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. The new Board has not yet ratified regulations required to issue the music therapist license.
Active Task Force? Yes
Year Started: 2006
Task Force Status:
The new State Board of Creative Arts and Activities Therapies was convened in August of 2021 with four members, including the two allotted music therapists who were nominated by the task force, confirmed by the Senate and appointed by the Governor. The Board began issuing art therapist licenses and developed sub-committees to write regulations for the Licensed Professional Music Therapist (LPMT) along with four other new dance/movement and drama therapist licenses. In January of 2022 the remaining four art, dance/movement and drama therapists took the oath of office, and recreational therapists took their oaths in March of 2024. Draft regulations for all music, dance/movement and drama licenses were developed during 2022 and 2023; but in January of 2024, it was determined that these drafts did not adhere to standard format and a new regulatory analyst would be rewriting the drafts, starting with the music therapist license. Once these draft regulations are completed, they must go under review and must be ratified before any LPMT may be issued.
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)
Task Force Facebook: NJ Music Therapy Task Force (@MusicTherapyFYI)
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.