Contact Us

American Art Therapy Association
225 N. Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 888-290-0878
policy@arttherapy.org

Government Affairs Committee

As Chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC), I will be keeping you informed through this column about key activities related to our efforts to address the interests of our members.

The GAC, through a network of regional representatives, monitors state and national legislation to ensure that the interests and objectives of the Association are adequately represented at the federal, state and local levels of government. The Committee supports and advocates for legislation and policies that establish nondiscriminatory standards and

regulation for the practice and profession of art therapy. The GAC is working with a number of other groups to support legislation and regulations that ensure, secure, and improve employment opportunities for art therapists and recognition of art therapy in mental health and health care settings. Stay tuned to the web site for further updates.

If you are interested in joining the GAC, either as your Chapter GAC representative or as an art therapist who is interested in advocacy for the profession on a national level, contact me for more information.

Sarah Kremer

Chair, Governmental Affairs Committee

 

National Policy Agenda & Activities

The national agenda works to ensure:

Art therapists are included in all appropriate aspects of healthcare reform regulations and are supported in employment efforts in the healthcare field.

Art therapists are reimbursable under TRICARE and other state, federal and private insurance in working with all clients including military personnel and their families.

Art therapists are specifically included as “School Instructional Support Personnel” as noted in Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Art therapy is recognized as a distinct profession on the national and state level.

National Advocacy Partners

The American Art Therapy Association joins with its national advocacy partners in signing on to:

Support for reauthorization of and increased funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Support  for the Senate version of health care reform legislation through letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi.        

Support for the Medicaid Services Restoration Act of 2010, ensuring Medicaid services are protected for children and youth in child welfare and foster care systems, individuals with disabilities, and children and adults with mental illness

Support for the Mental Health Parity Interim Final Rules Letter to U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury.

Support for Senate Bill 3260, the Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders (FREED) Act

Links to Key Government Agencies

U.S. House of Representatives

Currently on the House Floor

U.S. Senate

U.S. Senate Calendar of Business

Congressional Information

Congressional Record

Legislative Action

 

 

State License Requirements

Licensure in some form is available to art therapists in most states; some license art therapists (LPATs) or creative arts therapists (LCATs), and others allow art therapists to be eligible under a more general mental health or counseling license. Because art therapists practice in a variety of settings, many choose to get a license in a related mental health field, such as counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy, etc. To find the options in your state, click here for the State License Chart. Be sure to visit your state's chart for the most current information.

 

Check the Art Therapy Credentials Board for information about the ATR and ATR-BC credentials and the process for staying current.

 

Latest News

Public Policy Grant Announced!!

August 15, 2010 - The Association's Board of Directors and Governmental Affairs Committee are pleased to announce the availability of Public Policy Grants of up to $1,000 for Chapters that want to advance the profession of art therapy in their states. Grant proposals will be accepted from August 15, 2010 - October 15, 2010. Click here for more information and application guidelines.

PROPOSED BUDGET INCREASE FOR NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
The U.S. House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which sets the initial funding level for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), approved a $2.5 million increase for the NEA in FY 2011. 

EMERGENCY LEGISLATION PROVIDES $10 BILLION FOR TEACHERS
The Senate and House moved rapidly to provide emergency appropriations for states’ education budgets in order to preserve jobs for public school teachers.

SENATE COMMITTEE CALLS FOR INCREASED SUPPORT FOR ARTS EDUCATION
On July 29, 2010, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a slight increase to the Arts in Education (AIE) program at the U.S. Department of Education, from $40 million in FY 2010 to $42 million in the FY 2011 budget.

Chapter Advocacy

Share your Chapter's current legislative and advocacy resources, priorities and activities. Email them to policy@arttherapy.org and we will post them on our State Policy & Advocacy page.

Highlights of Chapter Advocacy

BUCKEYE ART THERAPY ASSOCIATION
In December 2009 and January 2010, the Buckeye Art Therapy Association attended Testimony Hearings on HB 208 (legislation for art therapy licensure). This included two hearings at the Columbus Statehouse where members of the Buckeye Art Therapy Association Board and the general membership testified before the Ohio House of Representatives’ Health Committee on the importance and benefits of art therapy licensure. The Legislative Committee submitted the revised amendment to Ohio HB 208 Licensure and Title Protection for Art Therapy. As of the 2010 August recess, the legislation is still awaiting to be heard for its final hearing by the Health Committee. Click here for more information.

KENTUCKY ART THERAPY ASSOCIATION
June 1, 2010 marked the one-year anniversary of licensure for art therapists in Kentucky. The Kentucky Art Therapy Association and its members are proud of the support their state has provided in recognizing parity between art therapists and other mental health professionals. The Kentucky art therapists’ credentials are now officially LPAT (Licensed Professional Art Therapist).

MICHIGAN ART THERAPY ASSOCIATION
Building on the Michigan Art Therapy Association’s 2009 legislative education workshop held in Michigan, meetings have continued with the Association membership at large about the importance of title protection or licensure of art therapists.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ART THERAPY ASSOCIATION
On January 1, 2010, California became the 50th state to move the LPCC licensure into law. The Northern California Art Therapy Association thanks Sarah Kremer, the Director of Legislative Affairs, the California Coalition of Counseling Licensure (CCCL), as well as other organizations who worked to support this initiative. For more information about obtaining the LPCC licensure, visit http://www.caccl.org/.