ASSEMBLY REGULATED PROFESSIONS COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 2183
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: JANUARY 29, 2018
The Assembly Regulated Professions Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. A2183.
This bill provides for the licensure of music therapists and establishes a Music Therapy Advisory Committee under the State Board of Medical Examiners in the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety. The advisory committee is to consist of five members who are residents of the State as follows: three members who have been actively engaged in the practice of music therapy in the State for at least five years immediately preceding their appointment; one member who is a licensed health care or mental health care practitioner; and one member who is a public member.
To be eligible for licensure as a professional music therapist, an applicant must be at least 18 years of age and be of good moral character. In addition, the applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree, or higher degree, in music therapy, or its equivalent from a program approved by the American Music Therapy Association, or any successor organization, within an accredited educational institution that is approved by the Music Therapy Advisory Committee. The applicant shall also have completed: a minimum of 1,200 hours of clinical training, with not less than 180 hours of pre-internship experience and not less than 900 hours of internship experience, as determined by the advisory committee, provided that the internship is approved by an accredited educational institution approved by the committee, or by the American Music Therapy Association, or any successor organization, or both.
Additionally, each applicant is required to provide proof of passing the examination for board certification offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists, or any successor organization, or that the applicant is a board certified music therapist.
“Music therapy” is defined in the bill as the clinical and evidence based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship through an individualized music therapy treatment plan for the client that identifies the goals, objectives, and potential strategies of the music therapy services appropriate for the client using music therapy interventions, which may include music improvisation, receptive music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, learning through music, and movement to music. The practice of music therapy does not include the diagnosis of any physical, mental, or communication disorder. The bill also stipulates that, prior to providing music therapy services to a client referred from a medical, developmental, mental health or education professional, a licensed professional music therapist must collaborate with the client’s licensed clinical social worker, if applicable, in addition to the client’s physician, psychologist, or other mental health professional, if applicable. Before and during the provision of music therapy services to a client for a speech, language, voice, fluency, cognitive-linguistic, or swallowing disorder, the licensed professional music therapist must also collaborate, as applicable, with the client’s speech-language pathologist or audiologist.
The bill provides that no person is permitted to engage in the practice of music therapy unless licensed as a professional music therapist. Additionally, the bill provides that no person is permitted to use the title “licensed professional music therapist” or the abbreviation “LPMT” or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviations or insignia indicating the practice of music therapy unless licensed pursuant to the provisions of this bill.
For a period of 360 days after the date procedures are established by the State Board of Medical Examiners for applying for licensure as a music therapist, any person may qualify as a licensed music therapist, upon application for licensure and payment of the appropriate fee, provided the applicant furnishes satisfactory evidence to the State Board of Medical Examiners that the applicant is either: a board certified music therapist; or designated as a registered music therapist, certified music therapist, or advanced certified music therapist, and in good standing, with the National Music Therapy Registry. As defined in the bill, “board certified music therapist” means an individual who has completed the education and clinical training requirements established by the American Music Therapy Association, has passed the Certification Board for Music Therapists certification examination or transitioned into board certification, and remains actively certified by the Certification Board for Music Therapists.
Under the bill, professional music therapist licenses are issued for a two-year period upon the payment of the prescribed licensure fee. As a condition for license renewal, an applicant must submit proof of having maintained status as a board certified music therapist and having completed continuing education requirements, as stipulated in the bill. For license renewal, an applicant must complete at least 40 continuing education credit hours in a program approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists, or any successor organization, over the prior two-year period.