Bridging Health and Art: A Recap of Hampton Roads’ First Social Prescribing Convening

The first-ever Social Prescribing Roundtable Convening in Hampton Roads was a landmark event, bringing together over 30 leaders from healthcare systems, community organizations, foundations, artists, healing arts therapists, and physicians. This invite-only gathering aimed to unite key stakeholders in advancing the health and well-being of our community through arts-based prescriptions. 

The event opened with a warm welcome from Wendy Goldberg, President & Founder of the Benjamin Goldberg Foundation (BGF). Dr. Sheetal Ajmani, BGF’s Medical Advisor, followed with a presentation on social prescribing, its origins, and its potential to address social determinants of health. Dr. Ajmani shared the powerful statistic that 20% of general practitioner visits in the UK were for non-medical, social causes. When social prescribing was piloted there, these visits were reduced by 53%. Today, over 30 countries have adopted some form of social prescribing. 

She reviewed key components from frameworks such as the Common Understanding of Social Prescribing, the World Health Organization’s Social Prescribing Toolkit, the Arts Prescription Field Guide and the INNATE framework for developing arts in health programs. Her comprehensive overview laid the foundation for the day’s discussions. 

Next, Larissa Trinder, Assistant VP at NYC Health + Hospitals' Arts in Medicine Program, delivered an inspiring keynote. She highlighted the groundbreaking work at NYC H+H, which boasts the largest public health art collection in the U.S. and has pioneered community health murals. Larissa also delved into the critical role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in bridging the gap between healthcare systems and the community. These “connectors” are essential for the success of social prescribing, a theme echoed throughout the day. 

We were privileged to also hear from three local experts who are already leading efforts to meet the holistic needs of patients, caregivers, and communities in our region: 

Asa Jackson, artist and founder of the CAN Foundation, shared his personal journey with social prescribing. Although it wasn’t formally called that at the time, he recounted how pranayama (a mind-body breathing practice) impacted both his own and his mother’s health. Asa has also used art as a tool for healing in the community, citing the example of a public mural project that significantly reduced crime rates in the neighborhood after its installation. 

Meredith Strand, Operations Director for the Sentara Brock Cancer Center and Carrillo Kern Center for Integrative Therapies, highlighted the integrative healing services offered to oncology patients through both direct referrals and self-referrals.  

Kelly Burroughs, CEO of Jewish Family Services and Embrace Counseling, discussed how social prescribing helps expand patients' identities beyond their roles as patients. By offering opportunities to explore other parts of themselves through community involvement, patients experience holistic, person-centered care that embraces their full humanity. 

After a brief intermission, participants engaged in cross-sector breakout sessions, sparking meaningful discussions on the implementation, community collaboration, accessibility, and funding of social prescribing initiatives. Discussions were focused on the unique cultural context and healthcare priorities of the Hampton Roads region, emphasizing the importance of building on existing strengths in the community to address social determinants of health—particularly with regards to the accessibility of arts and culture. 

The event concluded with reflections on the day's progress and clear next steps for advancing social prescribing locally. Attendees overwhelmingly praised the breakout discussions and expressed a desire for more time to explore how to bring this initiative to life in Hampton Roads. 

This convening marked a pivotal moment for Hampton Roads, fostering cross-sector collaboration to improve the health and well-being of our community. At a time when healthcare providers face unprecedented burnout, social prescribing offers a proven solution to reduce strain on the medical system while enhancing individual health through community-based resources. 

Hampton Roads is uniquely positioned for a successful and impactful Social Prescribing Program. With our region’s rich arts and cultural history, we have a solid foundation to build upon as we move forward with this initiative. While the success of this event was a significant milestone, it’s only the beginning of our journey.  

As we compile insights and strategies from the convening to guide our next steps, we are already looking ahead to our next event—our Healing Arts in Medicine conference in February 2025. This virtual event will feature national leaders in social prescribing and will be open to the public, offering a continued platform for learning and collaboration. 

Although this convening was invite-only, we recorded the lectures, and they can be viewed on our YouTube channel for those who wish to explore the valuable insights shared during the convening. 

Tune into the Convening here: https://youtu.be/IKzhgRQi_Ao  

 Register for the 2025 Healing Arts in Medicine Conference here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/healing-arts-in-medicine-conference-the-wave-of-social-prescribing-tickets-936416114807?aff=oddtdtcreator