Art Therapist = Mental Health Practitioner

ACTIVATE ARTS THERAPY

ACTivate Arts Therapy is a grass roots collective of people who support

the advancement of Creative Arts Therapy

as a valued allied health profession within Australia’s mental health system.

We began as a grass roots campaign in Victoria, Australia, and you can see our original mission below.

We have expanded to become a supportive collective of multi-disciplinary Creative Arts Therapists and allies of the Arts Therapies.

We:

*are united by our commitment and passion for Creative Arts Therapy

*share information and resources,

*take action to advocate, raise awareness and campaign for access to Arts Therapy for our communities,

*create a community together that supports our own wellbeing and sense of belonging.

Please scroll to the bottom of this page for all the latest news articles and updates.

See our original campaign petition here:

Professional Arts Therapist=Mental Health Practitioner

Join our FB group for all the latest updates and resources here:

ACTivate Arts Therapy

Professional Arts Therapist = Mental Health Practitioner

WE ARE GOOD TO GO

Expand the definition of Mental Health Practitioner to include ‘Qualified Arts Therapist’.

This inclusion will enable a workforce of highly skilled and experienced professionals to help with the demands on the Mental Health sector during this time of crisis and beyond, in the recovery period.

Pearl Taylor, Professional Arts Therapist and Mental Health Practitioner.

Pearl explains why the current campaign to have Arts Therapists recognised as Mental Health Practitioners and working in schools is so important for the well-being of Australian young people.

Join the Art Therapist = Mental Health Practitioner Campaign.

Sign our petition here now: https://www.change.org/arts-therapist-mental-health-practitioner

Australia, and particularly Victoria, is experiencing a mental health crisis.

Arts Therapists are standing by ready to help – we just need some changes to government definitions.

Creative Arts Therapy engages the power of the arts to promote health and is facilitated by a trained mental health professional – a Qualified Arts Therapist.
Professional Creative Arts Therapists in Australia undergo rigorous training and have AQF level 7, 8, 9 and 10 Degrees in this specialist field.
Our training and qualifications are recognised and regulated by TEQSA, Australia’s independent national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education.
We are registered through the Australian Register of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (ARCAP).
We engage in ongoing supervision and professional development.
We work in hospitals, schools, mental health services, prisons, family violence prevention, NDIS, community health organisations and many other settings.
We work within person centred and trauma informed approaches, and within our code of ethical conduct that includes privacy and confidentiality.

The legislation is outdated and does not reflect the fact that many Arts Therapists ALREADY work as Mental Health Practitioners in health, education and community organisations. Change the legislation to reflect the reality AND mobilise a work force who are trained and READY TO GO!

Dr Alisoun Neville, Professional Arts Therapist and Mental Health Practitioner

Dr Alisoun highlights how arts therapy is an adaptable approach that makes mental health care a personalised experience, with an emphasis on individual choice and agency as major factors in supporting mental health and well-being.

Sign the Art Therapist = Mental Health Practitioner petition here:

https://www.change.org/arts-therapist-mental-health-practitioner

What is the problem

AND HOW CAN WE HELP?

Sign our petition here now: https://www.change.org/arts-therapist-mental-health-practitioner

Engaging the expertise of Mental Health workers is more crucial than ever in responding to the challenges facing Victorians due to COVID 19. The new initiative placing Mental Health Practitioners in all Victorian schools reflects this need.

The Victorian State Government’s Mental Health Practitioners in Schools Initiative Information for Schools FAQ sheet states “there are known workforce supply shortages in the mental health sector”.

There is an untapped workforce of trained Mental Health Practitioners who are ready and willing to participate in supporting the community – Arts Therapists.

Qualified Arts Therapists are trained to rigorous standards in Government regulated programs, and are registered through ARCAP. However, the definition of Mental Health Practitioner in the 2014 Victorian Mental Health Act does not mention our profession and hence we are unable to help fill important roles such as the new Mental Health Practitioner in Schools positions being rolled out throughout Victoria.

Arts Therapists are especially well equipped to engage with children and young people because of the range of creative modalities we use in our therapeutic approach. Arts Therapists already work effectively in many schools as part of well-being teams, and headspace centres in multi-disciplinary clinical teams.

We support an urgent revision of the definition of Mental Health Practitioner in the 2014 Victorian Mental Health Act to include ‘Qualified Arts Therapist’.

This revision will enable a massively under-utilised workforce of highly trained professionals to help with the demands on the Mental Health sector during this time of crisis and beyond, in the recovery period.