Merina Healing Arts Foundation

About Merina Healing Arts (MHA)

What is Merina Healing Arts?
Merina Healing Arts is a non-profit fund* that supports community education, patient access and artist training in therapeutic arts for the comfort and benefit of the critically or chronically ill, and those in transition or under hospice care. Such services may include therapeutic:

• music
• art
• journaling/poetry
• dance
• or other creative arts therapies.

What are the benefits of Merina Healing Arts?
Merina Healing Arts benefits patients, healthcare providers, artists and the community by:

• Educating medical providers and other communities;
• Supporting therapeutic arts programs and artist training;
• Serving as a community resource to raise awareness about therapeutic arts;
• Promoting a healing environment for patients and families;
• Providing grants to improve access to trained therapeutic arts professionals.
  

How can I support Merina Healing Arts?

You can support Merina Healing Arts in many ways:

• Make a tax-deductible donation;
• Add Merina Healing Arts to charitable giving plans and memorial gifts;
• Include therapeutic arts professionals in business plans and budgets;
• Sponsor, attend and advocate on behalf of Merina Healing Arts events & activities.

How are Merina Healing Arts funds used?
Funds are awarded to 501(c) organizations in support of therapeutic arts programs and training in Idaho. These may include: 

• Grants to support local artists' pursuit of certification or degree in therapeutic music, art, journal, poetry, dance or drama.
• Funds to support creative arts therapies provided by professionals certifed in their respective field (e.g. therapeutic music, art, journal, poetry, dance or drama services).

• There is a growing body of research that underscore the benefits of therapeutic arts to help chronically and critically ill patients.
  
• In Idaho, patient access to trained therapeutic arts professionals in music, art, journaling, poetry dance and drama can vary by community.
  
• Healthcare providers are encouraged to include therapeutic arts professionals in their service offerings.
  
• Patients and families are encouraged to ask about available professional services in the healthcare facility to support their needs.

Contact us if you wish to learn more or have questions on community events, speaker presentations, printed materials and other resources about arts in healthcare. 

Artists, Musicians, Writers, Dancers & Dramatists

Providing art therapy or playing live therapeutic music at a patient's bedside requires more than just artistic or musical talent. 

• Consistent quality of care is an expectation of healthcare workers in medical facilities, and artists who serve ill and dying patients should also be expected to be knowledgeable in their respective therapeutic arts field. To achieve a consistent level of quality care, it is highly recommended that artists be trained and certified by accredited institutions when servi, and medical institutions  should establish protocols for how therapeutic arts services are delivered.
  
• Training resources are available locally and across the country. Links to some of the training resources are listed below. 
  - The Write Path (journal writing)
  - Music for Healing & Transition Program (therapeutic music/comfort at the bedside)
  - Chalice of Repose Project (music/comfort at the end of life) 
  - Music Therapy (comfort and outcome-based music therapy)
  - Art Therapy
  - Dance Therapy
  - Poetry Therapy