Community agencies in Southwest Florida are starting up an initiative to improve health care for people in Immokalee. And they plan to do so by using the arts.

The Florida Division of Cultural Affairs and University of Florida chose Immokalee as the latest site to develop an art in health care program. The initiative targets rural communities in Florida with widespread health issues that remain unaddressed.

The program plans to use all forms of art – from drawing to dancing – to improve people’s health in Immokalee.

Dr. Victoria Frehe-Torres is a psychologist with Collier Health Services and Florida State University College of Medicine, two of the local agencies involved in the project. She says she sees the important role of the arts in her own practice.

“As a psychologist, I do believe in the power of writing,” said Frehe-Torres.

“When you get your ideas, your thoughts, your suffering to a piece of paper –for a lot of people [the process] is very healing. That’s an example that I have of how the arts and health care come together for the wellbeing of the patient.”

The planning meetings for the project begin this week. Frehe-Torres says they hope to start implementing programs in the community next year.

The Arts in Healthcare for Rural Communities will hold a reception to introduce the project at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, December 5 at the FSU College of Medicine Health Education Site in Immokalee.