Licensure for Georgia Music Therapists
Visit this link for State of Georgia licensing information and application.
Your MTAG Licensure Advisory Team:
Kirby Carruth
Linda Hays
Mary Holliday
Jennifer Puckett
Steve Wilson
Executive Director
Tara Taylor
Contact them directly at https://sos.ga.gov/?section=licensing
From the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT):
Why State Recognition?
From the Licensure Task Force: Jennifer Puckett, Beth Hampshire, and Jamie George
The Georgia music therapy license was effective January 1, 2014. All music therapists practicing in the state of Georgia must be licensed by the state. The licensure application is available from the Secretary of State Licensing Division and can be found at http://sos.ga.gov/index.php/licensing/plb/59. Music therapists holding the MT-BC credential and music therapists with another professional designation (e.g. RMT, CMT, ACMT) are eligible to apply for the license. All music therapists who apply for the license must hold the MT-BC credential.
You can find a copy of the law at http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20112012/127800.pdf.
Please note, if you are a practicing music therapist in the state of Georgia and you are not licensed you could be subject to fines by the Secretary of State. ("In addition to suspension, revocation, denial, or refusal to renew a license, the Secretary shall fine a person found to have violated any provision of this chapter or any rule adopted by the Secretary under this chapter not less than $100.00 nor more than $1,000.00 for each violation.”)
All licensed and board certified music therapists that the law states that all licensees must complete a minimum of forty (40) hours of continuing education in a program approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists. Continuing education credits for the first renewal period must be completed between January 1, 2014 and March 31, 2016. ("Every license issued under this chapter shall be renewed biennially… The following shall also be required for license renewal… Proof of completion of a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education in a program approved by the Certification Board of Music Therapists or any successor organization and any other continuing education requirements established by the Secretary.”) This means that a licensed music therapist must submit their documentation for recertification (CMTE credits) to CBMT every 2 years and obtain proof that at least 40 credits were obtained in the 2 year period. Completion of 40 credit hours every 2 years meets the requirement of 100 credits every 5 years as needed for your MT- BC renewal period. This requirement is congruent with all other licensed professions in Georgia that renew every 2 years. Please note that proof of continuing education is not required when renewing your license, however if you are audited by the Secretary of State, proof of continuing education will be mandatory.
The CBMT Regulatory Affairs Advisor, CBMT Regulatory Affairs Associate, and AMTA Director of Government Relations have discussed the issue of what acronym we should be using for those MTs that have obtained their license. They recommended that we use "Licensed Professional Music Therapist," abbreviated as "LPMT." The license should be the first credential to follow the name, followed by the board certification credential, for example: John Smith, LPMT, MT-BC. If you would like to include your master’s degree, doctoral degree, or PhD, that acronym would go directly after your name and before LPMT, for example: John Smith, PhD, LPMT, MT-BC.
We will continue to work together to represent the music therapists in Georgia. All licensure issues and application questions should be directed to the Georgia Secretary of State’s licensing division. As instances of misrepresentation arise in our state, the task force will be responsible for reaching out to facilities affected and the advisory committee will reach out to the individual that is implicated as misrepresenting the profession as well as advise the Secretary of State. In addition, task force will continue to provide MTs with advocacy support and assistance. You may file a complaint or report an individual or facility that is misrepresenting music therapy at the following link: http://sos.ga.gov/plb/submitcomplaint.php