Amid a rising tide of mental health challenges facing young people nationwide, a novel approach is taking root on college campuses, one that prescribes not medication, but meaningful experiences. Dartmouth College is pioneering this movement with Arts and Nature Rx, a free program designed to support student wellness through an innovative model known as social prescribing. This framework empowers healthcare providers to recommend community-based activities, such as guided hikes or creative workshops, as a tangible way to improve mental health and overall well-being. The initiative recognizes that while the sources of stress and anxiety in academic life are complex, the pathways to relief can be found in the simple, profound acts of creating art and connecting with the natural world. This yearlong pilot program, developed in partnership with the social prescribing services company Art Pharmacy, specifically targets undergraduate and graduate students experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of loneliness, social isolation, anxiety, or depression, offering them a structured yet flexible avenue toward engagement and healing.
1. A Personalized Pathway to Well Being
The operational framework of Arts and Nature Rx is intentionally designed to be both supportive and empowering, ensuring students feel guided rather than directed. The process begins within the trusted environment of the Dartmouth Student Health Service, where providers can refer students to the program based on routine mental health screenings or their own clinical judgment. Once a student opts in, they are connected online with a dedicated care navigator from Art Pharmacy. This initial consultation is crucial, as it focuses on co-creating a personalized wellness plan. The navigator works with the student to establish clear well-being goals and then suggests a curated selection of potential activities. This list is carefully tailored to the student’s specific interests, academic schedule, cultural values, and lived experiences, ensuring the recommendations are relevant and appealing. From this personalized menu, the student has the autonomy to select one activity each month, fostering a sense of ownership over their wellness journey and ensuring that the experience is something they genuinely look forward to.
This model places a significant emphasis on student agency, a principle that program managers believe is critical to its success. Unlike prescriptive clinical treatments, the program’s philosophy is not about telling students what they need, but rather empowering them to discover what enriches their lives. Quick and convenient monthly check-ins with their care navigator provide a light-touch form of accountability, helping students stay engaged with their wellness plan without adding to their academic pressures. This consistent follow-up has proven highly effective in similar initiatives, with data showing that over 90% of participants adhere to their chosen activities. The high engagement rate is attributed to the program’s core function: connecting individuals with life-affirming and enriching resources that they might not have discovered or prioritized on their own. By facilitating these connections, the program aims to build a sustainable practice of self-care that extends far beyond a single activity or semester.
2. Dismantling Barriers to Self Care
A significant challenge for many students is not a lack of awareness about healthy habits, but the presence of formidable barriers that prevent them from engaging in them. The relentless pressure of academics often leads to a mindset where taking a break feels like an unaffordable luxury. Arts and Nature Rx directly confronts this issue by providing the necessary structure and impetus for students to prioritize their well-being. The simple act of a trusted healthcare professional recommending an activity can be transformative, granting students the psychological “permission” they need to step away from their laptops and invest time in themselves. This professional endorsement reframes self-care from an indulgence into an essential component of their overall health and academic success, an impact that has been noted as extremely powerful for students who feel perpetually burnt out. The program, therefore, acts as a crucial bridge between knowing what is healthy and having the support to actually do it.
Beyond psychological hurdles, the program is meticulously designed to eliminate the practical and financial obstacles that often stand in the way of participation. Many cultural and outdoor events come with costs—for tickets, materials, or transportation—that can be prohibitive for students on a tight budget. Arts and Nature Rx removes these financial barriers entirely by ensuring participation is confidential and completely free. The program covers all associated expenses for the student and, in a key move to combat social isolation, provides an additional ticket so they can bring a friend along. This feature is instrumental in achieving the program’s goals of boosting connection and fostering a sense of belonging. Furthermore, the initiative addresses the common issue of decision fatigue. Instead of being overwhelmed by the countless options available on and off campus, students are presented with short, curated lists of ideas, making it significantly easier to commit to an activity and engage without added stress.
3. The Synergy of Creativity and the Outdoors
The innovative core of the Arts and Nature Rx program lies in its unique integration of two powerful domains for mental wellness: the arts and the natural world. This distinctive pairing was born from a fortunate confluence of ideas. The concept began to take shape when the executive director of the Hopkins Center for the Arts approached campus leadership with research on arts-as-prescription models. Just days later, a separate proposal arrived from the associate director of Dartmouth Outdoors advocating for nature-based prescriptions. Recognizing the profound potential in combining these two streams, leadership saw an opportunity to create a holistic program that leverages the rich resources of both the campus and its scenic New England setting. This synthesis allows students to access a diverse range of experiences, from reflective hikes on local trails and hands-on craft workshops to attending live performances and engaging in visual arts like painting and sculpting.
To bring this vision to life, the program has forged a robust network of collaborations, uniting a diverse array of campus departments and community organizations. Currently, programming is available through 15 distinct partners, creating a rich ecosystem of opportunities for students. On-campus collaborators include the Outdoor Programs Office, the Hood Museum of Art, and the Hopkins Center for the Arts, alongside several student-led clubs that ensure the offerings are resonant with student interests. The initiative also extends into the surrounding community, partnering with local nonprofits such as the AVA Gallery, the Montshire Museum of Science, and the Northern Stage theater company. This extensive network not only provides a wide variety of high-quality activities but also helps integrate students more deeply into their local community, strengthening their sense of place and belonging. Students have been involved throughout the development process, providing critical feedback to ensure the program remains relevant and effective.
4. Evidence Based Foundations and Realistic Expectations
Support for the Arts and Nature Rx program is firmly rooted in a growing body of scientific evidence and the clinical experience of medical professionals. Healthcare providers have expressed strong enthusiasm for the initiative, citing extensive research demonstrating that engagement with both art and nature can effectively reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression while simultaneously increasing positive affect and overall well-being. For students, who often struggle to justify taking breaks from their demanding academic schedules, the program offers a structured and enjoyable way to express their creative side and de-stress. Sarah Crockett, an assistant professor of emergency medicine, notes that over her two decades in the field, she has witnessed a dramatic increase in young people experiencing mental health crises. She affirms that the research is clear: fostering a sense of belonging, building strong relationships, spending time in nature, and engaging in reflective activities are all factors that significantly improve mental health outcomes.
While the program holds great promise, its proponents are clear about its role within the broader spectrum of mental healthcare. It is positioned as a powerful supplement to, not a replacement for, clinical treatments such as therapy or medication. It is not designed for individuals in acute crisis. To ensure students receive the appropriate level of care, a strict protocol is in place. If a provider or care navigator identifies concerning symptoms during a conversation, or if a student’s screening scores fall below a certain threshold, they are immediately guided toward more intensive support services. The data from Art Pharmacy’s other projects offer a compelling forecast for potential success; among students who screen as lonely, 79% report improvement after participating, while 83% of students with depression see similar positive changes. These benefits are particularly noticeable after the first, second, and sixth “doses” of activity, suggesting a cumulative positive effect on student wellness.
5. A Proactive Blueprint for Student Health
The Arts and Nature Rx initiative was launched with a foundational understanding that student well-being required a more holistic and proactive approach. By weaving structured, enjoyable activities into the academic ecosystem, the program’s architects established a tangible pathway toward improved mental health that was both accessible and destigmatized. The core philosophy was centered on empowerment; by giving students the tools, permission, and resources to take an active role in their own self-care, the project sought to cultivate resilience. The hope was that by removing financial and logistical barriers, the benefits would ripple outward, fostering habits of connection—to nature, to art, and to each other—that would endure long after a single semester and support a healthier campus culture for years to come.
