The licensure of Art Therapists in Virginia increase accessibility of mental health services to the residents of Virginia, providing much needed services to our veterans, children, and especially in these times, those impacted by COVID-19; offering support, recovery, and healing. This new license will increase the retention of Master's level, credentialed mental health clinicians in Virginia (there are currently 2 Master's Programs for Art Therapists in VA), as well as create jobs in mental health care, drawing in skilled professionals from across the United States. 

As an art therapy master’s degree candidate, I can speak on a few different benefits! Many of my classmates as well as myself would love to stay and practice art therapy in Virginia. That being said, the licensure protection would really help us. I know that is why many of our connections are in Maryland, because they have the LGPAT and the LCAT. The passage of this would help state retention rate for new professionals.

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. 

The addition of individualized licensure for Art Therapy would be highly beneficial to Virginia as it will increase effective and ethical use of the practices of art therapy in our state and encourage art therapists from other locations to consider relocating to Virginia. It will also allow many of our pediatric, medical, and psychiatric hospitals to provide expressive mental health services that currently have limited or minimal access.

I support this process, as an art therapist in Virginia working with active duty and veteran service members who experience traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress. Art therapy licensing is need to protect those in need of this specialized profession from non-qualified inept practitioners. Art therapy is licensed in Maryland, DC and many other states, Virgina should be competitive to attract jobs and residents.

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. 

I support this legislation, which will improve access to high-quality mental health services as well as retaining highly-qualified art therapists who practice in Virginia. 

I support 

As a grad student in art therapy, I can see how appealing and validating it is to live in one of the few states that have/will have a separate Art Therapy license for mental health workers.  This license will allow future art therapists like me to focus on what we've been trained for and what we're most passionate about--being art therapists and not general counselors.  With EVMS here and George Washington University nearby, Virginia is already a national hub for art therapy; it seems right to confirm and nurture this reputation by having our own licensure.   

Art therapy licensure is vital in ensuring masters level art therapists to provide services to the public who are in need of this valuable service. 

As a Clinical Art Therapist from VA, who went to NY to get Art Therapy schooling and Licensure, I would love to see VA be a hub of art therapy awareness and support. Providing licensure to upcoming master's level graduates to come to/stay in VA is vital to growing the occupation and industry. I support reciprocal licensure for Art Therapists from other states as well. Seeing trauma as having mental and emotional symptoms versus only physical symptoms will improve VA's standards of practice and care in the state to a great degree! 

Support!

Enacting a licensure process for Art Therapists in the state of Virginia is crucial toward furthering the validity of the art therapy and counseling profession and increasing access for creative therapeutic means to VA residents. I support this!

I support this! Art therapy is an important part of mental health for many people, and this would be a great step towards ensuring that the future of art therapy is bright.

I support this!!

I support this licensing program to be in the Commonwealth of Virginia! 

I support this!

I support this! 

I support this!

I fully support Art Therapy licensure.

An Art Therapist should be able to be licensed and viewed just as valuable as all other licensed clinicians, because we are. I support this! 

As a Registered Art Therapist I am 100% behind this!

I fully support this as a clinician, business owner, colleague and citizen!

An art therapy license is vital for our field and our clients. In order to provide accessible mental health resources in the form of art therapy, we must obtain licensure to allow for insurance reimbursement. This is so important in order to ensure that those who need services will receive them and also, be able to afford them. In order to expand our growing population of art therapists, licensure is necessary. With the Covid-19 pandemic and increased need for mental health resources,, this is of the utmost importance. 

Many specialties in medicine and its allied fields such as dentistry,  psychology , etc, have both board certification as well as state licensing .... Art therapy has been around for 40 years with a Board and journals ... A state license does yet exist ... This needs to be corrected .... It will also bring in state revenues when a fee is charged for a yearly or bi-yearly license .....

thank you for your consideration,

Samuel Willinger, MD 

434-444-1732

Art Therapists need to be recognized as important professionals contributing to the mental health of our citizens. Please create and require a license for these dedicated therapists.

As a registered and board certified art therapist  working with active duty military, I support the art therapy licensure. Licensing Art Therapists will create more access to mental health treatment, which is very much needed, and also make Virginia more attractive to practitioners to live and work in. It is also important to guarantee that those practicing art therapy are qualified in order to prevent harm to the public. In enacting the art therapy licensure Virginia will be in par with other states, such as MD, NY, and CT.

I support this

Art Therapy licensure will protect the public and increase access to non-verbal psychotherapy treatments, especially for trauma informed care. Art Therapy facilitates the creative process through healing and accessing the non-verbal brain, crucial in the treatment of our national epidemic of child abuse- neglect, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse, and treatment of trauma for our military service members and veterans. The brain shuts down verbal processing when traumas occur and art therapy assists to access the whole brain to create healing.

Support for art therapy licensure to increase access to mental health.

The state of Virginia must complete the process of creating art therapy license protection. There has been an increasing need for alternative therapies to help clients work towards productive and manageable lives. I work with people with serious mental illness within the local government community service board; art therapy has provided a unique lens to help clients manage their symptoms and gain insight into improving lives using evidence-based practices. 

I support licensure because it will improve access to mental health services.

I strongly support art therapy licensure because it will dramatically improve access to mental health services. Mental health is too often overlooked as a critical part of care for the whole person. Art therapy is a proven technique and deserves proper licensure.

I support art therapy licensure because it will improve access to mental health services.

Support 

I support Art Therapy Licensure because it will improve access to Mental Health Services.  

Licensure will improve access to mental health services in the state of Virginia. 

I support art therapy licensure as it will improve access to mental health services. 

I support Art therapy licensure 

I support this.

I support art therapy licensure because it will improve access to mental health services!

To whom it may concern: 

As an art therapist I receive countless refers I am unable to take on as I very rarely have space in my case load. Our state would greatly benefit from more art therapist who are able to have licensure solely as an art therapist. Additionally, art therapy is a specialty that requires specific training. By creating a specific licensure process we are able to ensure that those who practice art therapy have the appropriate training.

Furthermore, art therapy provides unique oppertunities to clients heal. Providing more knowledge about art therapy could be a key to helping our states men and women heal. 

As a Virginia resident and Art Therapy student, passing licensure for Art Therapists in Virginia would be extremely beneficial. Once I have completed my schooling, I intend to remain in Virginia and study for my license. Having such license will enable the opportunity to apply for multiple jobs within the state and if needed, nationwide, an option unavailable if licensure is not passed. The practice of Art Therapy is quickly growing and is known to be beneficial for individuals seeking treatment. Passing licensure in Virginia will provide more opportunities for clinical work, more outreach on the benefits of Art Therapy, and will improve the standards of Art Therapists. Thank you.

I support art therapy licensure because it will improve access to mental health services

This will improve and help with virginia providing a higher quality of mental health services across the state! I fully support this and feel that it is an important part for all therapists. 

I am a practicing Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia. Art Therapists are often envied by LPCs and LCSWs alike because of our additional skill sets, learned from our personal experiences as Artists and our graduate level training in the application of art and creative interventions for meeting client needs. Art Therapists deserve respect and to be solidified as "eligible" practitioners without jumping through additional hoops to obtain LPC status. Some Art Therapists may choose to still pursue additional state licensure, but providers should be eligible to practice as an Art Therapist without this requirement as the education and training of an Art Therapy program and supervision, approved by the ATCB, is more than adequate to provide high quality mental health care. There is currently a high level of need and demand for Art Therapists eligible for taking insurance. It is necessary that this be addressed to ensure that families who cannot afford self-pay are also able to obtain services that meet their needs. Many mental health providers find that clients who they see require Art Therapy and attempt to practice outside of their scope because of lack of eligible Art Therapists in their localities. This puts clients at risk of harm. Allowing Art Therapists to practice fully with Art therapy license without LPC status would allow for more clients to receive the service most appropriate to their needs. I urge you to support Art Therapy licensure for the state of Virginia to ensure equitable access to all. 

I strongly support the initiative to provide clear and professional licensing requirements for art therapists. Engaging in creative and artistic therapeutic practices has been essential to the trauma recovery of people I care about. This practice of care should be fully accessible to as many people as possible to ensure the quality of care on mental health issues.