STATES WITH ART THERAPY LICENSURE

With our chapters and mental health partners, AATA works to raise public awareness about art therapy, make services more accessible to communities, and promote legislative and regulatory initiatives that advance the profession and support the well-being of art therapists and the clients they serve.

Art therapy is now a regulated mental health profession in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Art therapists hold professional art therapy licenses in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, and Virginia. They are regulated under related professional licenses in Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Utah. Additionally, art therapists are recognized for purposes of state hiring and/or title protection in Arizona, Louisiana, and New Hampshire.

While art therapists have relied on licensure through related allied mental health professions in the past, the window for that option is closing rapidly. Now more than ever, art therapists need to rally to gain art therapy licensure to ensure professional sustainability for generations to come. AATA works with our state and local chapters in securing licenses in their states, obtain insurance reimbursement, as well as protect the art therapy profession from the threat of deregulation, which would take away the public’s ability to discern qualified practitioners from bad actors.

Learn more about Licensure and Insurance Reimbursement campaigns here.

WHICH STATES HAVE LICENSES?

STATE ART THERAPY LICENSES

Connecticut
Clinical Licensed Art Therapist (CLAT)
Delaware
Licensed Professional Art Therapist (LPAT) and Licensed Associate Art Therapist (LAAT)
District of Columbia
Licensed Professional Art Therapist (LPAT)
Kentucky
Professional Art Therapy License (LPAT) and Professional Art Therapist Associate License (LPATA)
Maryland
Professional Clinical Art Therapy License (LPCAT) and Professional Graduate Art Therapy License (LGAT)
Mississippi
Professional Art Therapy License (LPAT)
New Jersey
Professional Art Therapy License (LPAT) and Licensed Associate Art Therapist (LAAT) *While these licenses have been enacted, they have yet to be implemented
New Mexico
Professional Art Therapist License (LPAT)
Nebraska

Certified Art Therapist License 

Oregon
Licensed Art Therapist (LAT) and Licensed Certified Art Therapist (LCAT)
Ohio

Licensed Professional Art Therapist (LPAT)

Tennessee
Licensed Professional Art Therapist (LPAT) and Licensed Associate Art Therapist Therapist (LAAT)
Virginia
Licensed Art Therapist (LAT) and Licensed Associate Art Therapist (LAAT)

STATES LICENSING ART THERAPISTS UNDER RELATED LICENSES

New York
Creative Arts Therapist License (LCAT)
Pennsylvania
Art therapy defined in regulation as a qualifying “closely related field” for the professional counseling license (LPC)
Texas
Professional Counselor with Specialization in Art Therapy License (LPC-AT)
Wisconsin
Registered Art Therapist with License to Practice Psychotherapy

STATES RECOGNIZING ART THERAPISTS FOR PURPOSES OF STATE HIRING AND/OR TITLE PROTECTION

Arizona
Authorizes the State Department of Health Services to contract for mental health and behavioral health services of Certified Art Therapists; defines Art Therapy for purposes of state law and provides title protection for credentialed art therapists
Louisiana
State hiring regulations recognize credentialed art therapists as qualified school art therapists in public schools.
New Hampshire
Legislative act defines practice of professional art therapy and provides practice and title protection for practitioners holding master’s or doctoral degrees in art therapy.

Login to the MyAATA portal or become an AATA member to gain access to resources that can help you navigate the licensure process. This includes a list of regulatory boards and their contact information as well as a state-by state list of alternative licenses in related professions, such as the Marriage and Family Therapy License (MFT) and the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) license. Also find breakdowns of licensing and practice requirements in each state including examinations, clinical hours, fees, and supervision and portability rules.

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