Advocacy
My Favorite Response When Talking to Lawmakers: “Yes, I Still Support Art Therapy Licensure!”
By Briana Colton MA, ATR-BC, LPCC
On March 4th, Minnesota art therapists visited the State Capital in St. Paul, marking our third annual Day on the Hill event aimed at increasing visibility and awareness of art therapy and advocating for state art therapy licensure. This year’s event was smaller and more focused than 2024, due in large part to the delayed start to the Minnesota House of Representatives’ session. Despite the delay, our community showed up in strength, and we had a wonderful day of conversations and connection with each other and our legislators!
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.
Great News from Virginia! Licensure Regulations have been Signed by the Governor
On Monday, November 18th, Governor Glenn Youngkin officially signed the art therapy licensure regulations. This long-awaited milestone marks a huge victory for art therapists and their supporters. A heartfelt thank you to every advocate who helped make this possible, from the initial legislative efforts to the relentless push for final approval. This success is a reminder of the power of perseverance—slow and steady truly wins the race!
Texas Art Therapists Advocate for Independent Licensure at the Capitol
By Jen McSparron MA, LPC, ATR-BC
On September 3rd, a dedicated group of Texas art therapists traveled to Austin to advocate for independent art therapy licensure in Texas. Armed with goodie bags filled with information about art therapy and existing programs across the state, the team visited various legislative offices, sharing their personal stories and highlighting the critical need for licensed art therapists.
Laura’s Story: Why We Need Therapy Licensure
By Bridget Pemberton-Smith, ATR-BC
I first got to know Laura when I was her internship site supervisor. Despite coming to the field later in her career, she was all in as an art therapist from the moment she started—and a passionate artist too! However, when she graduated from her art therapy program, she learned that recent changes to counselor licensure in our home state of North Carolina now prevented her from obtaining a license! Here’s her story.
How We Secured Licensure in Nebraska: Building Relationships
By Dr. Jessica Stallings, ATR-BC, LIMHP, LPC, LMHP
The Nebraska Art Therapy Licensure Coalition was created in 2017 when then recent social work graduate and soon-to-be George Washington post-Masters art therapy student Jenelle Miller asked a simple question: How one might go about securing licensure for art therapists in Nebraska? A conversation with AATA’s National Office team gave Jenelle the idea to approach Nebraskans from the Arts—and a coalition began to develop.
Write a Letter to Help us License Virginia Art Therapists
We are excited to report that over 50 letters have been sent, but the work isn’t done yet. To ensure the licensure of our profession it is crucial we continue contacting with these individuals until our voices are heard. You can also attend the next Art Therapy Advisory Board meeting in Henrico, Virginia on October 18th to show your support.
Pennsylvania Art Therapy Association Hosts a Hill Day
On March 20, 2024, members of the Pennsylvania Art Therapy Association (PAATA) met at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, PA for Hill Day. Several PAATA members convened to advocate and speak with the public about the need for an independent Art Therapy License in Pennsylvania (LPAT).
Chapter Advocacy Updates: Accomplishments from 2023 and 2024
Advocating for licensure isn’t just about advocating for practicing art therapists: it’s about calling for increased access to mental health professionals and keeping the profession sustainable for future art therapists. Here’s a look at AATA chapter advocacy and how you can help.
Florida Art Therapy Association Hosts a Licensure Advocacy Event
The Florida Art Therapy Association (FATA) in collaboration with the Florida State University (FSU) Art Therapy Program, hosted an art therapy advocacy convening on Friday, November 17th. The event brought together a diverse community to support House Bill 51 and Senate Bill 878, which would create rt therapy licensure.