Did You Know?
Did you know that the profession of music therapy and AMTA is represented in Washington, D.C. and around the country in a variety of professional coalitions and alliances? AMTA’s Government Relations Staff participate in the following groups on your behalf:
Events
Arts Advocacy Day
On April 8th and 9th, 2013 AMTA will participate once again in Arts Advocacy Day as a national co-sponsor. This annual event in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Americans for the Arts, is the only national event that brings together a broad cross section of America’s cultural and civic organizations, along with hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country. Attendees collaborate to communicate with Members of Congress the importance of strong public policies and public funding for the arts.
Preparation for this event actually begins in November when representatives from the co-sponsoring organizations form the Legislative Planning Committee (LPC). The LPC meets twice a month for 4 months to determine the Issue Briefs that will be the focus of discussions with Congress on Arts Advocacy Day. Although AMTA has been a co-sponsor for many years, we have been active members of the LPC for the past 5 years, assisting with development of an Arts in Healthcare Issue Brief. Each issue Brief developed by the LPC begins with specific "asks" of Congress, followed by talking points and supportive background information to assist advocates explain the rationale behind the requests.
AMTA led the Arts in Healthcare LPC subgroup this year, collaborating with representatives from The Society for the Arts in Healthcare, the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA), the American Art Therapy Association, the National Association for Drama Therapy (NADT), and Americans for the Arts. In addition to creating the topic specific Issue Brief, each subgroup also develops a "Field at a Glance" document that provides more detailed information related to each area of focus.
Americans for the Arts organizes these documents, along with letters to Members of Congress from each co-sponsoring organization and supporting facts and figures, into an Arts Advocacy Day Handbook. These handbooks are then delivered to each Congressional office. This year, the Field at a Glance documents will be made available online, allowing for the inclusion of more information and live links to research and media clips.
Representation of music therapy during this national event is a great example of how AMTA works to increase awareness of the profession with Congress and with related organizations. For more information about Arts Advocacy Day, please visit, http://www.artsusa.org/events/2013/aad/default.asp
National Representation
AMTA has a relationship with a number of national organizations. You can learn more about AMTA’s involvement with each of these coalitions and how this helps you in your practice of music therapy. Click here to go to the Member Area for detailed information on each organization.
- American Psychiatric Association
- CDC National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) External Partners Group
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
- Consortium For Citizens with Disabilities (CCD)
- Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC)
- Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition
- Health Professions Network (HPN)
- Independence Through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid Coalition
- National Alliance of Pupil Services Organizations (NAPSO)
- National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations (NCCATA)
- National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education & Related Services
- National Medicare Education Partnership (NMEP)
- SupportMusic Coalition
- The Joint Commission
This representation helps to ensure that music therapy is "at the table" when important health and education policy decisions are implemented.