DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of
the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of
the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Stuart Bishop HB No. 634
Abstract: Establishes the profession of art therapist and provides for licensure of such
profession by the La. Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners.
Proposed law provides for licensure of art therapists by the La. Licensed Professional Counselors
Board of Examiners (board); and for regulation of the profession of art therapy.
Proposed law defines "art therapy" as the integrated use of psychotherapeutic principles, art
media, and the creative process by an art therapist for clinical mental health diagnosing,
increasing awareness of self and others, promoting developmentally appropriate academic and
social interaction, and for clinical mental, physical, and emotional goals including but not limited
to the following:
(1)Coping with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences.
(2)Addressing cognitive abilities.
(3)Identifying and assessing needs of a client in order to implement therapeutic intervention
to meet developmental, behavioral, mental, or emotional needs.
Proposed law establishes an Art Therapy Advisory Committee (advisory committee) within the
board consisting of four board members appointed by the chairman. Provides that the functions
of the advisory committee shall be established by rules and regulations promulgated by the board
and approved by the legislative committees on health and welfare. Further provides that the
functions and duties of the advisory committee may include but are not limited to the following:
(1)Propose rules and regulations for promulgation by the board in accordance with the APA
as necessary to provide for licensure of applicants as art therapists.
(2)Examine and qualify all applicants for licensure as art therapists and recommend to the
board each successful applicant for licensure, attesting to his professional qualifications
to be an art therapist.
(3)Develop for the board application forms for licensure of applicants as art therapists.
(4)Maintain complete records of all meetings, proceedings, and hearings conducted by the
advisory committee. Proposed law stipulates that a person may not, for or without compensation, use the professional
designation of "art therapist" or otherwise hold himself out to the public as an art therapist, either
directly or through a governmental or private organization, entity, or agency, unless he holds one
or more of the following:
(1)A master's degree in art therapy from a college or university art therapy program
approved by the American Art Therapy Association.
(2)Credentials from the Art Therapy Credentials Board.
Proposed law requires the board to waive art therapist licensure requirements for any applicant
who provides to the board, on or before Oct. 1, 2014, documentation of all of the following:
(1)He possesses current certification by the Art Therapy Credentials Board.
(2)He has three or more years of full-time professional experience providing art therapy.
Proposed law provides that, notwithstanding any provision of present law or present
administrative code to the contrary, a person may practice art therapy under supervision as a
registered art therapy intern for a limited period of time, as determined by the board in rule, if he
possesses a master's or doctoral degree in art therapy from a program approved by the American
Art Therapy Association, or any other program approved by the board.
Proposed law provides that no person, unless licensed as an art therapist, shall advertise as being
an "art therapist", and extends applicability of the following penalties provided in present law
relative to violations by licensed marriage and family therapists to violations by art therapists:
(1)Upon conviction of unlawful advertising, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine
not to exceed $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.
(2)In addition to fines, the board may enjoin and restrain any unlicensed person from
violating the provisions of present law and proposed law.
(Amends R.S. 37:1103(4) and 1122; Adds R.S. 37:1103(13), 1104(B)(3), and 1123)