What is Music Therapy Advocacy?
Simply put, advocates are people in the community who make their voices heard. As an advocate for music therapy, you are educating your legislators, state administration department heads, state regulatory agencies, and other key decision makers about music therapy and how it benefits the citizens they serve.
Advocacy, as specifically related to our certificants, involves education and information sharing about the profession that includes, but is not limited to, scope of practice for the profession, where music therapists work, and what the benefits are to clients and their families. Professional advocacy also includes protecting the right of MT-BCs to practice by monitoring the regulations and related legislation of other related professions to ensure that policy and language changes do not infringe on the music therapists right to practice.
There are many reasons to be an advocate for music therapy:
It takes time and perseverance to become a successful advocate. Advocacy requires a series of contacts to develop a relationship of respect. These contacts can include email, phone, face-to-face, or online communications designed to educate, explain, propose solutions, or ask for an action.
Source: Certification Board for Music Therapist (CBMT)
Simply put, advocates are people in the community who make their voices heard. As an advocate for music therapy, you are educating your legislators, state administration department heads, state regulatory agencies, and other key decision makers about music therapy and how it benefits the citizens they serve.
Advocacy, as specifically related to our certificants, involves education and information sharing about the profession that includes, but is not limited to, scope of practice for the profession, where music therapists work, and what the benefits are to clients and their families. Professional advocacy also includes protecting the right of MT-BCs to practice by monitoring the regulations and related legislation of other related professions to ensure that policy and language changes do not infringe on the music therapists right to practice.
There are many reasons to be an advocate for music therapy:
- To increase access to services for clients
- To increase access to funding sources for services
- To make the music therapy profession and it’s members known and available as resources on related issues
- For increased respect and recognition
- To educate legislators about music therapy and issues affecting clients and practices
- For increased employment opportunities and enhanced benefits
- To have legislators and staff associate music therapy with other healthcare and education consumer groups
It takes time and perseverance to become a successful advocate. Advocacy requires a series of contacts to develop a relationship of respect. These contacts can include email, phone, face-to-face, or online communications designed to educate, explain, propose solutions, or ask for an action.
Source: Certification Board for Music Therapist (CBMT)