Hello,

I appreciate the consideration this reg gives for us to be able to use volunteer servce hours for continuing education credits. 

I have one suggestion: 

Please inlcude Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) as well as local chapters of National Social Workers Assocaition (NASW) as qualified providesr for continuign education. Much like myself, there are some social workers who hold the credentials of art therapist. Including these organizations as the CEU provider helps off-set the cost to maintain licenses tremendously. 

Thank you,

Miki Goerdt, LCSW, ATR-BC

Please expedite the credential process for Art therapists in Virginia.  Mental Health needs across all demographics in the state of Virginia are very high and Art therapist should be included to the list of clinicians available.   This would improve access to care for many more who need it, and it would open up more appropriate jobs to increase job satisfaction, job retention and reimbursement for Art therapists- issues that are sorely lacking in our State.

My wife is a licensed Art Therapist in Maryland and DC who's excluded from many Art Therapist jobs in Virginia due to the lack of licensure in Virginia. Because of this, she currently works in Maryland as an Art Therapist rather than her home state where she'd prefer to work and help those in need. As a result, the people of Virginia are losing out a wonderfully talented and experienced Art Therapist. Please expedite the credential process for Art Therapists in Virginia.

Virginians should have a range of mental health therapeutic options available so I am in support the passage of the Proposed Art Therapy Regulations. I support ensuring competency and accountability for Art Therapists and that they, as with other licensed mental health professionals, be reimbursed for their services by insurers/third-party payers. I recommend passage of the regulations.

Creative art therapy professionals continue to advocate for regulations to gain recognition and protect the clients we serve. Many people who seek out art therapy have come from circumstances such as trauma, abuse, substance use, and mental health challenges that can make them vulnerable. Lack of licensure regulations allows an untrained person to claim themselves as an art therapist, work with people from the above circumstances, and cause harm due to lack of knowledge. Just like social workers and licensed professional counselors are regulated, it is imperative that art therapists receive the same regulatory protections.

As an art therapist, I have found providing opportunities for creative expression to be incredibly important to reaching clients who do not respond to traditional talk therapy. Passing this bill will be essential to incorporating creative arts into therapy space under the specific standards of Virginia.

Our communities need more access to mental health resources. In view of the mental health crisis in our state, and the lack of adequate resources for Virginians who would benefit from mental health treatment, I am contacting you as an art therapist regarding these proposed art therapy regulations. Establishing licensure for art therapists would protect the public and serve to expand access to vital mental health resources for all Virginians. Empowering the Board of Counseling to issue licenses to Virginian art therapists will serve to provide clarity in the marketplace by instituting title and practice protection around art therapy, protecting the public from bad actors or untrained professionals from other fields who would otherwise market themselves as art therapists while providing dangerously substandard care.

Thank you for your serious consideration of and sincere efforts to pass this bill. I know and can attest to the value and life-changing benefit of Art Therapy on behalf of family members. Please make every effort to provide this additional recognition of and support for this key tool to provide critical life changing healing for so many Virginians in need.

It is important for and beneficial to the state of Virginia to provide licensure for the field of Art Therapy. Other states are already doing this and have been for many years. This is a positive move for the state: licensure allows more protection for both the public and for providers, so there are more regulatory guidelines in place and less 'bad actors' who may be using it unethically, without training, and in a way that might harm others or allow primarily for personal gains. By offering licensure, the state could see growth instead of people moving out out of Virginia for jobs. Art Therapists in Virginia want to be recognized and also want to have the ability to help more people, as licensure will also allow for more individuals to access services through their insurance. Case studies and small experiments have suggested that art therapy can help with many different conditions, including depression, self-esteem, and social behavior. It can also help people express themselves non-verbally, which can be beneficial for people who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally. Thank you for the opportunity to make a public comment and I hope this regulatory action moves forward.

“Purpose: The board has adopted regulations to establish qualifications for education, examination, and experience that will ensure minimal competency for issuance or renewal of licensure as an art therapist to protect the health and safety of clients or patients who receive art therapy services.”

“Issues: The primary advantage to the public is that the proposed amendments ensure competency and accountability”

The Regulations must empower these obligations by authoritatively, consistently administering the Standards of the Art Therapy Profession cited as required for licensure. Overall, the regs seem to set the appropriate standard for Art Therapist licensees, but defeat the purpose of the license through confounded standards that defer to unqualified practitioners, ‘certifying’ agencies, and ‘training’ programs.

1. The Art Therapy Credentials Board Code of Ethics, Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures shall be the standard for the Board to oversee the conduct of licensees because its ATR-P, ATR, and ATR-BC credentials are required for licensure.

The Proposed Regulations improperly accommodate licensees who do not maintain the ATR-BC credential, and, therefore, are not subject to the ATCB Code of Ethics. Furthermore, it is possible that a person could have been credentialed by the ATCB, but deemed ineligible through disciplinary action. And third, the teaching of a graduate course in Art Therapy, or having practiced Art Therapy, should not be qualifying factors for the license.

Section 18VAC115-90-120. Standards of practice parses out certain ethical obligations. It needs to set forth the licensee must not have criminal, no contender pleas, and obligate them to self-report any such violation unless Virginia law enforcement already supplies that information to the Board.

Mandatory reporting of abuse also needs to be incorporated into the Regs, unless elsewhere.

2. These Sections of the Regs are mutually incongruent:
   
   “18VAC115-90-40. Requirements for licensure.

In addition to the prerequisites set forth in 18VAC115-90-30:

1. Each applicant for licensure by examination as an art therapist shall submit to the board evidence of a current ATR-BC certification from the ATCB. (…) and:

c. Either:

(1) Current ATR-BC certification from the ATCB; or

(2) Documentation of passage of the examination of the ATCB and evidence of autonomous, clinical practice in art therapy, as defined in § 54.1-3500 of the Code of Virginia, for 24 of the last 60 months immediately preceding licensure application in Virginia. Clinical practice shall mean the rendering of direct clinical art therapy services, clinical supervision of clinical art therapy services, or teaching graduate-level courses in art therapy.”

3. The “minimum” Art Therapy Master’s degree empowers the ‘Standards of Practice’ among the Professions Licensed by the Board:

The only national standard for the “minimum” training and education “for entry-level practice of Art Therapy” to meet the State’s “Purpose” and “Issues” above requires an accredited Art Therapy, and no other, Master’s degree per the American Art Therapy Association.

 The Regs must consistently reflect this “minimum” training to support practitioners’ adherence to their separate Codes of Ethics which require: “a person shall only practice according to qualified training and qualified experience,” being the Art Therapy Master’s degree, or post-graduate equivalent Art Therapy degree unmentioned in the Regs.

Section 18VAC115-90-120. Standards of practice may ensure consumer protection by driving non-Art Therapists to the minimum education to practice Art Therapy, and their Codes of Ethics, specifically:

“A. The protection of the public health, safety, and welfare and the best interest of the public shall be the primary guides in determining the appropriate professional conduct of all persons whose activities are regulated by the board and

B. Each person licensed by the board shall:

2. Practice only within the boundaries of the licensee's competence, based on education, training, supervised experience, and appropriate professional experience, and represent education, training, and experience accurately to clients;

13. Advertise professional services fairly and accurately in a manner that is not false, misleading, or deceptive. Such as holding the “minimum” credential to practice Art Therapy.

Commentary: The Regs may follow suit of nearby states to incorporate the standards of the respective mental health licensees by stating “Art teaching is not Art Therapy;” “an individual may not practice, attempt to practice, or offer to practice Art Therapy unless licensed as an Art Therapist by the Board” to empower this section that already conveys “License required,” but which could be authoritatively stated “no person shall convey or tend to convey the person is trained or otherwise qualified to deliver Art Therapy services unless licensed by the Board and holding an Art Therapy Master’s degree.” This protects the public, comporting with the states and Virginia’s “Purpose” and “Issues” set forth above.

4. The Proposed Regs presuppose a standard no where in Art Therapists’ training or other states’ licensure -- that Art in Therapy “is a modality.”

The separate licensure of Art Therapists in Virginia settles, as legally unsupportable, that Art in Therapy is a “modality.”  The Definition of “Art Therapy” in Section 5.4.1-3500 Code of Virginia incorporated into the Regs makes anything Art+health, mental health, psychotherapy “Art Therapy” – now separately regulated by the Board as “Art Therapy”:

"Art therapy" means the integrated use of psychotherapeutic principles, visual art media, and the creative process in the assessment, treatment, and remediation of psychosocial, emotional, cognitive, physical, and developmental disorders in children, adolescents, adults, families, or groups.

Therefore, the findings of the 2018 Report that are feathered throughout the Regs were unsupportable then, and are unsupportable now based on every standard in America for the Art Therapy profession and the practice of Art Therapy. The Regs must align the licensure law with the national standards (it also sets forth) to correct the disinformation that preceded the enactment of the license:

“Background. In 2018, the Board of Health Professions assembled a regulatory research committee that conducted a study titled "Study into the Need to Regulate Art Therapists in the Commonwealth of Virginia" on behalf of the Virginia Art Therapy Association.³ The major findings of the study are:

1. Art therapy is an integrative mental health and human services profession. Art therapists are educated in psychotherapeutic principles as specifically trained in the use of art media to provide counseling to individuals, families and groups.

2. Art therapy is categorically different than "art in therapy." Art in therapy is a therapeutic modality leveraging the creative process as a growth-producing experience.”

Comporting with the separate licensure of Counselors and Art Therapists in Virginia, in 2009, the American Counseling Association and the American Art Therapy Association established a national standard that Art Therapy “is a separate and distinct” profession from Counseling.

The Regs need to reflect this and certainly not make way for modality-practice of a separately-regulated, advance-practice healthcare profession (US Department of Labor Standard Occupational Classification O*NET: “Art Therapist,” “Healthcare Occupation,” “extensive preparation necessary.” Once a mental health profession attains licensure, it is no longer a free-for-all icebreaker “modality.” Art-in-Therapy, by every standard, is “Art Therapy.” Those presenting otherwise are attempting unqualified practice, or unethically supporting it. Modality practice defeats consumer protection obligations and oppresses the Art Therapist workforce.

To further support the license as separate, the Definitions in Virginia Code Section 5.4.1-3500 separately define the other disciplines licensed by the Board: “Practice of counseling,” “Practice of marriage and family therapy,” and “practice of substance abuse treatment.”

The separate practice of “Art Therapy” is empowered by the separate accredited Art Therapy Master’s degree, also required for licensure. The Regs need to authoritatively communicate the actual qualifying standards of the Art Therapy profession (simply: Art Therapy Master’s degree plus ATCB credential).

5. The ATCB standards of the profession also need to be implemented in the approved supervisor section, set forth as a supervisor holding the ATR-BC or ATCS credential.

This recognizes that non-credential holders cannot comply with their Codes of Ethics to provide clinical supervision unless they have the “minimum” training and demonstrated competency attained in a Master’s program in Art Therapy (AATA). These are 2 national standards the Regs must adopt.

6. The continuing competency standards propose unrelated or substandard ‘training’ and ‘certification’ for the “Art Therapy” profession.

As a consumer protection obligation, the Regs must reconcile that Art Therapists, and the profession overall, are facing unprecedented, unqualified, competing, and diminishing ‘training,’ ‘certification,’ and ‘ethics’ that controvert the national standards adopted in the license. This confuses the public, who are led to believe a workshop “certificate” equates with the 8-year-earned ATR-BC credential required for licensure. Where, throughout America, “Art Therapy” is the name of the regulated profession and occupation, as in Virginia Code corresponding to the Regs, it would be helpful if the CEUs were ones related to the license – that are offered by accepted national certifying entities with legal presence in Virginia.

For example, the IEAT is not a domestic entity and is widely involved with issuing ‘certificates’ in Art Therapy that confuse the public. Those holding the REAT credential must take 1 hour per certification cycle to maintain that credential. Thus, relying on the IEAT for Art Therapists’ continuing education is not a substantially similar standard. Other proposed CUE purveyors seem unrelated to the profession and the license. It would seem more appropriate if the CEU standards of the ATCB were simply adopted, to assure apples-to-apples, particularly, since the licensee would be sing the approved continuing training to maintain the ATCB credential.

The sections of the regs that seem to defeat the “Purpose” and “Issues” of the Regs as set forth above are:

“18VAC115-90-90. Continuing competency activity criteria.

A. Hours of continuing competency activity for an art therapist shall be approved if the hours meet the continued education requirements for recertification as an ATR-BC.

B. Additionally, continuing competency activity for an art therapist shall be approved if the activities are workshops, seminars, conferences, or courses in the behavioral health field offered by an individual or organization that has been certified or approved by one of the following:

6. The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification;

10. A national behavioral health organization or certification body;

15. The International Expressive Arts Therapy Association

Related Commentary for CEUs: 18VAC115-90-120. Standards of practice.

“12. Use only in connection with the licensee's practice as a mental health professional those educational and professional degrees or titles that (i) have been earned at a college or university accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, (ii) are credentials granted by a national certifying agency, and (iii) are art therapy in nature”

As a consumer protection and advertising issue, non-Art Therapists can earn the non-domestic REAT (Registered Expressive Arts Therapist) ‘credential’ in as few as 15 hours, I believe. The Regs should omit Section 12 above to protect licensees and clearly communicate the only domestic standard, adopted via the “Art Therapist” license, being the LPAT and LAAT credentials.

Overall, it is disappointing to see the Proposed Regs accommodate persons who do not meet the “minimum” training or the ATCB credentials to qualify for the credentials. I look forward to the simple revisions to implement the actual standards of the Art Therapy profession, without functional or administrative revision. Thank you for your work.

Jennifer August, LPAT (Delaware), LCPAT (Maryland), ATR-BC          Dated: 1/24/25

Mental health is a huge part of the public health of Virginia and the improvement of positive mental health deserves to be approached with the appropriate experience and training which has been acquired by licensed Art Therapists. It is vital that the state of Virginia approves and moves forward with providing licensure for the field of Art Therapy. Licensure would provide more protection for the public since the treatment provided would follow guidelines for effective and positive help in treatment. Licensure requirements would hopefully weed out potential practitioners who really have not undertaken the necessary training to work with the public for mental health improvement. Licensure would also allow more individuals to access mental health services through their insurance. This bill addressing Art Therapy Licensure in Virginia would be a move toward improvement in mental health services for the people in this state.

I am immensely grateful that the board is taking a serious look into the benefits of Art Therapy for licensing to protect all future clients from harm that could unintentionally occur from those trying to utilize art therapy methods without proper training. Art therapy is such a wonderful process that allows the subconscious to unleash memories and emotions that may have been buried deep within the individual in order to process and express emotions in times that verbal communication may be difficult, and all by using line/color/shape. 

I can attest to the value of art therapy through the success of my clients. There are a number of studies available that also show how art therapy can help identify, process, and help in the healing process to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, postpartum troubles and more including exploring ones spirituality and views of self. There are also studies that show how art therapy can aid in couples and family work to help bring these groups into a more cohesive bond by helping explore attachments, decision making skills, social cues, mindfulness, gratitude and more. 

I sincerely hope this regulatory process moves forward into completion and gets the recognition that it so deserves. 

As an RN, A health and wellness coach and a pottery teacher, I see the value in the healing power of art. It has the ability to reorient ourselves as in the Wounded Warrior Project, to help us connect to ourselves and others, as I have seen in children's pottery classes and to build confidence in self-esteem as we explore our creative abilities.

Thank you for making this healing modality a priority in a complex and challenging world. 

Art Therapy is a powerful integration of using counseling skills and the art making process to assist in building insights and healing in our clients and communities. Art is the communication avenue for the world to connect when words just aren't enough. Art Therapy Licensure will allow not only more healing our communities but more growth as a field - more evidence based research opportunities, more awareness, and more support. 

All forms of art and their ability to help us all heal from trauma or vicarious trauma is such a powerful media that should continue to be supported. 

Juli 

The importance of art therapy is both seen and felt, in the hands of the creators, the arms of the clinicians, and the lives of the community. Neurologically, our trauma is stored in feeling states connected to our senses. Our tougher and best memories have color, texture, shape, and smell. Our ability to verbally process these moments can be stifled by our trauma, nervous system, and access to safe spaces. Having a clinician facilitate a space to do this, share this, and hold this safely  is crucial to the lives of those who are differently abled, neurologically challenged, and those just seeking another way to heal!

When I made the journey to come to this art show, I thought about what I might see and how I would be respectful and try my hardest to understand every piece that I see.  When walking around the Art Show and looking at every piece I tried my best to understand any meaning that may be associated with art.  And I can confidently say that Art Therapy is very important and can really help people that may have a hard time expressing themselves.  I truly do believe that what these Art Therapists do and what they work so hard to accomplish, is very important not only to the teachers but also their clients / patients.  Please keep continuing to make the community a better place and continue to support and help those that need you helping hand, 

I am very glad that i came to the newport art show i saw many great art pieces today and i saw my sisters beautiful and I completely support art theirapy and the importance of it.

If it doesn’t include family and/or guardians then forget it. 

I support regulating the practice of art therapy. Our communities continue to be in great need of access to mental health care and it feels imperative to remove as many barriers as possible.  Without a path to licensure in the state of Virginia, art therapists have been forced to double up on their education and training to obtain additional licenses, move to a state with an active license for art therapists, and/or work in positions that do not always allow them to use their full set of skills when supporting clients.  In addition, this regulatory process would also protect the public from those who are advertising themselves as art therapists without adequate training.  It is my hope that this process is completed soon so that we can be a part of the solution to the mental health crisis we face.

Supporting art therapy is a vital way to support mental health efforts in communities across the nation! Please support art therapists and the crucial work they are doing to provide essential mental health interventions! 

By allocating funds and recognizing art therapists as licensed professionals, we will advance the services catered to helping community members heal. I hope that you all take the time and effort to recognize these integral professionals, who dedicated their time, education, and money to heal our society.

Champion art therapists and their essential work in providing creative, healing interventions for those in need. Supporting art therapy is a powerful way to promote mental health in communities nationwide! 

Supporting art therapy is so important! Please make this happen! 

Art therapy has been very helpful for me and I truly feel that the therapists should be allowed to be licensed.

I support the proposed art therapy regulations and am in favor of art therapy licensure in Virginia. Art therapists are trained mental health professionals who have a master's degree and have received didactic and internship training comparable to other regulated mental health professions like counseling and social work. Art therapists in Virginia should also be entitled to get title protection and get mandatory third-party reimbursement, just like counselors and social workers. Unregulated mental health professions increase the risk of harming the public and malpractice. 

I fully support aligning Art Therapy regulations and licensing with other counseling practices, particularly patient safety protections. This should improve both the profession and practitioners.

Art therapy has been a lifesaver for families like ours with children.  These practitioners have incredible tools that enable children to build trust and learn a language to express their feelings, communicate them with others, and even advocate for themselves.  It's not hyperbole to say art therapy saves lives.

Art therapy is a powerful mental health tool that fosters healing and self-expression, particularly for individuals who struggle to articulate their feelings through traditional methods. 

I believe mental health is an ever-present problem that seldom gets the proper attention it deserves as an issue for both public commons and individuals.  I believe the established licensure of art therapists will assist in ameliorating mental health issues.

In view of the mental health crisis in our state, and the lack of adequate resources for Virginians who would benefit from mental health treatment, I am contacting you as a health professional regarding Regulations Governing the Practice of Art Therapy. This established licensure for art therapists would protect the public and serve to expand access to vital mental health resources for all Virginians. Empowering the Board of Counseling to issue licenses to Virginian art therapists will serve to provide clarity in the marketplace by instituting title and practice protection around art therapy, protecting the public from bad actors or untrained professionals from other fields who would otherwise market themselves as art therapists while providing dangerously substandard care.

As an RN, I see the need we have for this specialized form a care. Art Therapists are uniquely positioned to provide care in a way that patients need but often do not know about or have access to. Formalizing their licensure would benefit all parties involved.

In view of the mental health crisis in our state, and the lack of adequate resources for Virginians who would benefit from mental health treatment, I am contacting you as a (professional educator) regarding Regulations Governing the Practice of Art Therapy. This established licensure for art therapists would protect the public and serve to expand access to vital mental health resources for all Virginians. Empowering the Board of Counseling to issue licenses to Virginian art therapists will serve to provide clarity in the marketplace by instituting title and practice protection around art therapy, protecting the public from bad actors or untrained professionals from other fields who would otherwise market themselves as art therapists while providing dangerously substandard care.

I agree with the intent here and second the comment that it would be simpler as Jennifer August stated, if the CEU standards of the ATCB were simply adopted, to assure apples-to-apples, particularly, since the licensee would be obtaining the approved continuing training to maintain the ATCB credential anyway.

As a recent resident of the Commonwealth and an individual who practiced art therapy in a state that now has licensure, I am in support of this bill. Licensure will protect the public from receiving services from untrained art therapists. In addition, licensure has the potential to bring more art therapists, needed mental health professionals, to the Commonwealth to serve Virginians.

I have been a registered art therapist for 23 years and it has been a fight to educate others about ethical practices in our field. I am also a licensed professional therapist because art therapy is not billable currently. Just because a therapist uses art in session does not make it “art therapy” and it can be a strong misrepresentation of the thorough training an art therapist has. By introducing an art therapy licensure, we can minimize harm to clients and ensure that those seeking art therapy services will be met with experienced and adequately trained clinicians. Licensure will also promote third party reimbursement and allow access to additional populations that may not be able to afford out of pocket costs for treatment.

I have been practicing art therapy since 2018. I know the power that it can bring to a session and the benefit it has for clients and patients. Having a license that regulates this profession will allow for better patient care and greater support for those individuals practicing. The regulations and requirements should be in line with the ATCB and other states who have already implemented such licenses in order to keep consistency across the profession. Art therapy is a lifesaving profession that will benefit from regulation in our to protect patients and better equip professionals. 

I have been practicing art therapy post-graduate since 2016 and believe very strongly in this modality as an intervention for mental health difficulties from all walks of life. By allowing for art therapy licensure in Virginia, we can more effectively provide this service to those who can benefit in a safe and effective form. I appreciate your time and attention in this matter!

Melissa Sykes, LPC, ATR, CSAC

Art therapy provides a powerful way for people to express themselves, heal, and improve their well-being. Establishing a distinct art therapy licensure in Virginia will help ensure more people have access to this valuable service and allow art therapists to practice under ethical and safe guidelines.

We need more access to mental health resources. Establishing licensure for art therapists will serve to protect the public and expand access to vital mental health resources. I am writing as a beneficiary of art therapy who's life has been vitally improved by this field. I support the move to empower the Board of Counseling to issue licenses to Virginian art therapists. 

Art Therapy can be a stepping stone to those who are new to therapeutic techniques and can be brought with them anywhere to help soothe in daily stresses and anxieties. It is crucial.

I am currently getting my masters in counseling and art therapy. I want to be able to get my license in Virginia and have no barriers so I can help as many people as I can. Support art therapy it is crucial to the mental health field!!

These regulations look very solid and I support them. If there was any changes to be made, I would say to let continuing education credits and renewal be due once every five years rather than annually. That is 100 CEU’s once every five years rather than 20 per year. This would reduce the amount of review the advisory board would have to do and it would sync up with renewal for the ATR-BC. I do feel like there was a reason why this was not implemented, but I don’t recall what it was.

As someone who previously studied music therapy as their intended career choice, I know how important art therapy is at providing people with disabilities (whether mental, emotional, or physical) a chance at feeling understood and supported when traditional medicine has not worked. Successful therapy is good therapy, and that should fundamentally include music therapy, art therapy, nontraditional but proven methods! There’s synapses in the brain that connect when creating. Synapses that don’t happen in public school classrooms while learning about the periodic table. Synapses that don’t connect while eating with your family at the dining room table. Synapses that don’t connect while struggling to communicate with your loved ones. This brain matter growth can often be a key milestone for our community members that has been failed by pills and talk therapy alone. In a world where healthcare is getting more expensive, allowing art therapy licensure in Virginia not only creates another option, but also connects patients with disabilities to the world around them through professionally guided creative expression. This in turn will positively affect the community I live in and in the community I want to raise my future children in. As a Norfolk Resident, I am in full support of pushing forward with art therapy licensure in Virginia! 

As a Board Certified Art Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Membership Director for the Virginia Art Therapy Association - I support the approval of the proposed regulations for state-wide licensure. This will provide more credibility to the value of the profession; increase ethical practices/use of Art Therapy throughout the state; and is a step in the right direction for expanding accessibility for the community/general public to receive Art Therapy services. 

As a Board Certified Art Therapist - I support the approval of the proposed regulations for state-wide licensure. This will provide more credibility to the value of the profession; increase ethical practices of Art Therapy throughout the state; and is a step in the right direction for expanding accessibility for the community/general public to receive Art Therapy services. I have left the state of VA now, and see art therapy licensure as an important step in growing the number of art therapists in Virginia.

In view of the mental health crisis in our state, and the lack of adequate resources for Virginians who would benefit from mental health treatment, I am contacting you as a parent and concerned citizen regarding Regulations Governing the Practice of Art Therapy. This established licensure for art therapists would protect the public and serve to expand access to vital mental health resources for all Virginians. Empowering the Board of Counseling to issue licenses to Virginian art therapists will serve to provide clarity in the marketplace by instituting title and practice protection around art therapy, protecting the public from bad actors or untrained professionals from other fields who would otherwise market themselves as art therapists while providing dangerously substandard care

Residents of Virginia will benefit from licensure for art therapists by expanding access to the increasing need for mental health care and offer citizens protection by regulating service delivery. Art therapists provide mental health services for people of all ages; treating a continuum of concerns through primarily non-verbal and creative methods. As a provider, I have found art therapy to be particularly effective with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), adolescents experiencing anxiety and depression, and military service personnel and their families experiencing myriad challenges. Please allow this regulatory action to advance.

I support art therapy licensure in Virginia

I support art therapy licensure in Virginia.