The University of Michigan has officially launched two initiatives on social prescribing: Experience Rx and the Institute for Social Prescribing.
Social prescribing connects people with non-clinical experiences — such as the arts, movement, nature, and service — to support their health and wellness. These personalized “prescriptions” foster meaningful social connections, reduce isolation and enhance both individual and community well-being. Social prescribing expands upon more common clinical remedies, like seeing a therapist or physician.
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Experience Rx, a featured initiative of the Well-being Collective, is one of the first college-campus programs in the United States to offer comprehensive social prescribing. Existing programs at other schools or organizations tend to focus on a single area or theme. Experience Rx will include services across the arts, nature, physical activity, shared meals, community service and more.
Already up and running are Nature Rx and Arts Rx, both of which preceded Experience Rx and offer blueprints for leveraging existing university resources, events and spaces.
“The U.S. is behind other countries when it comes to social prescribing. What we are doing at Michigan is really groundbreaking nationally,” said Joy Pehlke, director of health promotion and Wolverine Wellness, which houses the Well-being Collective.
“Social prescribing is a dynamic tool for a thriving campus community,” added Mark Clague, executive director of the U-M Arts Initiative and professor of musicology in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. “We have the resources in place at U-M and can bring this work to scale. Our collaborative skills and the many great people involved in our campus well-being network already position U-M to lead the way in social prescribing.”
The Institute for Social Prescribing, co-directed by Clague and Lindsey Mortenson, executive director of University Health & Counseling, chief mental health officer in Student Life, and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, will research social prescribing programs, including Experience Rx at U-M and other national and international initiatives, to better understand and scale social prescribing efforts.
The institute is made possible through seed funding awarded by the Office of the Vice President for Research’s Impact Institutes.
“We are really excited to better understand the design, implementation, and impact of social prescribing interventions,” Mortenson said. “Our hope is that we can improve the quality of life in college communities in ways that can be measured, replicated and extended around the world.”
In the coming months, both Experience Rx and the Institute for Social Prescribing are expected to expand, with new programmatic offerings and research opportunities. Those interested in learning more can sign up for mailing lists for both initiatives.
Because of its versatility and opportunities for personalization, social prescribing has found support among non-clinicians and clinical care providers alike.
As part of the launch of these initiatives, the Well-being Collective hosted Kate Mulligan, an international expert in social prescribing from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto on campus in early April.
“Kate describes this work in a really beautiful way: we shift from what is the matter with you to what matters to you,” said Rob Ernst, the university’s chief health officer and associate vice president for health and wellness in Student Life. “The more I learn, the more interested I am in the potential of social prescribing to strengthen our university well-being systemically. More people participating in more activities that bring them joy — that is a thriving campus.”
