Expand Access to Licensed Creative Arts Therapists NOW
Our Mission
The LCAT Advocacy Coalition is a grassroots action group dedicated to the development and promotion of the field of Creative Arts Therapy in New York State.
Our mission is to drive legislative action at the state level and disseminate accurate information about Creative Arts Therapy as an effective form of Psychotherapy.
What is an LCAT?
Licensed Creative Arts Therapists are Masters-level licensed mental health practitioners who are “trained in psychotherapy and in specific arts disciplines, which may include dance/movement therapy, drama therapy, music therapy, poetry therapy and art therapy. They have training in areas that include clinical practice and human development as well as the use of the creative arts to provide appropriate [psychotherapy] services” (NYS Office of Professions).
Why it matters?
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, professional corporations licensed by NYS to provide psychotherapy, 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.
In 2024 we are pressing forward on 2 important bills:
A6173/S6362 (Bronson/Brouk) authorizes that commercial insurance plans provide benefits for outpatient mental health services by Licensed Creative Arts Therapists
A9018/S8715 (Bronson/Brouk) authorizes Licensed Creative
Arts Therapists to bill Medicaid directly for psychotherapy
The mental health crisis in New York continues and New Yorkers deserve expanded access to psychotherapy provided by Licensed Creative Arts Therapists.
Help us right these wrongs and expand access.
Sadly, the only way things move in Albany is through lobbying. While grassroots action is powerful, lobbyists are a vital part of driving change. We have had a lobbyist representing LCATs since May 2023 (funded 100% through grassroots action) — we need to keep our lobbyist in Albany, fighting on behalf of LCATs and our clients.
Please consider donating to our lobbying fund.
Join us.
We need your help expanding access to thousands of New Yorkers in need of care.
If you’re an LCAT or CAT student/intern, join us over at the LCAT Advocacy Google group to get updates & action steps.
For other questions/inquiries, please send us a message via the below form.
Thank you!
Current Core Leadership Team (Jan 2024)
Maya Benattar, Founder
Linda Turner, President & Co-Founder
Marygrace Berberian, Treasurer
Debbie Stone, Graduate School Liaison
Dana Wedin/Dina Palma, Fundraising Leads
Juanita Viera, Events Lead
Drena Fagen, Speaker
Nicole Porter Davis, NYATA Gov’t Affairs Chair