BILL NUMBER: AB 1279INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Holden FEBRUARY 27, 2015 An act to add Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 4650) to Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to music therapy. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1279, as introduced, Holden. Music therapy. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various healing arts practitioners by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs. This bill would enact the Music Therapy Act and would state the intent of the Legislature to provide statutory definitions relating to the practice of music therapy and enable consumers and state and local agencies to more easily identify qualified music therapists. The bill would define terms for the purposes of the act. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Chapter 10.7 (commencing with Section 4650) is added to Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, to read: CHAPTER 10.7. MUSIC THERAPY 4650. This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Music Therapy Act. 4651. The Legislature finds and declares the following: (a) Existing national certification of music therapist requires the therapist to have graduated with a bachelor's degree or its equivalent, or higher, from a music therapy degree program approved by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), successful completion of a minimum of 1,200 hours of supervised clinical work through preinternship training at an approved degree program, and internship training through approved national roster or university affiliated internship programs, or an equivalent. (b) Upon successful completion of the AMTA academic and clinical training requirements or its international equivalent, an individual is eligible to sit for the national board certification exam administered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT), an independent, nonprofit corporation fully accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. (c) The CBMT grants the Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) credential to music therapists who have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities for competence in the current practice of music therapy. The purpose of board certification in music therapy is to provide an objective national standard that can be used as a measure of professionalism and competence by interested agencies, groups, and individuals. (d) The MT-BC is awarded by the CBMT to an individual upon successful completion of an academic and clinical training program approved by the AMTA or an international equivalent and successful completion of an objective written examination demonstrating current competency in the profession of music therapy. The CBMT administers this examination, which is based on a nationwide music therapy practice analysis that is reviewed and updated every five years to reflect current clinical practice. (e) Once certified, a music therapist must adhere to the CBMT Code of Professional Practice and recertify every five years through either a program of continuing education or reexamination. 4652. It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter do the following: (a) Provide statutory definitions relating to the practice of music therapy. (b) Enable consumers and state and local agencies to more easily identify qualified music therapists. 4653. As used in this act: (a) "Music therapy" means the clinical and evidence-based use of music therapy interventions in developmental, rehabilitative, habilitative, medical, mental health, preventive, wellness care, or educational settings to accomplish individualized goals for people of all ages and ability levels within a therapeutic relationship by a qualified individual. Music therapy includes all of the following: (1) The development of music therapy treatment plans specific to the needs and strengths of the client who may be seen individually or in groups. (2) Individualized treatment plans for each client. (3) The establishment of goals, objectives, and potential strategies of the music therapy services appropriate for the client and setting. (b) "Music therapy interventions" include, but are not limited to, music improvisation, receptive music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, singing, music performance, learning through music, music combined with other arts, music-assisted relaxation, music-based patient education, electronic music technology, adapted music intervention, and movement to music. (c) "Qualified individual" includes an individual who has completed the education and clinical training requirements established by the American Music Therapy Association and who holds current board certification from the Certification Board for Music Therapists.