Personalized arts-based social prescriptions for youth mental health
Official title: Member Engagement Application for Personalized Arts-Based Social Prescriptions
Funded at Socialrx INC · NIH-11542749 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A youth-focused program tests a mobile companion app that guides teens to arts and cultural activities to improve mental well-being and social connection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Socialrx INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,089,248 |
| NIH project number | 4R44AT013552-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11542749 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents and young people facing anxiety or mood-related challenges who encounter barriers to traditional mental health care.
✕Less likely to help
Some youths may not engage with arts-based activities or digital tools and may see limited personal benefit.
What this research studies
This grant funds the design and testing of a digital companion app that sits with Art Pharmacy’s services to help adolescents find and attend arts-based community events. The MVP will be built with user journeys, interfaces, and content tailored to young people, followed by a beta test to collect feedback on usability and appeal. The goal is to make it easier for youths to access engaging, non-clinical supports that can improve mood, reduce anxiety, and strengthen social ties. The project emphasizes real-world arts experiences and streamlined communication between youth, caregivers, and care navigators.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could improve access to mental health resources for teens and increase attendance at supportive arts activities.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests arts-based social interventions can improve well-being, but digital companion tools for youth and real-world arts engagement are still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
Socialrx INC
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcdaniel, Dawn — Socialrx INC
- Study coordinator: Mcdaniel, Dawn
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.