American Music Therapy Association

We have received reports of emails, Facebook and text messages that are impersonating our president and requesting your cell number so that you can connect or text. The message states it is from Angela Snell and is from a number in her area code but not her number. This is a SCAM. Thanks to one of our member’s sleuthing abilities we know that engaging with the impersonator results in a request for the recipient to purchase gift cards to serve as incentives for members. The impersonator will ask you to get gift cards from a local pharmacy or other such entity. Do not engage with the sender. Report, delete and block the sender. We have reported as best we can and security precautions have been taken with the president’s accounts. However, expect that these may continue.

The AMTA Board of Directors, members and staff extend heartfelt concern for all those affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The AMTA BoD supports the fundraising and coordination efforts of the Southeast Region of AMTA to support music therapists, colleagues and students affected by the storm. SER is actively reaching out to music therapists and music therapy students to assess and evaluate how best to help.

2024 AMTA Symposium starts 1 week from today on September 22nd. Learn in real time or at your own pace through February 28, 2025.

Amanda Monterra, MMT, MT-BC has resigned as AMTA Speaker of the Assembly of Delegates stating that time commitments and obligations conflicted with serving as Speaker of the Assembly. The AMTA Board of Directors wholeheartedly supports her decision and is glad she will continue to serve the music therapy community through her work in the Mid-Atlantic Region as President-Elect and as an Assembly Delegate. The Board accepted Mia Iliopoulos Krings, MM, CDP, MT-BC, to assume the role of Speaker of ​

Did you know that the AMTA Symposium offers 36 pre-approved CMTEs including ethics? Did you know you have access to the recorded content through February of 2025?

Registration is now open for the 2024 AMTA Online Symposium, September 22-25, 2024 The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) is hosting the 3rd Annual Online Symposium designed to provide high-quality and informative content for music therapists in the USA and abroad. Over the 4-day symposium both live and asynchronous sessions are provided with the potential of up to 36 pre-approved CMTEs including ethics. All registrants will have access to the recorded sessions through February 28, 2025.​

Keeping AMTA members informed about the work of AMTA Government Relations The role of AMTA Government Relations (AMTA GR) is to increase access to quality music therapy services through monitoring and responding to state and federal legislation that impacts music therapy practice and to serve as a direct resource to the regions for both federal and state government relations and advocacy issues. ​

The Illinois General Assembly concluded its Spring Session with a fervor and determination that saw them working well past their intended adjournment on Friday, May 24, at 11:59 pm. The key issue at hand was the state's Fiscal Year 2025 Budget. Amidst these deliberations, concern grew on Wednesday, May 22, about the legislative Medicaid Omnibus package, which had yet to make its way through the legislative process.

The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) are excited to announce that on May 28, 2024 Governor Bill Lee signed into law SB 898. This bill creates a music therapy certificate under the Board of Examiners in Psychology and establishes a Professional Music Therapy Advisory Committee to assist the Board in matters concerning the certificate.​

We celebrate our clients, therapists, students, and supporters this World Music Therapy Week, April 10-15. Thank you for your collaboration and commitment to help advance our mission in making quality music therapy services available.

Each year, the AMTA Board of Directors honors two deserving individuals with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The 2023 recipients are Barbara Else, MPA, MT-BC and Dr. Edward Kahler, MT-BC.

As many know the AMTA Archives is housed at Colorado State University. A scrapbook with mold damage was donated to CSU as part of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) special archive collection. The donor received the scrapbook from Florence Tyson (a music therapist in New York from 1958 and 1995).

Online Scam & Phishing Awareness Online scams and attempts at phishing continue to skyrocket. Be wary of online requests for money, gift cards, personal information, to open an attachment, or respond to a healthcare alert, etc. We have received reports of emails that impersonate leaders of AMTA, offers of free grand pianos and phishing attempts to initiate contacts for private music therapy services.

In 2023, the AMTA Board of Directors, Membership Committee, and Assembly of Delegates worked collaboratively to lower membership rates for music therapy students and retired music therapists as well as create a tier-based membership model for professional music therapists.

Join us for the AMTA Community Update on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 from 7:00-8:00pm Eastern time. We also invite you to join Board members for a follow up discussion from 8:15-9:00pm Eastern time. You are welcome to submit questions for the discussion by noon Eastern time on October 24.