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Dr. Gene Ann Behrens
Regional Liaison for North America
Contact: northamerica@wfmt.info[/caption]
As a representative of the North American music therapists, I will be bringing you summaries of what is occurring in the United States and in Canada. In that my citizenship is within the United States, I look forward to learning more about music therapy in Canada.
The professional organizations in both countries are made up of several regionally or provincially organized groups that together form their national organizations. Within the United States, the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) is made up of seven regional organizations, each including six to ten states. The Canadian Association for Music Therapy (CAMT) consists of seven provincial or chapter associations, each made up of a province.
The Certification Board for Music Therapists, an organization independent of AMTA, provides the credentials, MT-BC (Music Therapist-Board Certified), for music therapists in the United States; candidates must complete AMTA’s required training and pass a national exam. Within Canada, their credential, MTA (Music Therapist Accredited), is provided by CAMT to those who complete the required educational, clinical, and internship training.
Within the United States there are 70 universities/colleges that offer degrees in music therapy, ranging from undergraduate to doctoral degrees. Seven universities offer music therapy degrees in Canada; most involve undergraduate programs and two involve a masters degree programs. Within both countries, trained music therapists can practice with an undergraduate degree or higher.
AMTA has established three strategic priorities, research, reimbursement, and research within the area of autism. In addition, many discussions at the last national conference in November 2008 also centered on the topics of evidence based practice and the continued influence of some state licensure bills on the practice and training of music therapists.
CAMT just held its national conference in May, 2009 in Ottawa. Their national organization is unique in that it is a bi-lingual association, with all official documents in French and English. Some main chapters are working to develop the government regulation of music therapy in their respective provinces and many discussions focused on those concerns during the conference. Recognition of their professional status across Canada also is a focus of the CAMT.
Gene Ann Behrens
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