Moving Forward:  Illinois Legislature Considers Music Therapy Licensure Bill

A Music Therapy Licensure Bill, which was put together as a result of the State Recognition Task Force, has been approved by both CBMT and AMTA and has just been sent to Springfield.  It will be put forth in both the Illinois State House and Senate in the coming days.  It is our hope that the bill will be voted on during this congressional session, which is completed in May.

We realize that there are likely to be many questions about the bill and it's implications for each of us.  Here are some facts about what is included in the bill:

• This bill is intended to promote the acceptance of Music Therapy in the state of Illinois with employers, clients, professional colleagues, third party reimbursement sources, and other advocacy/professional groups.
• This bill defines Music Therapy
• This bill outlines the specific requirements to practice Music Therapy in the state of Illinois (i.e., graduation from an approved program, successful completion of internship, and passage of certification exam)
• This bill outlines specific financial and criminal repercussions for those who misrepresent themselves as a music therapist without a current license
• This bill outlines the involvement of the Certification Board for Music Therapists regarding testing and monitoring of continuing education
• This bill has a provision for those who are already Board Certified to be grandfathered in to the license program
• This bill has a window available for those practicing with an RMT credential to take and pass the board certification exam similar to the CBMT provision
• Once passed, the state will determine the additional licensing credential and fees to register and maintain licensure

In an effort to gather support for the Music Therapy Licensure bill and to raise overall awareness about the field of Music Therapy, IAMT will be sponsoring it's 2009 Spring Meeting in Springfield on Tuesday, March 31st.  This day will be a Lobby Day, in which participants will have the opportunity to benefit from advocacy training as well have the chance to talk directly with their State Senators and Representatives in order to gather their support for the bill and the profession of Music Therapy.  It is crucial that we put our best foot forward and have wide participation from our membership in order to show that we are a viable and important discipline that deserves to have state recognition in the form of licensure.  Please note that this day will offer 6 CMTE credits to participants.

Please feel free to direct any questions regarding this topic back to i This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and we will do our best to answer your questions and concerns. Stay tuned for further information regarding the details of this day. We will be sharing information about the bill and Lobby Day via phone, mail, email, in upcoming newsletters and on both the IAMT website and facebook page. Please visit the Education/Training Page of this sight for details on the Lobby Day. We look forward to your involvement in this exciting process and the opportunity to shape the future of Music Therapy in Illinois.