Advocacy
We Joined 600+ Mental Health Advocates on Capitol Hill
September 19, 2019
“Be strong, be loud, and be assertive for those you serve.” – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-6)
This week, the AATA joined the National Council of Behavioral Health and over 600 mental health advocates for Hill Day 2019! The advocacy training was packed with strategies, tips, and inspirational moments preparing advocates for meetings with their elected officials the following day.
Victory in Connecticut: Art Therapy License Enacted
June 27, 2019
We are proud to announce that a distinct art therapy license has been enacted in Connecticut! On June 26, 2019, Governor Ned Lamont signed the state budget, which included licensure for art therapists.
The NEA Once Again Faces Proposed Elimination: Join Us in Requesting a $12.5 Million Increase
March 28, 2019 | Advocacy
On March 18, President Trump released his FY 2020 budget recommending, for the third consecutive year, complete termination of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In the last two fiscal years, Congress has firmly rejected this proposal − opting instead for minor increases.
Creative Forces Veteran Testifies on behalf of the AATA before U.S. House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee
February 28, 2019 | Advocacy
On Tuesday February 26, 2019 Christopher Stowe Master Gunnery Sergeant, USMC (ret.) testified on behalf of the AATA alongside Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch before the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. They urged the subcommittee to fund the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at $167.5 for FY 2020, a $12.5 million increase from FY 2019.
Sunrise Reviews Commence in Connecticut and Nebraska
October 25, 2018 | Advocacy
The AATA is pleased to share that state agencies in Connecticut and Nebraska have approved applications to conduct studies on into the need to regulate art therapy. These comprehensive studies to determine the need and the appropriate level of regulation of a profession, commonly referred to as “sunrise reviews,” are prerequisites for the legislature to consider licensing a new profession and are now required at varying degrees in 14 states .
Vote with Art Therapy in Mind: The AATA Guide for Election Day 2018
October 25, 2018 | Advocacy
As mental health professionals, art therapists are connected with the needs of the communities they serve. You may already be a champion for your clients in your community to ensure they get the care they need. Similarly, Election Day is an opportunity to be a champion for your clients and for the values that are core to our profession.
Virginia Board of Health Professions Votes to Recommend Licensure for Art Therapists to the Governor and Legislature
By Clara Keane | August 30, 2018 | Advocacy
On August 23, 2018 the Virginia Board of Health Professions (BHP) voted to recommend licensure for art therapists in the state of Virginia. Following years of advocacy work and a full year in the formal sunrise review process, a group of art therapists gathered to witness history unfold in the field of art therapy. After the BHP’s Regulatory Research Committee made their final recommendations and “concluded that all criteria [for state regulation] were met,” the Committee voted unanimously to “adopt a separate license for Art Therapists to practice in Virginia.”
Chapter Projects Funded by the 2017 Government Affairs Committee Grants
By Clara Keane | July 5, 2018 | Advocacy
Each year, the Government Affairs Committee (GAC) awards grants to chapters to help support their legislative goals. In 2017, grants were awarded to three chapters, the Southern California Art Therapy Association (SoCalATA), the Arizona Art Therapy Association (AzATA), and the Michigan Association of Art Therapy (MAAT).
Art Therapists Make the Case for Regulation in Virginia
By Clara Keane | June 28, 2018 | Advocacy | Events
On the morning of June 26, 2018, fifteen art therapists gathered for an open comment hearing during a meeting of the Virginia Board of Health Professions (BHP) to speak to the need to regulate art therapy to protect the public. The PHP’s initial draft report was positive, acknowledging the potential harm to the public if art therapy remains unregulated.
Recapping Mental Health Month 2018
By Clara Keane | May 31, 2018 | Children | Events
Since 1949, America has observed May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Each year as a nation, we double down on the fight against stigma and educate the public, support those struggling with mental illnesses, and promote policies grounded in evidence-based treatment and methods.