AATA News

Top 10 Most Read Articles of 2024
While 2024 introduced many new blogs, many of our most-read articles this year were published in previous years, demonstrating that their relevance and resonance have only grown. From exploring art therapy’s cultural impact to examining its role in diverse communities, these posts capture the growing public interest in the field. Here’s a look at the 10 most-read articles. A huge thank you to all our members who volunteered to share their expertise in our blog or for our virtual Monthly Learning Series (available on the Online Learning Academy).

Join us for Our First CE Session of 2025! Preventive Art Therapy: The Ethical Intersection of Art Therapy And Public Health
Join us as we kick off 2025 with Preventive Art Therapy: The Ethical Intersection of Art Therapy and Public Health, our first virtual continuing education session of the year. In this session, Erica, Ping and Nadia will use their combined expertise to explore the ethical intersection of art therapy and public health, emphasizing the importance of addressing mental health proactively to create lasting, sustainable change.

AATA Urges New York Governor Hochul to Allow Licensed Creative Arts Therapists to Directly Bill Medicaid
Dec. 20, 2024 – AATA sent a letter to New York Governor Hochul urging her to sign A9018/S8715 into law. The bill, which was passed by the state House and Senate in June, would authorize Licensed Creative Arts Therapists (LCAT) to bill Medicaid directly for their services.

New Americans for the Arts Survey Shows How Important the Arts are to People’s Lives and Communities
As discussions about the connection between arts and mental health continue to become more prevalent, the release of Americans for the Arts’ first public opinion survey since 2018, Americans Speak Out About the Arts (conducted in July of 2023), further underscores the importance of arts in both in communities and in individual emotional and physical wellbeing.

ACATE Announces Adoption of Revised CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Art Therapy
At its November meeting, the Board of Directors of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) approved the revisions to the CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Art Therapy.
Prior to the Open Hearing held on September 24, ACATE reviewed the 57 comments that were received during the preceding public comment period. A significant number of those comments suggested changes in specific wording.

AATA 2025 Slate of Candidates
The American Art Therapy Association Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the 2024 election slate for leadership positions with the Association. Voting begins Dec. 18!

2025 AATA Conference Call for Proposals is Open!
We are excited to announce AATA’s 2025 Call for Proposals and share with you some information about the proposal process. This year, AATA’s Call for Proposals invites submissions for AATA2024, the in-person conference scheduled for Oct. 8 – 11 in Portland, Oregon and a two-day live virtual conference, tentatively planned for a weekend in Fall of 2025.

Celebrating the 2024 AATA Art Therapy Award Recipients
As 2024 comes to a close, we take a moment to celebrate the incredible achievements of this year’s award recipients. We had the privilege of recognizing these outstanding individuals in person at AATA’s Annual Conference in Pittsburgh this past October and virtually during our Annual Meeting of the Membership. Congratulations to our 2024 award winners for their outstanding work and commitment to advancing the art therapy profession!
We also want to express our gratitude to the Honors, Multicultural, Research, and Scholarship Committees for their invaluable efforts in supporting these awards.

Special Thanks from AATA’s Membership Director (Plus, Enter the Renewal Raffle!)
This time of year always has me reflecting about our association and how much we’ve accomplished this year. I’m so thankful for members like you who truly give meaning to the work I do.

Discounts on Art Therapy Supervision and Ethics CE Sessions Through the End of the Year
Get a jump start on your 2025 Continuing Education core requirements for ethics and supervision! We are offering our exceptional 2023 and 2024 Ethics and Supervision Sessions at a discount through the end of the year. Pick from any of the 11 courses: 6 supervision and 5 ethics!