With COVID-19 leaving a painful contrail of people in desperate need of mental health services we absolutely need licensed art therapist in Virginia.

Very large number of people cannot get access to a mental health services even if they have health insurance. The wait time just to get an appointment is 45 days or longer. And paying out of pocket is difficult. This licensure can open up services to help meet the demand so that health plans can cover these services.

Licensure will improve access to mental health services, help VA to retain masters level mental health clinicians, and potentially bring more Art Therapists to the state.

Most importantly it will open up a supply of therapeutic services to help meet the demand from the Virginians.

Is critical for Virginians to have access to licensed art therapy services.