Winter 2009 issue
NEW JERSEY TASK FORCE ON OCCUPATIONAL REGULATION
Kathy Murphy, PhD, MT-BC, FAMI, LPC, LCAT
The NJSTF continues its advocacy efforts in New Jersey. We would like to thank AMTA, CBMT and MAR for their generous support in the renewal of Patrick Stewart’s contract for 2009. Patrick continues to monitor several bills that are important for our clients, as well as sets up meetings with key legislators and administrators so that we can meet our goal of attaining official state recognition of music therapy here in the Garden State.
MUSIC THERAPY DAY
Music Therapy Day was held on December 15th at the State House in Trenton. Thanks to all who made the day such a huge success. Senator Richard J. Codey personally thanked the NJ music therapists for their service and presented the joint Senate/Assembly Resolution naming December 15, 2008 Music Therapy Day. This year we had a record number of legislators attend (16) and discuss music therapy. Follow-up meetings are being scheduled with those legislators in attendance to provide further information. NJAMT also awarded the Aaron Copeland Partnership Award to Robyn Wramage-Caporoso, OTL/R, NCC, Director of Psychiatric Services at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital.
UPDATE ON STATE RECOGNITION
We are continuing to make steady progress in our efforts to gain official state recognition of music therapy. Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz-Perez offered to facilitate a meeting with us and the new director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. Assemblyman Vincent Prieto is also working on helping us in our recognition efforts. At this time, an official decision as to what type of recognition would best protect the public from unqualified music therapy practitioners has not been made. The advice we have received from the Governor’s office and several departments is that we need to be licensed in order to be qualified to work in the schools, early intervention settings and programs within the Division of Child and Behavioral Health Services. The task force will seek input from music therapists in living and working in NJ before any official action will be taken.
DIVISION OF CHILD BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES (DCBHS)
This past spring, the Division of Child Behavioral Health Services proposed rules that would require music therapists to hold a license issued by the Board of Marriage and Family Therapists in order to provide services to children, youth and young adults who receive in-community mental health rehabilitative services. No announcement has been made about any further action taken by the Division. Once the new rules have been released and we are able to review the changes, we will meet with officials from DCBHS to discuss how children and youth enrolled in the intensive community services program can best access music therapy services if deemed appropriate. We have asked Janellen Duffy from the Governor’s office to contact the Division on our behalf for a status update.
RULE ADOPTION IN EARLY INTERVENTION
New rules were adopted for early intervention services in NJ. These rules allow music therapy to be added to the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) if deemed necessary. However, music therapists are not considered to be qualified to provide these services. Judy Simpson, AMTA Director of Government Relations, and Dena Register, CBMT Regulatory Affairs Advisor wrote a joint letter to the department asking for reconsideration, as the reasons given for not qualifying music therapists as providers seem to indicate a misinterpretation of our education and training standards as well as our national (MT-BC) credential. There has not been a response to Judy and Dena’s letter. Patrick Stewart will be following up on this issue.
UPDATE ON COUNSELING EXPANSION ACT
We are continuing to monitor A-2113, the bill sponsored by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora. This bill would make art therapy, dance/movement therapy and drama therapy sub-specialties of counseling. To date there has not been any movement on this bill. Our colleagues in art, dance/movement and drama therapy are in the process of forming a coalition for the purposes of retaining a lobbyist. We will keep NJ music therapists informed of any movement of this bill or change in either language or status.
As always please contact the task force at njtaskforce@yahoo.com if you have any questions, comments or concerns about the work of the NJ Task Force.