Washington state strikes a chord by licensing music therapists

Earlier this year, the Washington State Legislature passed a bill allowing the state Department of Health to officially license a new profession: music therapist.

Signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on Apr. 18, Substitue House Bill 1247 “establishes music therapy as a new health profession licensed by the Department of Health” and calls for oversight of the new profession by formation of a new advisory committee consisting of five members serving four-year terms.

That committee will be comprised of the following: three individuals who practice music therapy in Washington, one licensed health care professional who is not a music therapist but works with or has collaborated with music therapists, and a consumer of music therapy services

Once appointed, the committee will advise the secretary of health on “issues related to the practice of music therapy” and be limited to compensation of “$50 per day for committee business and are reimbursed for travel expenses and meals.”

According to the legislation's fiscal note, the program will be largely self funding. According to the fiscal note, the total cost of implementation from 2024 through 2029 is $430,000, or just under $72,000 per year.

Program specifics will be forthcoming.

“We are very early in the rulemaking process and in preparing to implement the requirements, so most of the details are yet to come,” said Frank Ameduri, public information officer for the Executive Office of Public Affairs and Equity with the Department of Health, in an email to The Center square.

“The profession’s licensure to practice begins Jan. 1, 2025,” Ameduri noted. “We expect to begin accepting applications for licensure somewhere around Oct. 1, 2024.”

To date, only two music therapists have applied for advisory committee positions, he added.

The application period has been extended to Aug. 9. Application details can be found on the Department of Health's website.