(a)  The director shall issue a registration to an applicant for a music therapy registration when such applicant has completed and submitted an application, upon a form and in such manner as the director prescribes, accompanied by applicable fees, and evidence satisfactory to the director that:

(1)  The applicant is at least eighteen (18) years of age;

(2)  The applicant holds a bachelor’s degree or higher in music therapy, or its equivalent, from a program approved by the American Music Therapy Association, or any successor organization within an accredited college or university;

(3)  The applicant successfully completes a minimum of twelve hundred (1,200) hours of clinical training, with at least one hundred eighty (180) hours in pre-internship experiences and at least nine hundred (900) hours in internship experiences; provided that the internship is approved by an academic institution, the American Music Therapy Association or its successor association, or both;

(4)  The applicant is in good standing based on a review of the applicant’s music therapy practice history in other jurisdictions, including a review of any alleged misconduct or neglect in the practice of music therapy on the part of the applicant;

(5)  The applicant provides proof of passing the examination for board certification offered by the certification board for music therapists, or any successor organization, or provides proof of being transitioned into board certification, and provides proof that the applicant is currently a board-certified music therapist.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 23-20.8.1-3

  • Director: means the director of the department of health or his or her designee. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-20.8.1-1
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Music therapist: means a person registered to practice music therapy pursuant to this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-20.8.1-1
  • Music therapy: means the clinical and evidence based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship through an individualized music therapy treatment plan for the client that identifies the goals, objectives, and potential strategies of the music therapy services appropriate for the client using music therapy interventions, which may include music improvisation, receptive music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, learning through music, and movement to music. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-20.8.1-1

(b)  The director shall issue a registration to an applicant for a music therapy registration when such applicant has completed and submitted an application upon a form, and in such manner as the director prescribes, accompanied by applicable fees, and evidence satisfactory to the director that the applicant is registered and in good standing as a music therapist in another jurisdiction where the qualifications required are equal to, or greater than, those required in this chapter at the date of application.

History of Section.
P.L. 2014, ch. 189, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 211, § 1.