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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 159
BY REPRESENTATIVE STUART BISHOP
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To create the Task Force on Art Therapist Licensure and Regulation to study the prospective
establishment of art therapist as a licensed profession in Louisiana and to request that
the task force report to the legislative committees on health and welfare on or before
December 31, 2014, with a baseline framework for licensure of art therapists and
regulation of the practice of art therapy.
WHEREAS, art therapy is a widely recognized and respected mental health
profession; and
WHEREAS, the profession of art therapy integrates psychotherapeutic principles,
art media, and the creative process for clinical mental health diagnosing, increasing
awareness of self and others, and promoting developmentally appropriate academic and
social interaction; and
WHEREAS, in the clinical realm, art therapy helps clients to achieve important
goals, including but not limited to the following:
(1) Coping with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences.
(2) Improving cognitive abilities.
(3) Addressing developmental, behavioral, mental, and emotional needs; and
WHEREAS, in Louisiana and elsewhere, art therapy is practiced in a wide variety
of settings, including hospitals, psychiatric and rehabilitation facilities, wellness centers,
forensic institutions, schools, crisis centers, senior communities, private practices, and other
clinical and community settings; and
WHEREAS, establishing the licensed profession of art therapist in Louisiana is
necessary not only to meet community needs for mental health services but to protect the
public, as full professional licensure, along with appropriate standards and regulations for
the profession, will ensure that only properly educated, trained, and credentialed ENROLLEDHCR NO. 159
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professionals are officially recognized as art therapists and are permitted, exclusively, to use
"art therapist" as a professional title in this state.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
create the Task Force on Art Therapist Licensure and Regulation to study prospective
establishment of art therapist as a licensed profession in Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be composed of the
following members:
(1) Two representatives of the Louisiana Art Therapy Association, one of whom
shall be the chairperson of the subcommittee for licensure of the association, and one of
whom shall be the president of the association or his designee.
(2) The executive director of the Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board
of Examiners or his designee.
(3) The president of the Louisiana Association for Marriage and Family Therapy or
his designee.
(4) The executive director of the Louisiana Counseling Association or his designee.
(5) The state superintendent of education or his designee.
(6) The secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals or his designee.
(7) The executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of
Psychologists or his designee.
(8) The president of the Louisiana Psychological Association or his designee.
(9) The executive director of the National Association of Social Workers, Louisiana
Chapter, or his designee.
(10) The president of the Louisiana Association of Clinical Social Workers or his
designee.
(11) The president of the Louisiana Hospital Association or his designee.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall convene on or before
September 1, 2014.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that on or before December 31, 2014, the task force
shall submit a written report to the House Committee on Health and Welfare and the Senate
Committee on Health and Welfare providing a baseline framework for licensure of art
therapists and regulation of the practice of art therapy. ENROLLEDHCR NO. 159
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
president of the Louisiana Art Therapy Association, the executive director of the Louisiana
Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners, the president of the Louisiana
Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the executive director of the Louisiana
Counseling Association, the state superintendent of education, the secretary of the
Department of Health and Hospitals, the executive director of the Louisiana State Board of
Examiners of Psychologists, the president of the Louisiana Psychological Association, the
executive director of the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers,
the president of the Louisiana Association of Clinical Social Workers, and the president of
the Louisiana Hospital Association.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE