Merina Healing Arts

What is Merina Healing Arts?
Merina Healing Arts is a philanthropic gift fund* that supports patient access to and artist training in:

• therapeutic music
• art therapy
• journaling and
• horticulture therapy

...for the comfort and benefit of the critically or chronically ill, and those in transition or under hospice care.

What are the benefits of Merina Healing Arts?
Merina Healing Arts is a unique, non-profit fund serving communities across Idaho. The Foundation benefits patients, healthcare providers, artists and the community by:

• serving as a community resource to raise awareness about therapeutic arts;
• providing grants to support artist pursuit of certification or degree in therapeutic arts;
• collaborating with healthcare providers and communities on therapeutic arts programs and trained professionals.

Merina Healing Arts:

• Targets therapeutic arts programs and Idaho artist training
• Promotes a healing environment for patients and families.
• Provides grants to help Idaho residents pursue a therapeutic music or art certification/degree that will help increase access to trained professionals.

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

• Grants to support local artists' pursuit of therapeutic music/art/horticulture certification or degree; 
• Funds to support healthcare provider programs in therapeutic music, art therapy,  journaling and horticulture therapy.

How can I support Merina Healing Arts?

Tax-deductible donations support therapeutic arts & horticulture programs and artist training. You can support Merina Healing Arts in many ways:

• Make a donation to Merina Healing Arts;
• Add Merina Healing Arts to charitable giving plans and memorial gifts;
• Use therapeutic arts professionals for patient comfort and support;
• Sponsor, attend and share information about Merina Healing Arts events & activities;
• Encourage providers to include therapeutic arts professionals in business plans.

• Patients, Communities & Healthcare Providers
  Professionals trained in therapeutic music, art therapy, journaling and horticulture therapy can bring comfort and support a patient's healing process.
• Many books have been written and there is a growing body of studies and 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 and horticulture can vary by community.
  
• Healthcare providers are encouraged to include therapeutic arts professionals in their service offerings.
  
• Patients and families should check with staff to see what services are available in the facility to support their needs. 
  
• Merina Healing Arts offers leadership and guidance, and may partner with other organizations to help educate and raise awareness of the benefits and need for therapeutic arts.
  
• Events, speaker presentations, printed materials and consulting services are just a few of the ways Merina Healing Arts may support the healthcare community.
  
• Musicians, Artists, Writers & Horticulturists
  Providing art therapy or playing live therapeutic music at a patient's bedside requires more than just artistic or musical talent. 
• Artists who serve patients who are chronically or critically ill should be trained and certified..
  
• Therapeutic arts services should stem from accredited training and internship experience, much like other healthcare workers, in the best interest of the patient.
  
• Training -- such as the Music for Healing and Transition Program (www.mhtp.org) -- is available in Idaho, while other resources are available across the country.
  
• A network of professionals and national arts in healthcare national organizations are also established to support artists in the field, such as the Society for Arts in Healthcare (www.thesah.org).
  
• Locally, Merina Healing Arts is collaborating with individuals and organizations to raise awareness of professional resources and to support artist interested in therapeutic arts profession in Idaho. 
  
• Merina Healing Arts offers grants to support Idaho artists pursuing certification in these fields so that the pool of trained professionals can fulfill the needs of patients and families across the state.