HLS 15RS-490 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 56
BY REPRESENTATIVE STUART BISHOP
HEALTH SERVICES: Continues the Task Force on Art Therapist Licensure and
Regulation
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To continue the Task Force on Art Therapist Licensure and Regulation created in the 2014
3 Regular Session of the Legislature of Louisiana pursuant to House Concurrent
4 Resolution No. 159 for the purpose of studying the prospective establishment of art
5 therapist as a licensed profession, and to request that the task force report to the
6 legislative committees on health and welfare no later than sixty days prior to the
7 convening of the 2016 Regular Session with a baseline framework for licensure of
8 art therapists and regulation of the practice of art therapy.
9 WHEREAS, art therapy is a widely recognized and respected mental health
10profession; and
11 WHEREAS, the profession of art therapy integrates psychotherapeutic principles,
12art media, and the creative process for clinical mental health diagnosing, increasing
13awareness of self and others, and promoting developmentally appropriate academic and
14social interaction; and
15 WHEREAS, in the clinical realm, art therapy helps clients to achieve important
16goals, including but not limited to the following:
17 (1) Coping with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences.
18 (2) Improving cognitive abilities.
19 (3) Addressing developmental, behavioral, mental, and emotional needs; and
20 WHEREAS, in Louisiana and elsewhere, art therapy is practiced in a wide variety
21of settings, including hospitals, psychiatric and rehabilitation facilities, wellness centers,
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HCR NO. 56
1forensic institutions, schools, crisis centers, senior communities, private practices, and other
2clinical and community settings; and
3 WHEREAS, establishing the licensed profession of art therapist in Louisiana would
4help to address unmet community needs for mental health services and would provide
5important protections for the public, as full professional licensure, along with appropriate
6standards and regulations for the profession, will ensure that only properly educated, trained,
7and credentialed professionals are officially recognized as art therapists and are permitted,
8exclusively, to use "art therapist" as a professional title in this state.
9 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
10continue the Task Force on Art Therapist Licensure and Regulation to study the prospective
11establishment of art therapist as a licensed profession in Louisiana.
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the membership of the task force shall continue
13as provided in House Concurrent Resolution No. 159 of the 2014 Regular Session of the
14Legislature.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall reconvene on or before
16October 1, 2015.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that at its initial meeting pursuant to reconvening,
18the task force members shall elect a chairperson, and shall adopt rules of procedure and any
19other policies as may be necessary to facilitate the work of the group.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit a written report to the
21House Committee on Health and Welfare and the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare
22providing a baseline framework for licensure of art therapists and regulation of the practice
23of art therapy no later than sixty days prior to the convening of the 2016 Regular Session of
24the Legislature of Louisiana.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
26president of the Louisiana Art Therapy Association, the executive director of the Louisiana
27Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners, the president of the Louisiana
28Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the executive director of the Louisiana
29Counseling Association, the state superintendent of education, the secretary of the
30Department of Health and Hospitals, the executive director of the Louisiana State Board of
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HCR NO. 56
1Examiners of Psychologists, the president of the Louisiana Psychological Association, the
2executive director of the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers,
3the president of the Louisiana Association of Clinical Social Workers, and the president of
4the Louisiana Hospital Association.
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)]
HCR 56 Original 2015 Regular Session Stuart Bishop
Continues the Task Force on Art Therapist Licensure and Regulation created by HCR No.
159 of the 2014 R.S. to study the prospective establishment of art therapist as a licensed
profession.
Requires the task force to report to the legislative committees on health and welfare with a
baseline framework for licensure of art therapists and regulation of the practice of art therapy
no later than 60 days prior to the convening of the 2016 R.S.
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