Policy to Practice: A Case Study of Music Therapy in Illinois
Here at CHaSCI, we know that social care providers—such as social workers, community health workers, patient navigators, mental health providers, and many others—improves health equity and overall health outcomes. We also know that systemic barriers impede the integration of health and social care and limit patients’ access to social care services.
CHaSCI works to address these barriers through dedicated policy advocacy initiatives aimed at governmental and institutional policy change. One way that we work to address barriers is by increasing recognition for professional services and scope of work, particularly through legislation that dictates payment mechanisms for those services. While policy work can be slow and challenging, the eventual positive impact on patients and care providers is profound.
Today, we’ll explore two major state-level policy wins in the field of music therapy which highlight the importance of professional recognition.
What is music therapy?
Music has been linked to health and well-being since our earliest historical records. It has been used across the world for a variety of purposes, such as entertainment, ritual, communication, expression, community building, and social cohesion. Today, many of us continue to use music in our personal lives to achieve specific outcomes, such as motivating a workout, helping cultivate focus while working, connecting with friends and family, or encouraging reminiscence. Similarly to how physical therapists use movement to improve quality of life by addressing a specific need, music therapists use music to address a range of health-related needs.
Music therapy is the use of music by a bachelors-trained music therapist within a therapeutic relationship to address a patient’s physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs. Supported by a robust evidence base, music therapists work in diverse care settings such as hospitals, hospices, schools, prisons, long-term care facilities, and more. Music therapists design individualized treatment plans and interventions based on client music preference, goals, and setting. Typically, music therapy interventions fall into one of the four categories:
Re-creating, or playing an existing piece of music. This may look like a therapist singing a client’s favorite song while the client plays a drum. To see an example of a therapist and a client re-creating a preferred song, click here.
Composing, or creating a new piece of music. This may look like writing lyrics to a song or creating a beat on a piece of electronic music software. To see an example of songwriting using a 12-bar blues, click here.
Improvising, or making up music on the spot. Often, music therapists will support client improvisation by adding musical structure to support the client exploration. To see an example of a client improvising with a therapist supporting them with guitar, click here.
Receiving, or listening to music. This may look like a therapist guiding a client through a music-assisted relaxation, music-assisted pain management, movement to music, or facilitating a lyric analysis/song-based discussion.
To see an example of a music therapist using receptive music with a client, see the video to the right. This video also provides an excellent overview of hospice music therapy, and the therapist describes different interventions spanning all four categories to address a variety of goals with one patient over time.
Policies supporting music therapy workforce and payment
In order to practice music therapy in America, music therapists must hold a national certification in music therapy (MT-BC), thus protecting their patients by ensuring competent and ethical practice. In addition to the MT-BC, some states also require licensure, which helps establish music therapy as a standardized and regulated field, enhances reimbursement opportunities, and improves patient care.
In Illinois, the music therapy profession has achieved significant policy milestones over the past two years. On May 27th, 2022, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed Licensure Bill S.B. 2243 [EL1] into law, making Illinois one of twelve states that requires licensure for music therapy practice. This journey began in early 2010 when the Illinois Music Therapy Task Force, supported by the American Music Therapy Association, the Certification Board for Music Therapists, and the Illinois Association for Music Therapy, started engaging with state legislators. After years of advocacy, including hill days, meetings, phone calls, emails, and legislative edits, the team enlisted state affairs lobbyist Andrew Kretschmar in 2019. With Andrew's guidance, the bill finally passed in 2022, and the application for licensure was released on November 1, 2024.
Moreover, in early June 2024, music therapy was included as a covered service in the Illinois Medicaid Omnibus Package, effective at the start of fiscal year 2026. This made Illinois the first state to cover music therapy services through basic Medicaid, unlike states like Indiana and Michigan, which cover these services through Medicaid waivers for specific populations. This recognition significantly expands the reach of music therapists, allowing them to serve patients regardless of income.
The recent successes in the field of music therapy in Illinois exemplify the profound impact that recognition can have. The licensure of music therapists and the inclusion of music therapy in the Illinois Medicaid Omnibus Package not only enhance reimbursement opportunities but also expand access to essential services for diverse patient populations. These policy wins underscore the importance of professional recognition in ensuring competent, ethical practice and in breaking down barriers to care for those who need it most.
CHaSCI’s role: advocating for social care reimbursement
As we continue our efforts, we remain committed to advocating for policies that recognize and support the vital work of health and social care professionals. Through persistent and strategic policy work, we can create a more inclusive and effective care system that benefits both providers and patients alike.
You can learn more about music therapy at:
The American Music Therapy Association – www.musictherapy.org
The Certification Board of Music Therapists – www.cbmt.org
TEDx presentation by Deforia Lane, PhD, MT-BC, on “Music Therapy & Medicine: A Dynamic Partnership”
For further reading, check out A Graphic Guide to Music Therapy, by Bill Matney, Becca Kurtz, and Mandy Griffin
Please email Alyssa at alyssa_mcfadden@rush.edu with any questions about the article, or music therapy in general.