May 30, 2019
On May 29, 2019 the Connecticut House of Representatives voted in favor 138 to 1 for House Bill 5444, An Act Requiring Licensure of Art Therapists. With just one week remaining before the legislature adjourns on June 5th, art therapists in Connecticut are rallying their senators to schedule a vote. If you or someone you know resides in Connecticut, please take a moment to show your support!
- Find your State Senators’ contact information on the General Assembly’s website.
- The Connecticut Art Therapy Association (CATA) has provided a template for calls and emails.
2019 has already been a remarkable year for the Connecticut art therapy licensure effort!
- In the summer of 2018, CATA submitted their Scope of Practice Application.
- In October 2018 the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) agreed to convene a scope of practice review committee for art therapy, initiating a four-month sunrise review (study to determine the need and the appropriate level of regulation of a profession).
- The bill was introduced in January 2019 by Representative Mitch Bolinsky (R-Newtown), the Assembly’s Assistant Republican Leader, who had also introduced art therapist licensing bills in the previous two legislative sessions.
- Following the DPH’s report to the General Assembly, concluding that the review committee did not oppose licensure for art therapists, the Joint Committee on Public Health voted to introduce the legislation as a committee bill.
- Art therapists testified before the Joint Committee on Public Health on February 11, 2019.