To the field of Arts in Health,

November is International Arts in Health Month! All month long, we will be sharing powerful, inspiring stories from our members about the impact arts have on health and wellbeing.  But first, we would like to share an exciting development from the National Organization for Arts in Health: the publication of our NOAH-endorsed Code of Ethics and Standards for Arts in Health Professionals, foundational resources to support the professionalization of the field.

Since its inception in 2016, the NOAH Professionalization Committee has focused on updating and codifying these two documents in consultation with members of the previous national arts in health organization and the NOAH Board of Directors, Ambassadors, Friends, and Membership. Our efforts were supported by the outpouring of positive and constructive feedback we received from this pool of committed professionals, and we are proud to endorse and release these documents for use by the field of arts in health.

To be noted:

1. These documents are not intended for use in the field of creative arts therapies, which NOAH acknowledges as separate specialized disciplines.
2. These are living documents and shall be reviewed every three years to accommodate cultural and procedural changes.
3. The next professional resource, a Core Curriculum for Arts in Health Professionals, will construct legally defensible core competencies and a scope of practice for professionals working in the field. NOAH’s newly-formed Arts in Health Competency Task Force will be the creator of this resource.
4. A glossary of common terms is included in the documents.

It is in the adaptation and use of these professional resources that we can positively support and shape an elevated relationship between the spheres of arts and health and amongst affiliated fields. We hope that you will use these resources and share them widely.

We’re sharing the links on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn – and hope you do the same!

If you would like to request physical copies of the Code of Ethics and Standards for Arts in Health Professionals, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Use the hashtag #ArtsinHealthMonth to share your arts in health stories and updates this month, too!

With thanks,

The NOAH Board & Professionalization Committee

Todd Frazier, President
Ari Albright, Chair, Professionalization Committee

Members at Large:

Ferol Carytsas, Linh Dang, Claire de Boer, Maegan Dubois, Todd Frazier, Jackie Hamilton, Alan Seigel, Barbara Steinhaus, Katherine Trapanovski, Naj Wikoff

Staff:

Katie White Swanson, Administrator

Aly Maier, Special Project Coordinator