This week, AATA sent a letter to President Joe Biden outlining our mental health priorities. In it, we also urged President Biden to address mental health issues as part of his plans to combat the Coronavirus pandemic. Art therapists have been on the frontlines of the pandemic, both as essential workers and supporting Americans via teletherapy, through loss, isolation, depression, and other challenges. Art therapists are keenly aware of the serious mental health needs of children and adolescents caused by the pandemic, the consequences of prolonged isolation of older adults, as well as persistent disparities in access to mental health services among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

We want to share with you a recent notice by the Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education inviting applications for new awards for FY 2021 for the Assistance for Arts Education (AAE) Program. The agency identifies art therapy as a program priority—so we encourage you and your colleagues to consider applying.  Please note that the deadlines are fast-approaching: The notice of intent is requested by Feb. 16 and the application deadline is March 16. 

At AATA, our members are at the heart of our organization! It’s our goal to support you at every stage of your professional journey—as a student or new professional seeking mentorship, a long-time practitioner sharing best practices, or an educator looking for new ideas. This infographic is only a snapshot of our members’ involvement to elevating the art therapy profession. We hope it’ll inspire others to get involved and connect. See you at the next member meeting or on MyAATA!

We invite you to submit a proposal for the AATA’s 52nd Annual Conference to be held in San Diego, CA this fall. The deadline to submit proposals is March 25. There are a few changes this year to the submission process so please read the instructions before you begin. When you are ready, submit online here.

Did you know that the American Art Therapy Association provides online access to several art therapy specific bibliographies and resource lists? Thanks to our incredible volunteers, each list was crafted to offer evidence of the effects of art therapy with various populations and can be used to advance the field. Each list – including the Outcomes Bibliography, the Multicultural Committee Selected Bibliography, the Art Therapy Assessments Bibliography, and the National Art Therapy Thesis and Dissertation Abstract Compilation – is available on the Research page on our website. 

The AATA's Research and Multicultural committees welcome input from art therapists who become aware of publications or resources that may have been missed.

Preserving my identity heavily relies on community and safe spaces. Being able to share my experiences, to exchange knowledge, and to gain insight with other individuals who are affiliated with my culture provides a sense of belonging and comfort. By spreading awareness of my cultural identity to others as well provides an opportunity to discredit misconceptions that have been adapted as “cultural norms” in society. I personally strive to continue to educate myself on the vast history of my culture in order to fully be aware of my identity.

Is counting sheep not helping with sleep? Try coloring, or in fact, creating any artwork. Physical distancing restrictions, disruptions in daily routines, as well as public health and economic concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic have had negative effects on mental health and sleep patterns, according to the American Journal of Managed Care. Wayne State University professors and art therapists say creative expression may help achieve a full night of sleep.

Can art therapy have measurable health outcomes on our physiology and psychology? How can creativity and self-expression aid in resilience, recovery, and overall health? Join [the Business Council for the Arts] for a fascinating conversation with Dr. Girija Kaimal, a trailblazer in the world of art therapy who was listed among 100 women scientists leading research and one of the ten people whose research changed the world.

VIDEO: A hospital in Cleveland is repurposing its coronavirus screening sticker system to create some amazing artwork. “We started getting the stickers in late April,” Michelle Chavez, an art therapist at University Hospital’s Rainbow and Babies Children’s Hospital, told Fox8.

No one knows when the pandemic will come to an end. Because of this uncertainty, licensed professional counselor and registered art therapist Bob O’Brien said we can use art to soothe us.

As an Afro-Latinx woman, I’ve often felt left out of the mental health conversation," writes Chelsea Candelario. "In my search for a therapist, I found myself scrolling through photo after photo of people who didn’t look like me. I was already anxious and upset, and the lack of representation in my search only compounded those emotions.

Domestic violence reports have increased significantly since the start of the pandemic, but adults are not the only ones affected. The Liberty House of Albany and the Albany Museum of Art have teamed up to provide art supplies for kids in the shelter who have been displaced by domestic violence situations.

Another piece of legislation with Sen. Jon Ford’s name attached relates to the licensing of art therapists and calls for qualifying art therapy services to be reimbursable under Medicaid. The bill aims to provide licensure to professional art therapists and art therapist associates by the behavioral health and human services licensing board. A licensed art therapist or art therapist associate must fulfill certain qualifications and requirements.

Zoe MacBeath, 13, of Dornoch has Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, which causes persistent joint pain, swelling and stiffness, along with other complications, such as eye inflammation. To help her deal with the condition, MacBeath was referred to art therapist Nicola Kennell of mental health charity the Teapot Trust.