American Music Therapy Association

Programs: Public affairs & government relations: public affairs fulfills the mission of amta by "increasing access to quality music therapy services" through extensive public relations efforts, including the website, publications, and technological tools. Amta educates the public about the therapeutic value of music and the ways in which music therapy interventions ameliorate symptoms or help manage illness and disabilities. Selected information is provided free-of-charge to the public, consumers, parents, healthcare and education officials and others.

membership and professional development: amta provides technical assistance to and quality control for its 80+ approved music therapy curriculums at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. Additionally, amta conducts extensive continuing education programs that reflect medical advances and cutting-edge data to ensure that "quality music therapy services" are being provided by its members. An extensive library of amta-published resources is widely available, which includes monographs, text books & ecourses. A publishing partnership with oxford university press has expanded journal resources throughout the us and around the world, including no-cost services for developing countries.

wilson trust project: the wilson trust music therapy project seeks to improve music therapy service availability and accessibility in the puget sound region of washington. The wilson trust awarded a $400,000 grant to amta in fiscal year 2011 for this purpose. To date, funds have been used for: small grants to assist local music therapists; continuing education opportunities in the area; support of practicum site development for seattle pacific university; and as a matching grant to expand music therapy services at seattle children's hospital and developing a new music therapy program as part of the snohomish county music project. Plans to provide additional incentives to grow music therapy will continue in the coming years until the grant is fully expended.