Services for Building Community & Public Health
Building Community
Our strong compassionate culture demands that all decisions be made with the person’s involvement and in their best interests. This is ensured through an innovative person-centered approach that delivers services based on the specific interests, abilities and changing needs and desires of each person. Our decades-long work of creating inclusive and purpose-driven programming is now uniquely poised to serve the larger societal and public health needs of authentic connection, creative expression, and relationships that cultivate social and emotional engagement. This expansion of scope only deepens our time-honored mission by further integrating our original communities into the larger societal fabric.
Services to Address the Epidemic of Loneliness
For over 40 years CBS has served the unique and often vulnerable and isolated populations of people with disabilities. This experience has created valuable expertise and safe spaces for our community to meet in meaningful relationships and community involvement, in tandem with self-expression and self-actualization. When in the Spring of 2023 the Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy announced an emerging epidemic of loneliness in the United States, citing decreased health outcomes and serious psychological and social repercussions, we saw this as a call to action. This is an important opportunity and natural expansion of our work to help support inclusivity, as well as serve more people who feel isolated or lack accessible outlets for creative community involvement. CBS creates authentic connection within communities where acceptance and expression are important. Here we have valuable experience and real social and physical infrastructure to serve this emergent need. Inclusivity is healing, arts and creativity are healing, and meaningful relationships increase health outcomes, create better societies. This is the right time for us to get involved. We are making a difference by expanding to serve this larger community need, crafting space and programming that builds authentic connection and creative expression.
More Information: Epidemic of Loneliness
CT Senator Chris Murphy
Fostering social connection in cities.
US Dept. Health & Human Services
Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy Calls for Action to Address Public Health Crisis, Lays Out Framework for a National Strategy to Advance Social Connection
The Well News
Dr. Ruth Named NY's First Ambassador to Loneliness
NPR
Six Steps to Address Loneliness Epidemic.
Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness
The National Strategy For Social Connection Act, explained.
The Wall Street Journal
The loneliness of the American Worker. More meetings and faceless chats. Fewer work friends. How the modern workday is fueling an epidemic of isolation.
This Could be Why You're Depressed or Anxious
In a moving talk, journalist Johann Hari shares fresh insights on the causes of depression and anxiety from experts around the world -- as well as some exciting emerging solutions. "If you're depressed or anxious, you're not weak and you're not crazy -- you're a human being with unmet needs," Hari says.
Expanding to Serve a Larger Community
At Hudson Valley InterArts, we are crafting space and programming that builds authentic connection and creative expression for all.