1199SEIU is urging Governor Hochul to sign legislation that would require health plans to cover licensed creative arts therapy like other forms of psychotherapy. 

 

“By excluding licensed creative arts therapy from insurance coverage, we are excluding too many New Yorkers from receiving treatment that could markedly improve their health and quality of life. With an increasing demand for mental healthcare, we must update the state’s archaic insurance regulations which are all too often a barrier for individuals and families seeking help. We urge Governor Hochul to sign this simple fix which would allow more adults and children to receive the quality care that they deserve,” said Yvonne Armstrong, President of 1199SEIU.

 

Licensed creative arts therapy is a rigorous evidence-based treatment that uses visual arts, theater, or music to treat those who may not respond to more traditional talk therapy. Children, seniors, people with intellectual disabilities, those recovering from strokes or traumatic brain injury, non-native English speakers, and people with acute trauma are among the many who heal when arts and therapy intersect. 

 

Legislation (A3319) was overwhelmingly approved earlier this year by the New York State Legislature that sensibly reforms state laws by requiring health plans to cover psychotherapy provided by licensed creative arts therapists, but Governor Hochul has yet to sign the bill into law.

 

“I work at a safety-net hospital where we care for patients regardless of insurance coverage or ability to pay. We provide licensed creative arts therapy to patients struggling with mental health issues and often see positive outcomes. But all too frequently, these same patients when discharged from the hospital lose access to a treatment plan that is working for them–all because insurance companies treat creative arts therapy differently than talk therapy,” said Susanne Bifano, a licensed creative arts therapist, who practices at a hospital in upper Manhattan. “I know Governor Hochul is a strong defender of affordable and accessible healthcare for all New Yorkers. Now it’s time for her to take action so more people will have access to mental healthcare that meets their needs.”

 

Over 2,000 licensed creative arts therapists–the second largest group of mental health practitioners in New York State–provide psychotherapy in a wide variety of inpatient & outpatient settings around the state.