What’s Happening in Music Therapy Since COVID-19?

It was shocking when the Governor of Texas shut the schools down and our lives radically changed within days. It’s been a huge adjustment for me personally experiencing emotional struggles and trying to remain supportive of my friends and family. So, what are the music therapists doing during COVID-19? If we can, we are working as best we can. It’s not perfect and some of our very young clients have challenges that are not suited to watching on a screen. This challenge may be because of attention to task and/or staying seated but music therapy is adapting as best we can. Here is what our national organization has to say.

AMTA Telehealth/Therapy Statement

The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) supports the use of telehealth/therapy as a means to provide music therapy interventions when beneficial to clients.

The U.S. Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) defines telehealth as the "use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration" (HRSA, 2017).

Telehealth/therapy is subject to the same AMTA Standards of Clinical Practice established for face-to-face music therapy, including consent, assessment, and documentation. Discretion and critical decision making are necessary to discern whether telehealth/therapy services are appropriate for individual clients. Adherence to the AMTA Code of Ethics is expected as it outlines professional conduct principles for all music therapy interventions, whether provided face-to-face or through telehealth/therapy.

https://www.musictherapy.org/music_therapy_in_telehealth/

Gina G. Glidewell, MT-BC