Legislative Action

Currently, the practice of art therapy is not regulated in the state of Maryland.

Art therapists work with vulnerable populations including children and veterans suffering from PTSD, and yet there is no criteria under Maryland law to ensure the art therapist is qualified to perform such treatment and assessment. The national standard for Art Therapy, like that for counselors and marriage and family therapists, is a specific two year graduate degree, supervised hours of practice, and the highest level of professional standards. Unfortunately, in Maryland, anyone can claim to be an art therapist and can charge an unsuspecting parent or individual in crisis, even though they do not have the education to deliver accurate training or assessment.

The Maryland Art Therapy Association supports the following legislative goal:

To name and define “art therapist� in the state statute ensuring title protection for this professional, clinical, practice. This act or amendment is sought to protect the public and Maryland’s mental health consumers by distinguishing a level of education and training and reduce confusion and misuse.

Nationally, the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) has agreed to align art therapy standards within a Professional Counselor framework, so that graduate training in art therapy meets the requirements of the American Counseling Association (ACA). The majority of graduate art therapy programs are now working to be in alignment with these standards, so that graduates would be eligible to be credentialed as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC). 

The LCPC is a general professional license, with many specialties existing under its umbrella. Unless an art therapist lives in a handful of states with a specific art therapy or creative art therapy license, this is likely the best way for an art therapist to be eligible for third party reimbursement, thus providing consumers with a broader choice of treatment options.

For more information about the LCPC requirements in Maryland please see the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors & Therapists website: http://www.dhmh.state.md.us/bopc/