Music Therapy State Recognition: Washington State Overview
WA Music Therapy Task Force helps Washington State Music Therapists keep in touch regarding government relations and other music therapy matters of interest. Below is the timeline of the state recognition development for music therapy in Washington state since 2006 to recent.
2006 - Washington State Music Therapy Task Force formed to work with AMTA and CBMT on the State Recognition Operational Plan.
September, 2007 - National and local music therapists meet with state agency officials in education and health departments of Early Learning, Mental Health, DDD Waiver, Special Education Operations and Aging and Disability Services. Message from state agencies: Official state recognition would be required for Washington residents to access music therapy services through state agencies.
January, 2008 – Representative Jeannie Darneille (D-27) introduces music therapy licensure bill, requesting a Sunrise Review. Such a request is only considered when made by the chair of the committee so the bill did not proceed.
March – December, 2011 – Music Therapists hold a Hill Day in Olympia, finding several legislators willing to help music therapists work towards state recognition.
Sen. Steve Conway (D-29) (Vice Chair, Health and Long Term Care Committee) convened a meeting with state music therapists, counsel to Health and Long Term Care Committee, and Department of Health official to discuss state recognition and the pathway to it. Sen. Karen Keiser (D-33) (Chair, Health and Longer Term Care Committee) and Rep. Eileen Cody (D-34) (Chair of the Health and Wellness Committee) recommend that music therapists request a bill to establish a music therapy registry. Bill language is drafted and before the legislation opens, bill language is created reflecting a request for certification, not registry. Bill was drafted with counsel for the Health and Long Term Care Committee.
January – December, 2012 – SB 6276 and companion bill HB 2522 are submitted and necessary signatures gathered for support and sponsoring. Public hearing held on SB 6276. Bill does not pass out of committee as it was recognized that the bill should be submitted for a Sunrise Review since it involved health care practitioners.
Sen. Keiser makes request of the Department of Health for a Sunrise Review. Sunrise Review is submitted, public hearing is held, the Sunrise Review Committee does not recommend state certification at this time. The DOH’s recognition of the national MT-BC professional credential for music therapists as “already standardized, with minimum education requirements set by the AMTA and an examination based on core competencies of music therapy administered by the CBMT” and thus not in need of state regulation confirms the high standards of training and practice for music therapists. The DOH suggests that local, state, or federal agency practices, rules or laws be addressed to increase access to music therapy.
We have come full circle –
From state agencies suggesting state recognition is needed for services to be covered to Washington State’s Department of Health saying music therapists do NOT need state recognition to work in the state of Washington and suggesting that local, state, or federal agency practices, rules or laws be addressed to increase access to music therapy.
2013 – Music Therapists are included in Children’s Intensive In-home Behavior Support (CIIBS) waiver through the Developmental Disabilities Administration. However, this waiver requires a Master’s Degree when MT-BCs are allowed to practice nationally with a bachelor’s degree in music therapy.
2017 – Task Force members have started to visit relevant state agencies to request music therapy language into their Regulations as well as seek suggestions ways to expand more access to music therapy through state programs. The relevant state agencies currently include: Department of Early Learning (DEL), DSHS Aging and Long-Term Support Administration (ALTSA), DSHS Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA), and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
WA Music Therapy Task Force helps Washington State Music Therapists keep in touch regarding government relations and other music therapy matters of interest. Below is the timeline of the state recognition development for music therapy in Washington state since 2006 to recent.
2006 - Washington State Music Therapy Task Force formed to work with AMTA and CBMT on the State Recognition Operational Plan.
September, 2007 - National and local music therapists meet with state agency officials in education and health departments of Early Learning, Mental Health, DDD Waiver, Special Education Operations and Aging and Disability Services. Message from state agencies: Official state recognition would be required for Washington residents to access music therapy services through state agencies.
January, 2008 – Representative Jeannie Darneille (D-27) introduces music therapy licensure bill, requesting a Sunrise Review. Such a request is only considered when made by the chair of the committee so the bill did not proceed.
March – December, 2011 – Music Therapists hold a Hill Day in Olympia, finding several legislators willing to help music therapists work towards state recognition.
Sen. Steve Conway (D-29) (Vice Chair, Health and Long Term Care Committee) convened a meeting with state music therapists, counsel to Health and Long Term Care Committee, and Department of Health official to discuss state recognition and the pathway to it. Sen. Karen Keiser (D-33) (Chair, Health and Longer Term Care Committee) and Rep. Eileen Cody (D-34) (Chair of the Health and Wellness Committee) recommend that music therapists request a bill to establish a music therapy registry. Bill language is drafted and before the legislation opens, bill language is created reflecting a request for certification, not registry. Bill was drafted with counsel for the Health and Long Term Care Committee.
January – December, 2012 – SB 6276 and companion bill HB 2522 are submitted and necessary signatures gathered for support and sponsoring. Public hearing held on SB 6276. Bill does not pass out of committee as it was recognized that the bill should be submitted for a Sunrise Review since it involved health care practitioners.
Sen. Keiser makes request of the Department of Health for a Sunrise Review. Sunrise Review is submitted, public hearing is held, the Sunrise Review Committee does not recommend state certification at this time. The DOH’s recognition of the national MT-BC professional credential for music therapists as “already standardized, with minimum education requirements set by the AMTA and an examination based on core competencies of music therapy administered by the CBMT” and thus not in need of state regulation confirms the high standards of training and practice for music therapists. The DOH suggests that local, state, or federal agency practices, rules or laws be addressed to increase access to music therapy.
We have come full circle –
From state agencies suggesting state recognition is needed for services to be covered to Washington State’s Department of Health saying music therapists do NOT need state recognition to work in the state of Washington and suggesting that local, state, or federal agency practices, rules or laws be addressed to increase access to music therapy.
2013 – Music Therapists are included in Children’s Intensive In-home Behavior Support (CIIBS) waiver through the Developmental Disabilities Administration. However, this waiver requires a Master’s Degree when MT-BCs are allowed to practice nationally with a bachelor’s degree in music therapy.
2017 – Task Force members have started to visit relevant state agencies to request music therapy language into their Regulations as well as seek suggestions ways to expand more access to music therapy through state programs. The relevant state agencies currently include: Department of Early Learning (DEL), DSHS Aging and Long-Term Support Administration (ALTSA), DSHS Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA), and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).