Gamba Tapped by RI to Bring Arts-Based Approach to Public Health Priorities
GoLocalProv News Team
Gamba Tapped by RI to Bring Arts-Based Approach to Public Health Priorities
Gamba will bring arts-based approaches to public health priorities.
She is a dance artist, educator, licensed mental health counselor and board-certified dance-movement psychotherapist, and is a long-time advocate for inclusive, equitable and just educational outreach and therapeutic interventions. She believes that consistent access to quality health and wellness services combined with the arts will help foster healing, and long-term systemic change, and ultimately build a stronger Rhode Island.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTDuring her six-month residency, Gamba will use her artistic practice, and counseling and teaching experience to develop creative health solutions and outcomes for the Health and Human Services Agency. She will focus on the Children’s Behavioral Health System of Care and/or Overdose, Addiction and Adult Behavioral Health.
“Partnerships such as the Artist in Residence program advance our goal to integrate arts and arts-based therapies into healthcare as well as build sustainable health-arts policy, practice and research,” said Lynne McCormack, Executive Director of RISCA. “We will be supporting Melody throughout her residency as she applies her incredible talents to advancing health equity through the arts.”
“We look forward to working with Melody on creative ways to raise awareness on behavioral health and overall health equity within the communities we serve,” said Executive Office of Health and Human Services Acting Secretary Ana Novais. “We appreciate this exciting opportunity to make an impact on our colleagues and the greater community through artistic collaboration.”
“The arts can serve as a public health intervention providing a connection to social services, mental wellbeing, and individual and community health. Rhode Island has a unique opportunity to build on this growing field because of the one-of-a-kind partnership that exists between RIDOH and RISCA and our rich connection to the arts,” said Steven Boudreau, Chief Administrative Officer and Co-chair Arts and Health, RI Department of Health.
Within the context of EOHHS, Gamba will combine artistic practice, and explore and develop creative health solutions. She said, “I look forward to gaining a better understanding of how these agencies alongside community voices collaborate to identify and achieve health equity and mental health goals through art-based initiatives. Success would include building authentic relationships, collaborative community partners, and sustainable action that can continue beyond this residency.”