AB 1279, as amended, Holden. Music therapy.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various healing arts practitioners by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs.begin insert Existing law does not provide for the licensure of music therapists.end insert
This bill wouldbegin delete enact the Music Therapy Act and would state the intent of the Legislature to provide statutory definitions relating to the practice of music therapy and enable consumers and state and local agencies to more easily identify qualified music therapists. The bill would define terms for the purposes of the act.end deletebegin insert provide that only a qualified person,
defined as an individual who has completed the education and clinical training requirements established by a specified music therapy association and who holds current board certification from a specified certification organization, shall be permitted to perform music therapy interventions. The bill would further provide that an individual providing music therapy interventions shall not refer to himself or herself using the title of “Board Certified Music Therapist” unless the individual meets certain criteria and has been awarded a credential from the specified certification organization.end insert
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 4650)
2is added to Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, to
3read:
4
This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the
8Music Therapy Act.
The Legislature finds and declares the following:
10(a) Existing national certification of music therapist requires
11the therapist to have graduated with a bachelor’s degree or its
12equivalent, or higher, from a music therapy degree program
13approved by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA),
14successful completion of a minimum of 1,200 hours of supervised
15clinical work through preinternship training at an approved degree
16program, and internship training through approved national roster
17or university affiliated internship programs, or an equivalent.
18(b) Upon successful completion of the AMTA academic and
19clinical training
requirements or its international equivalent, an
20individual is eligible to sit for the national board certification exam
21administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists
22(CBMT), an independent, nonprofit corporation fully accredited
23by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
24(c) The CBMT grants the Music Therapist-Board Certified
25(MT-BC) credential to music therapists who have demonstrated
26the knowledge, skills, and abilities for competence in the current
27practice of music therapy. The purpose of board certification in
28music therapy is to provide an objective national standard that can
29be used as a measure of professionalism and competence by
30interested agencies, groups, and individuals.
31(d) The MT-BC is awarded by the CBMT to an individual upon
32successful
completion of an academic and clinical training program
33approved by the AMTA or an international equivalent and
34successful completion of an objective written examination
35demonstrating current competency in the profession of music
P3 1therapy. The CBMT administers this examination, which is based
2on a nationwide music therapy practice analysis that is reviewed
3and updated every five years to reflect current clinical practice.
4(e) Once certified, a music therapist must adhere to the CBMT
5Code of Professional Practice and recertify every five years through
6either a program of continuing education or reexamination.
It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter do the
8following:
9(a) Provide statutory definitions relating to the practice of music
10therapy.
11(b) Enable consumers and state and local agencies to more easily
12identify qualified music therapists.
As used in thisbegin delete act:end deletebegin insert chapter:end insert
14(a) “Music therapy” means the clinical and evidence-based use
15of music therapy interventions in developmental, rehabilitative,
16habilitative, medical, mental health, preventive, wellness care, or
17educational settings to accomplish individualized goals for people
18of all ages and ability levels within a therapeutic relationship by
19a qualified individual. Music therapy includes all of the following:
20(1) The development of music therapy
treatment plans specific
21to the needs and strengths of the client who may be seen
22individually or in groups.
23(2) Individualized treatment plans for each client.
24(3) The establishment of goals, objectives, and potential
25strategies of the music therapy services appropriate for the client
26and setting.
27(b) “Music therapy interventions” include, but are not limited
28to, music improvisation, receptive music listening, song writing,
29lyric discussion, music and imagery, singing, music performance,
30learning through music, music combined with other arts,
31music-assisted relaxation, music-based patient education, electronic
32music technology, adapted music intervention, and movement to
33music.
34(c) “Qualified individual” includes an individual who has
35completed the education and clinical training requirements
36established by the American Music Therapy Association and who
37holds current board certification from the Certification Board for
38Music Therapists.
Only qualified persons, as defined in subdivision (c) of
40Section 4653, shall be permitted to perform music therapy
P4 1interventions in the State of California. An individual providing
2music therapy interventions shall not refer to himself or herself
3using the title of “Board Certified Music Therapist” unless the
4individual meets the criteria specified in subdivision (c) of Section
54653 and has been awarded the MT-BC credential from the
6Certification Board of Music Therapists.
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