Federal Legislative Issues

		Capital Hill Basics The Legislative Process Links

Medicaid Regulations: State-by-State Impacts

AATA Efforts to Secure Research Funding-Update

As you may know, The American Art Therapy Association has worked for some time now to secure research funding for a study on the effectiveness of art therapy in treating PTSD. On September 13th, 2007, the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee approved the FY 08 Defense Appropriations bill. Unfortunately, AATA’s funding request was not included. Thank you to those who have written and reached out to your Senator concerning this funding. We want you to know how much we have appreciated all of your help. Several Senators were particularly supportive of our efforts, but in the end we ran out of time and were not able to get funding for research included in the Defense Appropriations Bill.

However, AATA is working to find alternative ways to fund the study. We are seeking to include report language in the Defense Appropriations Bill when it goes to conference committee later this month. Each appropriation report includes report language. This language includes spending instructions, directions, and sometimes, spending restrictions. The report language also contains guidance to departments such as the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Although these agencies are not legally bound by Congress’ declarations, report language would demonstrate to them that art therapy research is a priority for members of Congress. We are hopeful we can get report language into the Defense Appropriations bill on the efficacy of art therapy in treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Your leaders at AATA have also been busy meeting with officials in the Veterans Administration and on Capitol Hill to fund this study. AATA is exploring the possibility of getting funding directly through the Department of Veterans Affairs. President Paula Howie and Executive Director Steve Kussman met with the Chief of Research, Dr. Joel Kuppersmith, at the VA in September to discuss the funding process and opportunities for grants to cover the cost of the research study. AATA continues to work through this process. In addition, Senator Inouye (D-Hawaii, Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee), sent a letter to the National Institute of Mental Health asking for their plans to evaluate the effectiveness of art therapy in treating PTSD.

We want you to know that there are still exciting prospects for a research study. We are hopeful that with recent media attention and your continued support we will receive recognition for the amazing work that art therapists do in treating PTSD. As many of you know, legislative action does not come easily and quickly. The relationships we developed as part of this initiative will serve of benefit for years to come. We look forward to working with the art therapy community on issues to come.

AATA Supports Hagel-Harkin Bill to Fund Federal Commitment to IDEA

April 19, 2007, Washington, DC--- U.S. Senators Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) reintroduced legislation to meet the federal government’s commitment to fund 40 percent of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Hagel and Harkin first introduced this legislation in 2001. The Hagel-Harkin bill would fully-fund IDEA in seven years through mandatory annual phased-in spending increases, until federal funding reaches $30.8 billion in Fiscal Year 2015. The bill would free up local and state funds that had previously been used to meet IDEA requirements for other important education priorities. Therefore, as the federal IDEA share grows, local school districts will have increased flexibility for all their education programs. Read more...

Call to Action: Recommendations to Congress

from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

February 16, 2007, Washington, DC---The NAEYC, the nation's largest association of early childhood professionals working with and on behalf of children from birth to third grade, offers this Call to Action for the 110th Congress to provide a federal commitment to the goal of providing all children with the early development and learning experiences that make them successful in school and beyond. Download Making a Difference: Excellence in Early Childhood Education PDF

States Receive More Than $22 Million for Hurricane Katrina Crisis Counseling Assistance

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently announced $22.3 million in grants to Mississippi, Arkansas, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey and Utah for crisis counseling assistance in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. SAMHSA is the agency responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health service delivery system. The grants are awarded through partnership between SAMHSA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These grants will help enable states to address ongoing counseling needs of persons adversely affected by the hurricanes, regardless of whether they are residing in their home states or are resettling in other areas. States will receive a portion of the funds initially, with the remaining approved funds released as service needs continue.

Read more about the individual state programs that were awarded funds

Resources for Collecting Veterans Testimony

Download these two documents:

Art Therapy with PTSD and Veterans Testimonial Form(RTF 28KB)

VA Testimony Consent Form(PDF 304KB)