 240 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 2: experiences that are in those areas. So they're going out 241 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 2: to dinner, they're going to visit other stores that are 242 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 2: in those areas. Some people are finally coming out of 243 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 2: their homes for the first time in months, and so 244 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 2: the side effects sort of begin this snowball effective healing, 245 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 2: especially around social isolation and older adults for young people, 246 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 2: and the funding streams that have materialized because of this 247 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 2: have also gone beyond what we expected, you know, Chris 248 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 2: reference health insurance providers. Certainly, Massachusetts is also the only 249 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 2: state that we're aware of that is utilizing the Opioid 250 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 2: Relief Fund, which is a significant set of dollars that 251 00:14:56,400 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 2: every state in the Commonwealth gets to mitigate the impacts 252 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 2: of the opioid epidemic. And so that's been approved in 253 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 2: Massachusetts for use for arts prescriptions when Franklin, Massachusetts, that's 254 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 2: the first place in the United States that utilize those funds, 255 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 2: and we're seeing it in other places. We've had conversations 256 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 2: with the Department of Public Health that is funding a 257 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 2: program for seniors at risk and life transitions, And at 258 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 2: one point we were talking with the Department of Homeland 259 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:28,479 Speaker 2: Security about arts prescriptions as a domestic terrorism mitigation strategy 260 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 2: because radicalization tends to happen in isolation. So that program 261 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 2: no longer exists. But I mean you see the potential, yeah, 262 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 2: and the way that mental health and social isolation pervades 263 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 2: so many aspects of life. As Chris said, like, I 264 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 2: think what Social ARTCS has done is found a new 265 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 2: balance of being able to meet the demand and really 266 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 2: scale at a rapid pace. There's nothing stopping that scaling 267 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 2: right now other than new payers. 268 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 1: And let's talk about how healthcare providers can do that 269 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: with you, Chris, because if again a provider is listening, 270 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: they are not involved in this right now, how are 271 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: you connecting with these healthcare facilities. 272 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, we we are very interested in, you know, more 273 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 3: partnerships and and really across the entire Commonwealth from from 274 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 3: about the Berkshire's all the way to all the way 275 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 3: to the Cape and and you know have have networks 276 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 3: of arts and culture partners throughout throughout the Commonwealth. Folks 277 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 3: can go to social r x dot com and fill 278 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 3: out the partner information form on our website and that's 279 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 3: a great initial way to get in touch with us, 280 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 3: and somebody on our team will be in touch, in 281 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 3: touch shortly, you know, I want to share just a 282 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 3: brief story maybe before before we wrap up, which is 283 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 3: and and and both Eric and Unicole kind of spoke 284 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 3: to a version of this of you know, a member 285 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:11,920 Speaker 3: is socially isolated. I think this individual had not left 286 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 3: their home for several months, really a lot of fear 287 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 3: about what maybe you know, it means for them to 288 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 3: be out in the community. And through working with their 289 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 3: care navigator, they were referred to us by their health 290 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:33,880 Speaker 3: plan and working with their care navigator, the member ended 291 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:37,439 Speaker 3: up going to a community center and met some people 292 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 3: who said, hey, you don't have to wait for next 293 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 3: month's prescription to come back. Why don't you come back 294 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 3: next weekend? And so this individual shared this just great 295 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 3: sort of testimonial that they had come to realize after 296 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 3: a couple of months of participating, come to realize what 297 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 3: an amazing community they live in, that they love the 298 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 3: town that they live in. And this is somebody again 299 00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 3: who had not left their home for months, and that 300 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 3: is good for that individual. It is good for that 301 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 3: local community, It is good for the health system. Right. 302 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 3: It's a win when win all the way around. And 303 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:28,679 Speaker 3: and so, uh, you know, the big dream here is 304 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 3: not only does does this you know, get get do 305 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:36,439 Speaker 3: we match up this healthcare and arts and culture you 306 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 3: know ecosystem, but that we create some some behavior change 307 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 3: and real uh sort of longitudinal life impact for for 308 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 3: individuals to learn how to better access and participate in 309 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 3: the existing resources that are already available to them in 310 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 3: their community. 311 00:18:57,400 --> 00:18:59,479 Speaker 1: Yeah, because a lot of us we're leaning on this 312 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:01,359 Speaker 1: right now. You can't see this as radio, but I'm 313 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: shaking my phone. A lot of us are stuck on 314 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 1: the screens. But there is so much of a world 315 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:08,919 Speaker 1: out there that so many of us don't get to 316 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,360 Speaker 1: enjoy because we're stuck inside. We're stuck on our screens. 317 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 1: We're too much in the virtual world. This just seems 318 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: like a perfect way for us to get outside and 319 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: enjoy everything that Massachusetts has to offer. Social rx dot com. 320 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:24,120 Speaker 1: And if a patient, maybe somebody's listening, thinking I could 321 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,159 Speaker 1: really use this, they should tell their provider to do 322 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 1: what tell. 323 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,719 Speaker 3: Their healthcare providers to contact social arx dot com. Exactly? 324 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 1: All right, beautiful and Eric, how can people connect with 325 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: you over at the council? 326 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 3: Gotcha? 327 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:38,199 Speaker 2: We're at mass Culturalcuncil dot org. We are doing a 328 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 2: number of remarkable things in addition to what you're hearing here. 329 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 2: Programs like Card to Culture, where anyone on a who 330 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 2: has a snap card or an EBT card or a 331 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 2: wickcard has access to more than four hundred cultural organizations 332 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,640 Speaker 2: at free or reduced costs. More than a million people 333 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 2: have taken advantage of that. And we also offer grants 334 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 2: to our cultural set through a number of different programs. 335 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:04,920 Speaker 2: So you can reach us in mass Culturrecoonncol dot org 336 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 2: and find the people to connect with or get in 337 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,959 Speaker 2: touch with me, and we'll make sure that we support 338 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 2: you the best we can. 339 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: Phenomenal, Eric and Chris, great work you're doing. Keep it up. 340 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,199 Speaker 1: I love this. Thank you for helping the people of 341 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 1: Massachusetts really embrace culture again. 342 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 3: And Nicole, thank you so much. 343 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 2: Thank you to Coole. 344 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:24,320 Speaker 1: Have a safe and healthy weekend. Happy Spring, by the way. 345 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,159 Speaker 1: Join us again next week for another edition of the show. 346 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 1: I'm Nicole Davis from WBZ News Radio on iHeartRadio.