State Recognition for New Jersey
Recognized? Yes – Licensure
Recognition Status: On January 21, 2020 Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law the Music Therapist Licensing Act, legislation to create a music therapy license under the newly established State Board of Creative Arts and Activities Therapies. Procedures for applying for licensure are currently being developed.
Active Task Force? Yes
Year Started: 2006
Task Force Status:In June 2021, the Governor appointed two music therapists, along with therapists from other creative arts, to the new State Board of Creative Arts and Activities Therapies. Once the board starts to meet it will begin to write regulations for the individual licenses of music, dance/movement and drama therapists and issue art therapist licenses. Path to license: Bills A4353/S2971 first introduced in the second half of 2014/15 legislative session. Reintroduced in 2016/17 as A783/S1601 – passed both houses and pocket vetoed by the Governor. Reintroduced 2018/19 as A2183/S2971, passed both houses with amendments to change from Advisory Committee to new Board of Creative Arts Therapies – the board created with Governor’s conditional veto of the Drama and Dance/Movement Therapist Licensing Act and signed into law December 19, 2019. This board name was amended as Board of Creative Arts and Activities Therapies to include recreational therapists under the Recreational Therapist Licensing Act. Both the music therapist and recreational therapist licensing acts were signed into law on January 21, 2020.
Task Force Contact Name: Paula Unsal
Task Force Contact Email: newjerseytaskforce@gmail.com
Task Force Members: Virginia Eulacio Cierniak, Madison Indyk, Melissa Santiago, Demetria Sardo, Paula Unsal, Brian Abrams (consulting), Lauren Carter (student representative)
Task Force Facebook: NJ Music Therapy Task Force
State Association: www.njmusictherapy.org
State Association Facebook: NJ Association for Music Therapy
Regional Association: www.mar-amta.org
State Legislative Activity:
Below you will find a link to an online report with information about state-level bills that include the keyword “music therapy.” There may or may not be a bill for your state. Some bills may have a direct impact on the profession (e.g. music therapy licensure legislation) while others may not (e.g. music therapy is included in a pre-existing list of healthcare providers).
Information is provided by Fiscal Note, a subscription service that allows CBMT to follow state and federal legislative and regulatory developments. This resource is provided for informational purposes to help you stay informed on legislative and policy issues impacting music therapy practice. Please contact your task force chair with questions and before taking any action.