August 22, 2024 | By AATA President-Elect Raquel Farrell-Kirk, MS, ATR-BC
At only two years old, the AATA Professional Affairs Committee might be still unknown to many of you but we have been hard at work behind the scenes. I am proud to announce that our committee, alongside Meredith Ashley, AATA’s Policy and Communications Coordinator, have just finished drafting AATA’s first official piece of sample legislation.
Our previously published Licensure and Certification Guide, which answered common member questions about licensure and scope of practice, coupled with this sample legislation, are an important toolkit for art therapists to answer individual questions as well as work on state-level advocacy. The sample legislation provides much needed information on the current licensure landscape and the commonalities between state requirements and embodies our hopes for the future of art therapy licensure and our commitment to concrete actions and resources to help realize that hope.
Why is this sample legislation so important?
Having a template for your proposed legislation makes your advocacy work easier and is an open-and-go resource that makes advocacy accessible to everyone, from the most recent volunteer (thank you and welcome!), to the seasoned pros (we couldn’t do it without you!) It streamlines the process by reducing the amount of time spent determining license requirements and legal definitions or consulting other states’ legislation because we’ve already done all that work for you. It is also our hope that having one piece of sample legislation as a model for all states could help standardize license requirements and increase the likelihood that art therapists moving between states could be licensed under reciprocity clauses.
This document is accessible now on the MyAATA Advocacy & Public Policy page and can be customized to match state specific requirements. Please reach out to the National Office to let us know how we can support you and how you use this resource in your advocacy work. We hope this resource helps you work towards licensure in your state and empowers you to advocate with confidence!