The Fine Arts Association’s Creative Arts Therapies Department has received a Pilot Program Grant from the Lake County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board, officials recently announced.
The support allows ADAMHS Board providers access to FAA’s music therapy, art therapy and adapted arts programming, noted Ann Marie Raddell, the department’s director.
“With the growing need for mental health services, FAA is well equipped to offer these beneficial therapies to the agencies supported by the ADAMHS Board,” she said. “With this grant, we can serve 75 individuals and 12 groups.
“The arts are a powerful means to improve and enhance the psychological, emotional, physical and social health of individuals,” Raddell added.
The board plans, funds, monitors and evaluates Lake County’s continuum of mental health and substance use disorder supports and services.
The non-Medicaid grant, earmarked for creative art therapies, provides additional intervention for individuals experiencing mental health or addiction challenges, officials confirmed.
“We are very pleased to announce this new pilot program with the FAA’s Creative Arts Therapies team,” added ADAMHS Board Executive Director Kim Fraser. “When utilized in conjunction with traditional clinical services, we believe creative art therapies will provide an important and effective tool in helping improve the quality of life for our citizens.”
According to FAA, since the pandemic began, the demand for creative arts therapies programming has increased by more than 60 percent. As a professional therapeutic option, creative arts therapies are funded by the client at similar rates as other therapy services.
However, unlike other therapies, most creative arts therapies are not covered by insurance.
FAA seeks grants, scholarships and partnerships to help subsidize the costs for those most at-risk clients.
“It is imperative during these difficult times to engage and utilize all mental health professional services to meet the growing mental health and addiction needs of Northeast Ohio communities,” Fraser added.
In addition to the Pilot Program Grant, FAA’s Creative Arts Therapies Department has recently been awarded the following opportunities and recognition:
• Certified Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services and Licensure and Tracking System provider
• Approved Ohio Department of Education Autism Scholarship vendor
• Partnership with Cleveland State University as a University Affiliated Music Therapy Internship site
