45:8B-70 Definitions relative to creative arts and activities therapy professions.

3. As used in this act:

"Board" means the State Board of Creative Arts and Activities Therapies.

"Board Certified Dance/Movement Therapist" means a person who practices dance movement therapy and is certified by the Dance/Movement Therapy Certification Board.

"Creative arts therapist" means any person licensed to practice a creative arts therapy pursuant to the provisions of this act.

"Creative arts therapy" means the integrated use of psychotherapeutic principles with art media, the creative process, creative expression, or creative movement to assist individuals, families or groups in:

(1) increasing awareness of self and others;

(2) coping with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences;

(3) enhancing cognitive abilities;

(4) identifying and assessing clients' needs in order to implement therapeutic intervention to meet developmental, behavioral, mental, and emotional needs; and

(5) other related psychotherapeutic remedies.

"Dance/movement therapist" means any person licensed to practice dance/movement therapy pursuant to the provisions of this act.

"Dance/movement therapy" means the integrated use of dance/movement and psychotherapeutic principles in a creative process which furthers the emotional, physical, cognitive, and social integration of the individual by utilizing, as a behavioral health discipline, the application of fundamental mental health, psychological, developmental and mind/body principles in order to: (1) facilitate human development and adjustment throughout the lifespan; (2) identify and assess clients with mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders that interfere with mental health or adequate functioning in order to implement therapeutic intervention to meet developmental, behavioral, mental and emotional needs; (3) conduct assessment for the purposes of evaluation and establishing treatment goals and objectives; and (4) plan, implement and evaluate treatment interventions designed to meet developmental, behavioral, mental and emotional needs for individuals or groups.

"Drama therapist" means any person licensed to practice drama therapy pursuant to the provisions of this act.

"Drama therapy" means the integrated use of psychotherapeutic principles, theater and creative processes to further the emotional, physical, cognitive, and social well-being of the individual. As a behavioral health discipline, the application of fundamental mental health, psychological, developmental, and mind/body principles are synthesized in an experiential process in order to: (1) facilitate human development and adjustment throughout the lifespan; (2) identify and assess clients with mental, emotional or behavioral disorders that interfere with mental health or adequate functioning in order to implement therapeutic intervention to meet developmental, behavioral, mental and emotional needs; (3) conduct assessment for the purposes of evaluation and establishing treatment goals and objectives; and (4) plan, implement and evaluate treatment interventions designed to meet developmental, behavioral, mental, and emotional needs for individuals or groups.

"Drama Therapy Board Certified Trainer" means a person who has been practicing drama therapy for a minimum of five years and is certified by the North American Drama Therapy Association.

"Licensed associate art therapist" means an individual who holds a current, valid license issued pursuant to section 11 of P.L.2015, c.199 (C.45:8B-61).

"Licensed associate dance/movement therapist" means an individual who holds a current, valid license issued pursuant to section 13 of this act.

"Licensed associate drama therapist" means an individual who holds a current, valid license issued pursuant to section 12 of this act.

"Licensed clinical dance/movement therapist" means an individual who holds a current, valid license issued pursuant to section 11 of this act.

"Licensed clinical drama therapist" means an individual who holds a current, valid license issued pursuant to section 10 of this act.

"Licensed professional art therapist" means an individual who holds a current, valid license issued pursuant to section 10 of P.L.2015, c.199 (C.45:8B-60).

"Registered Dance/Movement Therapist" (R-DMT) means a person who practices dance/movement therapy and is registered by the Dance/Movement Therapy Certification Board.

"Registered Drama Therapist" means a person who practices drama therapy and is registered by the North American Drama Therapy Association.

"Supervision" means: (1) ensuring that the extent, kind, and quality of creative arts therapy performed, as the case may be, is consistent with the education, training, and experience of the person being supervised; (2) reviewing client or patient records, monitoring and evaluating assessment, and treatment decisions of a creative arts therapy supervisee; (3) monitoring and evaluating the ability of the licensed associate in a creative arts therapy to provide services to the particular clientele at the site or sites where he will be practicing; (4) ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing the practice of a licensed professional in a creative arts therapy; and (5) completing that amount of direct observation, or review of audio or videotapes of a creative arts therapy, as deemed appropriate by the board.

L.2019, c.273, s.3; amended 2019, c.467, s.12.