Improve Access to Licensed Creative Arts Therapists NOW

LCATs have been licensed as mental health practitioners in New York since 2006 (same as licensed mental health counselors, marriage & family therapists & psychoanalysts). LCATs represent 14% of the licensed mental health practitioners in NYS.

There are currently over 2,000 licensed creative arts therapists (LCATs) providing individual, group, and family psychotherapy in a wide variety of inpatient & outpatient settings across New York State, including OMH operated PROS and CORE programs, Article 31 and 32 clinics, substance abuse treatment outpatient clinics, IOPs, CBOs, non-profits, medical hospitals, psychiatric facilities and others. Job titles held by LCATs include Clinical Supervisor, Director of Mental Health Services, Psychotherapist, Primary Therapist, Trauma Therapist, Director of Adult Clinical Services and others.

LCATs are integrated into health systems and mental health care across New York State – serving children, teenagers, adults and elderly. Licensed Creative Arts Therapists are uniquely qualified to work with refugees, immigrants, and non-English speakers due to the breadth of non-verbal, inclusive and culturally appropriate arts-based interventions used.

Despite this, LCATs were removed/excluded from 3 recent mental health expansion bills in New York State - a bill to mandate Medicaid coverage, a bill to expand diagnostic privilege, and most recently a bill to mandate blanket commercial health insurance coverage for psychotherapy.

When Governor Hochul removed LCATs from the commercial health insurance coverage bill in the waning hours of 2022, the LCAT Advocacy Coalition sprang into action - advocating to legislators, reaching out to press, raising money for a lobbyist and more.

We had 2 bills that passed Assembly & Senate with widespread bi-partisan support in 2024 & 2025 (Bills A9018 & A3319) - unfortunately, both were vetoed by the Governor with the instruction to consider them as part of budget process.

Our focus for 2026 is to include the Bronson-Brouk Proposals to add Licensed Creative Arts Therapists to the Medicaid Provider List & commercial health insurance plan panels in this year’s budget.

The mental health crisis in New York continues and New Yorkers deserve improved access to psychotherapy provided by Licensed Creative Arts Therapists.