Virginia Code 54.1-3516: Art therapist and art therapy associate; licensure.
A. No person shall engage in the practice of art therapy or hold himself out or otherwise represent himself as an art therapist or art therapy associate unless he is licensed by the Board. Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit a person licensed, certified, or registered by a health regulatory board from using the modalities of art media if such modalities are within his scope of practice.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 54.1-3516
- Art therapist: means a person who has (i) completed a master's or doctoral degree program in art therapy, or an equivalent course of study, from an accredited educational institution; (ii) satisfied the requirements for licensure set forth in regulations adopted by the Board; and (iii) been issued a license for the independent practice of art therapy by the Board. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Art therapy: means the integrated use of psychotherapeutic principles, visual art media, and the creative process in the assessment, treatment, and remediation of psychosocial, emotional, cognitive, physical, and developmental disorders in children, adolescents, adults, families, or groups. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Art therapy associate: means a person who has (i) completed a master's or doctoral degree program in art therapy, or an equivalent course of study from an accredited educational institution; (ii) satisfied the requirements for licensure set forth in regulations adopted by the Board; and (iii) been issued a license to practice art therapy under an approved clinical supervisor in accordance with regulations of the Board. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Board: means the Board of Counseling. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Supervision: means the ongoing process, performed by a supervisor, of monitoring the performance of the person supervised and providing regular, documented individual or group consultation, guidance, and instruction with respect to the clinical skills and competencies of the person supervised. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
B. The Board shall adopt regulations governing the practice of art therapy, upon consultation with the Advisory Board on Art Therapy established in § 54.1-3517. Such regulations shall (i) set forth the requirements for licensure as an art therapist or art therapy associate, (ii) provide for appropriate application and renewal fees, and (iii) include requirements for licensure renewal and continuing education.
C. In the adoption of regulations for licensure, the Board shall consider requirements for registration as a Registered Art Therapist (ATR) and certification as a Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC) with the Art Therapy Credentials Board and successful completion of the Registered Art Therapist Board Certified Art Therapist examination.
D. A license issued for an art therapy associate shall be valid for a period of five years. At the end of the five-year period, an art therapy associate who has not met the requirements for licensure as an art therapist may submit an application for extension of licensure as an art therapy associate to the Board. Such application shall include (i) a plan for completing the requirements to obtain licensure as an art therapist, (ii) documentation of compliance with the continuing education requirements, (iii) documentation of compliance with requirements related to supervision, and (iv) a letter of recommendation from the clinical supervisor of record. An extension of a license as an art therapy associate pursuant to this subsection shall be valid for a period of two years and shall not be renewable.
2020, c. 301.