Federal Govt. backs policy

Many thousands of practitioners, researchers and medical patients across Australia from today will be able to receive and benefit from new and effective health treatments after Federal, State and Territory Governments backed a national policy framework for the arts and health sector.

The long campaign for national and state recognition has been rewarded after the Federal Health Minister, the Hon Peter Dutton MP, and his State and Territory counterparts endorsed a National Arts and Health Framework. Development of the framework was initiated by the Standing Council of Health Ministers in November 2011, and acknowledged and endorsed last April by the Federal, State and Territory Arts and Cultural Ministers.

The Institute for Creative Health has supported and coordinated the work from both sectors towards this goal. The Institute’s Chairman, Mr Michael Brogan, said the health ministers’ decision was a reward for the large number of people in the arts and health community who have long championed the need for government recognition.

“We never sought government funding for these services, even though money is badly needed to advance individual research projects and treatment programs,” Mr Brogan said. “We simply wanted formal recognition that the arts in its many forms stimulate a broad range of positive health outcomes. This will give greater visibility to arts and health and help practitioners see that they are not working in isolation, but rather are playing an important role in a much bigger picture.

“A national framework signals what we are trying to do in arts and health as a nation. It will also indicate how to get the most out of what we are doing in arts and health, and it will provide a guide on how to make the most sensible investments in this sector.

“And importantly, now that we have full endorsement the strong and committed community of arts and health practitioners will be better able to seek backing from private sources and public institutions.

“I would like to sincerely thank the Federal Minister for Health and the State and Territory Health Ministers, as well as ministers in the arts portfolios, for providing this support. Their leadership will benefit the health and wellbeing of generations of Australians by giving them greater involvement in the arts, not just in hospitals and clinics but also throughout their communities and in their homes.”

The Institute for Creative Health began advocating for adoption of a national framework in 2006. Last year, it convened a public forum in Canberra to consolidate political support. It subsequently coordinated feedback from the arts and health sector to a draft framework document and actively lobbied for its adoption.

Now that the framework has been endorsed, The Institute intends to expand its activities as an advocate for the arts and health sector on major arts and health issues. It will also facilitate research, sponsor arts health projects and share information within the arts and health community so that there is an informed and unified voice for arts and health in Australia.

About The Institute for Creative Health

The Institute for Creative Health is an independent, non-profit organisation established to provide long term support for arts and health advocacy, research and practice across all areas of health. Its mission is to embed the arts in the nation’s approach to health and wellbeing. We want people to put into practice the best evidence-based initiatives.

The Institute for Creative Health intends to expand its activities as an advocate for the arts and health sector on major arts and health issues. It will also facilitate, research, sponsor arts health projects and share information to foster arts and health in the community.

For further information:

The Institute for Creative Health

http://instituteforcreativehealth.org.au/