Music Therapy Hill Day in SC

This post is part of the year long series Music Therapy Moments.

Let us help to put Georgia on your mind. Did you know that just across the border into Georgia... music therapists are licensed professionals? A profession that has state licensure adds another level of overview confirming the required number of hours of continuing education were met on a yearly basis. Additionally receiving services through a licensed professional may assist families in accessing treatment that insurance agencies will support. This also provides consumers or clients another method of ensuring qualified services are received and a local agency to contact with inquiries.

The Music Therapy Practice Act supports such an initiative in the Palmetto State.  S.472 and H.4150 were introduced earlier this year. To learn more about the pursuit of music therapy licensure in South Carolina, read the background through The Certification Board for Music Therapist's (CBMT) Website as this has been over a decade of advocacy accomplished by many music therapists, allied health professionals, clients and their families.

The bill is currently in SC Senate's Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee. Constituents who would like to share their perspective on the Music Therapy Practice Act are encouraged to contact their representatives. PMT Clinic assisted client families with sample advocacy letters that were created by the SC Music Therapy Task Force through the Music Therapy Association of South Carolina. Please let your family's music therapist know if you did not receive an Advocacy Paper Kit from PMT March 15 - April 1, 2019.

Later this week the Southeastern Region of American Music Therapy Association (SERAMTA) is hosting its annual conference in Columbia, SC. These two happenings have an important similarity - they will both happen in the state's capital city! April 4th will mark the 2019 Music Therapy Hill Day and this hopes to be a promising opportunity to continue the advocacy work in person at the State House. Because of the regional conference's location there looks to be a large gathering of music therapists to represent on 4/4/19. The SERAMTA Conference unites music therapists practicing and music therapy students pursuing degrees from the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,  Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands.

Our private practice encourages you to familiarize yourself with the bills (linked here by CBMT) in order to make an informed decision and share your opinion on the bill with your local representatives. Thanks for your support of this process. We hope that soon music therapists in South Carolina will be able to join one of their neighboring states with licensure protection and increased accessibility for clientele. And until then, may you enjoy Georgia on your mind.

Please share your questions or comments below!