“As practitioners, YOU are the voice of your profession,” said Sarah Laing, MMEd, MT-BC, who chairs the Practice Analysis Committee shepherding this year’s process.

The practice of music therapy is a living, breathing process that changes, develops, and improves over time. That’s why every five years, CBMT undertakes a new Practice Analysis process to update CBMT’s credentialling exam for the music therapy profession. The goal is to incorporate changes in the way music therapy is evolving.

There are two steps that involve the community of MT-BCs:

Select a representative group of MT-BCs to make up the Practice Analysis Committee (PAC)

☐ Send a survey to every active MT-BC – coming soon!

The last Practice Analysis was completed in 2019, and the process for the new 2024 Practice Analysis was kicked off last year with the selection of the 10 new members for the current PAC.

Since CBMT’s primary responsibility is to administer the certifying examination for the MT-BC credential, it is essential the exam is based on the music therapy Practice Analysis – valid job analysis data is collected and extrapolated with participation of current MT-BCs.

During the 2019 Practice Analysis process, many MT-BCs participated, including those living outside the U.S. from 10 other countries. With over 10,000 current MT-BCs, CBMT expects to see even wider participation this year.

The Role of the New Practice Analysis Committee

Every PAC member holds the MT-BC credential, and all are practitioners and educators who apply and are appointed to the committee by the CBMT Board’s Development Committee. The PAC is intended to represent a cross-section of MT-BCs that have been certified by CBMT.

The Practice Analysis process validates the tasks performed and the knowledge needed to provide safe and effective practice. Survey participants are asked to respond to the survey by providing a realistic portrayal of their actual experience as a music therapist.

“The Practice Analysis process involves the entire MT-BC community,” said CBMT’s new Executive Director, Jennifer Mankowski, BSN, RN. “MT-BC Committee volunteers work directly with the testing vendor, and invite current board-certified music therapists to participate in the process through the Practice Analysis Survey. The information provided in the survey is used as a basis for the development of the examination. The MT-BC community of professionals and their participation in the Practice Analysis Survey is an essential step in the process.”

To participate in the survey you must have an updated email address in your CBMT account.

Impact Your Profession – Complete the Survey Coming Soon

The work of the new PAC members began in earnest earlier this year.  The PAC is now completing the new Practice Analysis Survey that will be emailed to all board-certified music therapists in late September. Data regarding music therapy knowledge and skills is collected on the detailed survey.

“The Committee has developed a new Practice Analysis Survey where each of you has the opportunity to identify your actual on-the-job requirements,” Sarah said. “As the field of music therapy continues to morph, it is essential that these competencies are accurately reflected in the Board Certification Domains. These domains, in turn, drive the Examination content.”

Completed surveys will be due in October, and the data analysis on the survey results will occur when the completed surveys are received.

Hear more from PAC members about the importance of the survey and your role in the Practice Analysis.

The Relevance and Impact of CBMT’s Board Certification Domains

Board Certification Domains define the body of knowledge that represents competent practice in the profession of music therapy. And, continuing education credits must relate to an area identified in the Board Certification Domains.

“Be empowered to advance the music therapy profession and ensure your experience is reflected in the Practice Analysis,” urged Alaine E. Reschke-Hernandez, PhD, MT-BC, Chair, Continuing Education Committee. “In this grassroots effort, your voice influences the evolution of the Board Certification Domains and has a ripple effect on the design of continuing education opportunities and state of the profession for years to come.”

The new test questions developed through this process will be incorporated into the CBMT Board Certification exam beginning in the fall of 2025, after being pre-tested to ensure content validity and reliability. Where changes are noted, questions may be revised. Older exam questions that are no longer relevant are retired.

Andrea Crimmins, PhD, MT-BC, Chair of the CBMT Board of Directors, reminds us all: “We need every board-certified music therapist to participate in this very important process by taking the time to thoroughly and conscientiously complete the survey. The collective information gathered from all music therapists best represents current practices across regions, clinical areas, and philosophical backgrounds.”

About CBMT Practice Analysis
The Practice Analysis is developed using guidelines issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and American Psychological Association standards for test validation. CBMT also works with a testing firm, PSI, and adheres to the guidelines of the American Educational Research Association and the National Council on Measurement in Education. The MT-BC program is accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies, the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, ICE, which additionally requires these practices to be followed. Board-certified music therapists must practice within the Board Certification Domains and adhere to the CBMT Code of Professional Practice.

The post 2024 CBMT Practice Analysis: MT-BC Survey Coming Soon appeared first on CBMT.

The Practice Analysis Committee (PAC) members, as well as members of the Continuing Education Committee and the Executive Board of Directors, reiterate the fact that the process belongs to “all of us.” Our CBMT volunteers share the importance of universal participation below. Read more about the process.

“My experience on this committee was pleasant and informative. I feel that all the participating members, as board-certified music therapists, had a wealth of knowledge and experience; to be able to work together and collaborate on ways to keep the profession moving forward and recognized was crucial. It was an honor to contribute my expertise and experience as a clinician amongst other clinicians and educators to ensure that a music therapist’s tasks within the scope of practice were valid and relevant.

I initially decided to volunteer to gain a better perspective of music therapists as a whole within the field. What I didn’t know is that I gained a lot more about our role as music therapists in the community, schools, organizations, and clinical settings. The excitement of those I collaborated with contributed to my own willingness to volunteer and help any way I could.

The music therapy community is small but mighty. One music therapist’s experience does not summarize or replace another’s experience. In order to keep the profession moving forward requires the input of every music therapist possible.

Because we work with a multitude of populations, the experience and input from the surveys are so important to make sure the services we provide are clinical.

The more people participate, the more diverse the input, thus having a stronger representative of the communities we serve as music therapists. The more input provided will help serve other music therapists as well.” – Gloria Blankenship, MM, MT-BC, LPMT, NICU-MT, Music Therapist, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, Kennesaw GA

“The Practice Analysis Committee work has been the ultimate collaborative experience. We are all music therapists, but we have various roles as practitioners, educators, and scholars, endeavoring to take a thoughtful inventory of the music therapy knowledge needed to practice in the past, the present, and the future.

It’s exciting to focus on music therapy’s uniqueness and the knowledge music therapists need to be successful in their practice and accountable to their clients.

Our profession is not one size fits all, and identifying the core responsibilities of an entry-level music therapist presents many challenges. The Practice Analysis committee has worked thoughtfully to hone in on what is essential to music therapy practice for certification exam candidates. Your survey responses will bring to light the most crucial knowledge required to be a credentialed music therapist.

Our music therapy community is inquisitive, and we frequently receive survey invitations from our peers. Your responses to this survey will shape the target areas tested in future music therapy certification exams. Your response directly impacts what new music therapists will be asked to show knowledge on in future music therapy certification exams.

The committee cannot do this work in isolation. Your responses will give the committee a clear focus to align the exam with current music therapy practice.” – Beth Collier, MBA, LPMT, MT-BC, Music Specialist, A.G. Rhodes, Atlanta, GA

“This is the second time I have served on this CBMT committee, and both experiences have been highly positive, and the process has evolved since I last served in 2008. This committee has worked well together, having productive and respectful discussions when perspectives differed in how practices differed among the group.

I believe it is necessary to give back to the profession and the community at large through service. I have been active in service to the music therapy profession for over 20 years and value the broader perspective I gain about the profession and the professional relationships that are built. I am excited about the work we have done that builds upon the previous PAC committee’s work for the profession to continue moving forward and to provide future candidates with materials that support their preparation for the exam.

Please complete the PAC Survey as we need/want the larger community perspective on the knowledge needed for entry-level practice. The committee has worked hard to keep the user demographic (entry-level professional) in mind as we worked and need your feedback to further refine the content outline. I recognize that everyone gets a lot of survey requests. This particular request only happens once every five years. Please support the profession and our future colleagues by completing it.

It takes all of us working together to promote the profession and the MT-BC credential.” – Jennifer Fiore, PhD, MT-BC, NMT, Associate Professor and Director of Music Therapy, Western Michigan University, Irving S. Gilmore School of Music, Kalamazoo, MI

“My experience as a volunteer on the CBMT Practice Analysis committee allowed me to meet and interact with Music Therapists working in different areas as well as professors of music therapy. These interactions were encouraging as well as enlightening as we discussed the actual tasks of music therapists.

I decided to volunteer for the Practice Analysis committee as many of the issues facing the profession of music therapy have been addressed for many years, some with resolution and others continuing to evolve. I have worked as a music therapist for 40 years, so I want to contribute my knowledge and experience for the process of board certification.

I am encouraging all Board-Certified Music Therapists to complete the survey to ensure the high standards and reality of our practice in the health care field are verified.

Our MT-BC credential requires a high level of standards of practice and needs to be distinguishable. We need to continue to elevate our profession to a higher level where reimbursement is not even questioned.” – Amy Post Formella, MS, MT-BC, Music Therapist, King, WI

“I volunteered for CBMT service because this organization represents music therapists – all of us, in every area of clinical practice. I am excited to learn more about CBMT in this important year when the Scope of Practice is updated by surveying the community.

We get a lot of surveys these days! But this is no run-of-the-mill survey. The Practice Analysis Survey is an essential tool for music therapists to continue to define our professional practice. Please, stop, click, and complete the survey.

We are making strides in our state recognition efforts. Advocacy is a marathon, and we are still running. The MT-BC credential is the foundation of our professional recognition. Your support of the MT-BC credential ensures safe, effective music therapy for the public.” – Jennifer D. Jones, PhD, MT-BC, Professor of Music and Director of Music Therapy, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL

“Giving back to the profession that I care about so deeply has been an honor that I haven’t taken lightly. Over the past 5½ years and through two committees, I have worked with music therapists who come from different regions, theoretical orientations, and educational backgrounds. We all share the same desire to be of service to our profession and this has truly led to incredibly impactful and meaningful changes.

Several friends/colleagues had mentioned to me, over many years, that they felt I could truly be of service to CBMT, especially given my longtime and varied clinical experience, as well as my love of helping new music therapists. Simultaneously, as my interns completed their time with me, they would reach out with their board certification exam experiences; both good and not so good. Throughout those conversations, they also encouraged me to think about joining a committee at CBMT so that I could be an advocate for keeping the exam updated and relevant.

When I was offered a position on the exam committee 5½ years ago, I was honored to give back to my profession in this unique way. My experience at CBMT has been remarkably gratifying; both in the changes we’ve made over the years and in working so closely with the other committee members.

It is imperative that each music therapist give their feedback in this survey. Much like voting, one can only impact change by taking an active role in the process. The only way we can make the changes that are truly desired by our professionals, is by knowing exactly what is needed, and we can’t do that without everyone’s input.

The value of having a board-certified music therapist lies in the assurance that this person, the person you are entrusting with the wellbeing of your loved one, is an educated professional, practicing with the highest regard for safety, excellence, and accountability.

The only way to ensure this is that the profession of music therapy maintains credentialing standards that reflect current, evidenced based research, (in a multitude of areas and practices) as well as establishing the highest accountability for excellence in clinical practice as possible. We need the help of every board-certified music therapist out there to maintain these standards of excellence! – Laura Lenz, LPMT, MT-BC, Community Therapeutic Programming Manager, Third Ladder, Alpharetta, GA

“Serving on the Practice Analysis Committee has been an amazing experience in so many ways. It’s truly an honor to be working alongside a dedicated group of colleagues from across the country who care deeply about the music therapy profession, led by a skilled psychometrician from PSI Services! Everyone is given an opportunity to contribute. All opinions are valued, and group consensus is achieved admirably, as a result!

I have long been interested in serving on the Practice Analysis Committee. This work is certainly among the most important and impactful tasks that the Certification Board for Music Therapists is charged with. The entire process is fascinating!

Please know that completing the Practice Analysis Survey when it reaches your email box will make a difference. The findings, which YOU will have contributed to, will be reflective of the changes and developments in our field over the past five years. From this information, our Board Certification Domains will be re-developed. CBMT must have a full and complete picture of the job of a music therapist at this point in time. We need your voice!” – Lori Lundeen-Smith, MS, CCC-SLP, LPMT, MT-BC, Associate Professor of Practice, Director of Clinical Education, Department of Music Therapy, College of Health, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH

“Be empowered to advance the music therapy profession and ensure your experience is reflected in the Practice Analysis. In this grassroots effort, your voice influences the evolution of the Board Certification Domains and has a ripple effect on the design of continuing education opportunities and state of the profession for years to come. That is survey time well-spent.” – Alaine E. Reschke-Hernández, PhD, MT-BC, Assistant Professor of Music Therapy, Affiliate Faculty Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, IMPACT-AD Fellow Alumna, Interdisciplinary Music Affect and coGNition (IMAGN) Lab Director, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

“Through the Practice Analysis, each and every one of us may have an opportunity to contribute to the certification/continuing education for music  therapists. This is the time for us to take responsibility to move our profession forward.” – Hong-Yu (Joseph) Chang, MME, MT-BC, Continuing Education Committee Member

“We need every board-certified music therapist to participate in this very important process by taking the time to thoroughly and conscientiously complete the survey. The collective information gathered from all music therapists best represents current practices across regions, clinical areas, and philosophical backgrounds.” – Andrea Crimmins, PhD, MT-BC, Chair, CBMT Board of Directors, Associate Professor of Music Therapy, Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts, Illinois State University, Normal, IL

“As the field of music therapy continues to morph, it is essential that these competencies are accurately reflected in the Board Certification Domains. As practitioners, YOU are the voice of your profession. The Practice Analysis Committee, in conjunction with PSI, has developed a new Practice Analysis Survey where each of you have the opportunity to identify your actual on-the-job requirements. These domains, in turn, drive the Examination content.

I started volunteering with CBMT in 2007 after I realized the extent to which CBMT protected the patrons, and profession, of music therapy. Staff actively supported me in educating the community about what music therapy REALLY is, and the competencies required to administer such a service, when compared to those professionals without the MT-BC accreditation.

By completing the survey, you are a contributing factor in determining the proficiency of Board-Certified Music Therapists, thereby promoting a better understanding of our craft. Your voice will ensure MT-BC accreditation holds the highest standard of practice thereby protecting the consumer.” – Sarah Laing MMEd, MT-BC, Practice Analysis Committee Chair, Music Therapist, Clinician, Educator and Independent Contractor, Tucson, AZ

Click here for the complete list of Practice Analysis Committee Members.

The post CBMT Volunteer Voices Call for Participation appeared first on CBMT.

Established in 1983 to bolster the profession’s sense of accountability to those it served, CBMT is proud of its longstanding heritage as a recognized leader in the credentialing field. Today, over 10,000 music therapists in the United States and abroad hold the MT-BC credential.

In her new role as Executive Director, Ms. Mankowski will be responsible for leading CBMT’s staff team in delivering certification and recertification programs. In partnership with the Board of Directors, she will continue to advance the music therapy credentialing process and its recognition while growing the public’s awareness and number of credential holders.

Ms. Mankowski brings extensive experience in certification program leadership and management, including examination development and delivery. Previously, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of Credentia Nurse Aide Services where she oversaw a large staff team and over 20 state and regulatory client contracts providing the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program, medication aide certification examinations, and home health aide examinations in collaboration with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

“Jennifer’s leadership of an accredited healthcare professional certification program, executive-level organizational experience, close work with a nonprofit board, and background in examination development and delivery make her the perfect choice to lead CBMT into the next phase of its history,” said Andrea Crimmins, CBMT Board Chair. “We’re thrilled to welcome Jennifer aboard.”

“As an experienced executive who led and managed national certification programs, I’m very excited to join CBMT, the leading organization for music therapy certification,” said Ms. Mankowski. “CBMT’s commitment to provide a rigorous professional competency examination with a focus on ensuring access to safe, effective music therapy services demonstrates a deep commitment to all music therapists currently practicing and those considering entering the field. I look forward to upholding the organization’s vision and expanding its recognition.”

The search was conducted by Vetted Solutions – specialists in executive search for purpose-driven organizations.

Headquartered in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, CBMT’s mission is to ensure a standard of excellence in the development, implementation, and promotion of an accredited certification program for safe and competent music therapy practice. For further information:

www.cbmt.org

info@cbmt.org

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After years of development, this past fall, CBMT unveiled a new database designed to better connect certified music therapists (certificants) with opportunities for ongoing education. On the database, CBMT has a list of over 125 Approved Providers offering more than 300 courses, referred to as “opportunities,” for music therapists preparing for recertification.

“We wanted to develop a database that our certificants could easily search – something a little more interactive – on a platform that would allow Approved Providers to be able to display their courses with links directly to their websites and promotional pages for the courses,” said Hindi Burkett CBMT Continuing Education Coordinator, who has spearheaded the development of the new database.

Previously, it existed as a spreadsheet and was updated manually via email communication. Now, it’s a streamlined experience. The database is basically an interactive search tool – a jumping off point – that leads certificants to additional information about Approved Providers and the opportunities they have available.

Certificants can search by keyword or by opportunity type – recorded vs. not recorded, or asynchronous vs. synchronous. Each column is filterable, so certificants can easily refine their search based on their specific criteria. They can use the dropdown arrows at the top, free type in the search bar, or filter each column within the search results for more narrow results.

Opportunities are only approved for a one-year period. If you see an opportunity in the database that is expired, you can reach out to the Approved Provider to see if they are offering the opportunity again.

Since 1983, CBMT has been certifying music therapists and working to ensure the lifelong learning that is so important in the practice of music therapy. CBMT’s formal Recertification Program began in 1988 to ensure continuing competence and meet accreditation requirements for its certificants.

The recertification process for music therapists is designed to enhance each certificant’s knowledge through continuing education, professional development, and professional service opportunities. These three recertification categories reflect the outcomes of CBMT’s Practice Analysis Study and are relevant to the skills, abilities, and practical understanding required of the MT-BC certification.

Simplifying that process and providing CBMT certificants with opportunities provided by CBMT Approved Providers has been a long time goal.

Alaine Reschke-Hernandez, PhD, MT-BC and Chair, CBMT Continuing Education Committee, said the Committee’s work specifically addresses how to support and challenge music therapists to continually learn and grow. “Lifelong learning is crucial to ensure that board-certified music therapists provide quality services,” she said. The Continuing Education Committee is the official body that reviews all applications to approve an individual or organization to become an Approved Provider. CBMT offers a step-by-step video that explains the process in detail.

Prior to our new interactive database, it was just an Excel spreadsheet. We wanted something more interactive that would better link our certificants with Approved Provider opportunities.

                                                      – Hindi Burkett

CBMT Executive Director Joy Schneck, MM, MT-BC, is proud that CBMT offers such a robust array of continuing education opportunities – together with this new online database that makes the choices so much easier to access.

It was Einstein who said, “Everything must be made as simple as possible,” and there’s a benefit to doing so. While there’s nothing simple about the science of music therapy, simplifying the processes for recertification has made a notable difference over the years.

“More than 50% of the certificant body did not renew after CBMT’s very first recertification cycle,” Joy recalls. “But now CBMT is witnessing an average of 80% renewing today – completely online! Our goal has always been to underscore how essential the lifecycle of music therapy certification has been – and to ensure it is increasingly accessible to CBMT’s MT-BC certificants across the globe.”

The Approved Provider Opportunity Search Database is now available on the CBMT website. Visit cbmt.org to learn more about CBMT’s role in the field of music therapy.

The post CBMT’s New Approved Provider Opportunity Database Connects Music Therapists with Opportunities for Ongoing Education appeared first on CBMT.

CBMT’s International Footprint
Despite the vast cultural differences across the globe, the therapeutic process applied by music therapists worldwide remains the same. Recognizing this universality, CBMT plays a pivotal role in fostering accessibility, recognition and credentialing of music therapy as a globally respected profession. CBMT has successfully conducted examinations for individuals from over 25 countries, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, Finland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Australia, South Africa, Israel, Korea, and Indonesia. Joy Schneck, CBMT’s Executive Director, expresses excitement about the formation of a global community of music therapists, united by shared practice guidelines and clinical expertise.

Meeting the Global Demand
While only six percent of Music Therapists-Board Certified (MT-BCs) reside outside the U.S., there is a rising interest in CBMT’s certification in countries like Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, Europe, Australia, and South America. Recognizing the growing international demand for CBMT’s certification, the organization has streamlined its credentialing process for global candidates. Therefore, CBMT opened the doors for all international colleagues to apply for certification if they have a music therapy degree including 1,200 hours of supervised clinical experience under a qualified music therapy professional. Additionally, CBMT collaborates with organizations such as the Canadian Association for Music Therapists to administer testing. The Music Therapist Accredited (MTA) designation involves a successful internship evaluation, passing the CBMT exam, and a signed statement of adherence.

CBMT’s Partnerships
Partnering with PSI, Inc., CBMT administers exams at locations worldwide, contributing to the organization’s global outreach. CBMT’s examinations are primarily in English, except in Canada, where bilingual examinations in French and English are offered to comply with local regulations.

To delve deeper into CBMT’s international credentialing requirements and its influential role in the field of music therapy, interested parties are encouraged to visit cbmt.org.

The post Opening Doors to the World: CBMT’s Emerging Role in International Credentialing appeared first on CBMT.

The CBMT Executive Board of Directors is partnering with the Washington, DC-based search firm Vetted Solutions to conduct a search for its next Executive Director.  The Executive Director Position Profile is now available:

CBMT ED Position Profile

All applicants and inquiries are to be directed to Vetted Solutions and those listed in the position profile.

The post CBMT Executive Director Position Profile appeared first on CBMT.

Downingtown, PA, 12/15/2023 – The Certification Board for Music Therapists, the certifying agency for the profession of music therapy, announced today that its long-serving Executive Director, Joy Schneck, MM, MT-BC, will retire from her position once a successor has been appointed. The organization announced that it is initiating a search to identify a new leader.

Experienced in organizational development and certification management, with a passion for the provision of quality music therapy services, Joy has served as Executive Director of the Certification Board for Music Therapists since 1993. During her nearly 31-year tenure, she has guided the organization through periods of both challenge and growth.

Founded in 1983, the Certification Board’s mission is to partner and advocate with the profession to promote excellence by awarding board certification based on proven, up-to-date knowledge and competence in clinical practice, and to provide leadership in music therapy credentialing. CBMT provides valued leadership to more than 10,000 credentialled therapists in the music therapy profession across the U.S. and around the world.

Joy Schneck, MM, MT-BC

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to lead the Certification Board through nearly 31 years of maturation and growth,” said Joy. “During that time, we’ve been able to expand the ways in which the Board helps the profession and certificants achieve excellence in clinical practice. I’m very grateful to have been a part of those efforts for so many years.”

“Joy has dedicated herself to advancing CBMT’s mission since 1993 and has played a critical role in shaping CBMT into the organization that it is today,” said Board Chair Dr. Ellary Draper. “Joy’s tireless service through years of both development and change has built a strong foundation and positioned our organization for continued success after her departure. We thank her for her years of dedicated service and wish her the best in retirement.”

The Certification Board for Music Therapists is drawing on the steps in its succession plan to guide the process of selecting a new Executive Director. The Board of Directors has retained executive search firm Vetted Solutions to coordinate the search and has appointed a Search Committee to oversee the process. The search has commenced, and the organization’s goal is to have a new Executive Director identified by the Spring of 2024. The members of the Search Committee appointed by the Board are Chairperson Ellary Draper, PhD, MT-BC, Brijin Gardner, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT-S (CBMT Board Public Member), Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, PhD, MT-BC, Maureen Hearns, PhD, MT-BC, Janice Lindstrom, DLS, MT-BC, Meredith Pizzi, MPA, MT-BC, and Wendy Woolsey, MA, MT-BC.

“The Board of Directors of the Certification Board for Music Therapists recognizes the critical importance of this position to the long-term health of the organization and we are well prepared for this transition. We will keep our community updated on the progress of the search through announcements on both the CBMT website and via other online communications channels,” said Incoming Board Chair Dr. Andrea Crimmins.

The post Certification Board Announces Executive Director Retirement appeared first on CBMT.

As CBMT celebrates 40 years of changing lives through music therapy, its board members, executive leadership and certificants have been weighing in on the organization’s impact over the decades and the value of certification in the field.

Alaine Reschke-Hernandez, PhD, MT-BC and Chair, CBMT Continuing Education Committee, elected to volunteer for the Continuing Education Committee because the Committee’s work specifically addresses how to support and challenge music therapists to continually learn and grow.

“Lifelong learning is crucial to ensure that board-certified music therapists provide quality services…particularly as the evidence base (clinical wisdom, research, and client situations) that informs our practice evolves.”

On May 9, 1983, CBMT was initially formed with funding provided by the two predecessor organizations, the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) and the American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT), that eventually merged and became the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). Since then, CBMT has been performing the important work of certifying music therapists and being intricately involved in ensuring the lifelong learning that is so important.

In the beginning, CBMT was testing for both NAMT and AAMT. Today, CBMT tests not only for all music therapists who fall under the umbrella of AMTA, but for music therapists across the globe.

CBMT’s commitment has helped to create a healthy, vibrant community of music therapists – over 10,000 strong – who are impacting clients worldwide, and that community of certificants is active and vocal. When CBMT conducted its Certificant Perception Survey a few years ago, the message was clear that music therapists are passionate about what they do – almost 90% are happy to be music therapists – and they appreciate the value certification brings. In fact, over 97% of respondents believe CBMT successfully sets standards of excellence for safe and effective music therapy to enhance clients’ lives.

Why is certification so essential to the success the field of music therapy has experienced?

Here’s what the nearly 96% of certificants who planned to recertify stated as the top two reasons they value CBMT certification:

1. Certification provides evidence of professional commitment
2. Certification provides an indication of a higher level of clinical competence

One survey respondent said: “Board certification is a standardized recognition and requirement for this profession…it is absolutely important as a benchmark for other professions to recognize.”

Another survey respondent commented: “If it’s not MT-BC, it’s not music therapy.”

Laura Lenz, LPMT, MT-BC, a long-time Exam Committee Member, agrees: “The value of having a board-certified music therapist lies in the assurance that this person, the person you are entrusting with the wellbeing of your loved one, is an educated professional, practicing with the highest regard for safety, excellence, and accountability,” she said.

“The only way to ensure this is to maintain credentialing standards that reflect current, evidence-based research in a multitude of areas and practices, as well as establishing the highest accountability for excellence in clinical practice as possible.”

Laura Lenz has served on the CBMT Exam Committee for five years, and she is proud of the impact the committee has had on the field: “Having committee members who come from different regions, theoretical orientations, educational backgrounds, all of whom share the same desire to be of service to our profession, has truly led to incredibly impactful and meaningful changes.”

In considering some of the changes CBMT has made possible over the last 40 years, Joy Schneck, MM, MT-BC, Executive Director, provided just a few memorable examples:

“Forty years has seen so much change! CBMT transitionally certified 2,626 certificants in 1985 and administered its first exam in November of 1985 for 120 candidates. Today, we offer over 1,400 administrations a year. Some additional milestones since our founding:

• CBMT received its first NCCA accreditation approval in 1986, and accreditation has been ongoing ever since, with the next renewal in 2026.
• The Recertification Program began in 1988 to ensure continuing competence and meet accreditation requirements.
• Webinars outlining the processes for testing, practice analysis, and recertification were developed and offered at no cost for certificants.
• Testing moved from one administration a year, with results mailed a month later, to twice a year, and eventually to computer-based testing, which is offered daily, seven days a week and provides instant scoring.
• Two Self-Assessment Exams were developed to assist with exam preparedness and are revised every five years as part of the Practice Analysis process, as is the Board Certification Domains.
• Working collaboratively with AMTA, the State Recognition Plan began in 2005, and we now have music therapy recognition in seventeen states, with more to come!

CBMT has grown at a constant rate of 5-7% annually, from 1,972 certificants in 1993 – after 52% of the certificant body did not renew after the very first recertification cycle – to an average of 80% renewing today completely online. There are currently 10,211 certified today! We have come a long way, and excitedly look forward to the future of more growth, provision of quality services, unlimited continuing education opportunities, and a greater number of states with recognition!”

It was all made possible by the music therapists who make up CBMT – people who volunteer on the board and committees, and those who work in the field and live out every single day the value of what music therapy can accomplish in the lives of the people who are impacted.

“With more than 10,000 certificants, I think we are going to experience a snowball effect of new ideas and change, and probably even more interest in joining the profession. With all of this growth and change in mind, our Approved Provider program is an exciting aspect of CBMT that will help meet demands for learning opportunities related to emerging areas of practice, such as telehealth.” – Alaine Reschke-Hernández

“Without volunteers and certificants promoting the field and offering their service, I’m not sure that CBMT and music therapy as a profession would have grown as much in the last forty years,” said Ellary Draper, PhD, MT-BC and CBMT Board Chair. “My work at CBMT has impacted me in how I strategically think about the issues facing our profession, as well as possible solutions.”

What does CBMT’s Board Chair think lies ahead for the organization?

“I see CBMT continuing to grow and music therapy continuing to grow as a profession. I also have appreciated the hard work by CBMT’s staff and volunteers as we seek title protection and state recognition. I want to see continued progress across the nation, and I’m confident we will meet the goal of having title protection and/or state recognition in all 50 states.”

Visit cbmt.org to learn more about CBMT’s role in the field of music therapy.

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Every five years, the Practice Analysis is conducted to develop new Board Certification Domains for the music therapy profession. As CBMT’s primary responsibility is to administer the certifying examination for the MT-BC credential, its exam is based on this nationwide music therapy Practice Analysis that is reviewed and updated to reflect current clinical practice. Board certified music therapists must practice within the Board Certification Domains and adhere to the CBMT Code of Professional Practice.

The five-year mark is quickly approaching, and the preliminary steps in the process are already underway. The first step – applications for Practice Analysis Committee (PAC) members for this cycle – were due by the beginning of September.

This committee is intended to be a cross-section of the certificant body rolled up in 10 to 12 carefully selected professionals. They apply and are reviewed by the board development committee, then recommendations for selection are made to the board.

The work of the PAC committee will begin in earnest in early 2024. PAC committee members are practitioners and educators who are appointed to the committee. Part of their work is to document their practice and try to ensure representation of every theoretical model, population served, and all different cultural areas that need to be represented so that no bias is involved in the creation of the survey – or that biases are noted and addressed.

The PAC committee will develop a new Practice Analysis Survey that will be distributed in summer of 2024. Data regarding knowledge, skills, and abilities is collected by asking current practitioners to complete a detailed survey regarding their actual on-the-job requirements. Examinations are then linked to the defined body of knowledge based on data from the Practice Analysis and created to demonstrate a high degree of reliability and validity through psychometrically accepted statistical methods.

The responses to that survey will be reviewed and new test questions will be developed based on any new content the survey responses bring to light. The process measures practice and creates Board Certification Domains (BCDs) – effectively the exam content outline. To be included on the BCD listing, responses must meet a threshold of importance and inclusion across the total number of all responses, all geographic regions, and all years of experience.

Those new test questions will be incorporated into the CBMT Board Certification exam beginning in 2025. Old exam items not relative anymore are revised or retired, and new content items are incorporated into the exams after being pre-tested to ensure content validity and reliability.

All told, the process for the Practice Analysis takes a couple of years.

“It’s a highly complex process, but it boils down to a simple question: What is the job of a music therapist at this point in time, and what does competence in the profession look like?” said Joy Schneck, CBMT Executive Director.

The Practice Analysis works to advance the profession of music therapy. It encourages necessary links between examination content and job conduct by defining content that is critical to practice, and it also identifies the critical and essential skills necessary for safe and effective music therapy practice.

The current CBMT Board Certification Domains in use were developed from the results of the Practice Analysis study that kicked off in 2018 and was completed and put into effect in 2020. The Board Certification Domains define the body of knowledge that represents competent practice in the profession of music therapy and identifies what an MT-BC may do in practice. Continuing education credits, for example, must relate to an area identified in the Board Certification Domains.

The Practice Analysis process currently getting underway will lead to new Board Certification Domains  which will be the source of reference for recertification requirements and test specifications beginning in 2025.

Why is the Practice Analysis conducted automatically every five years? “Over the years, we’ve determined that the five-year mark is long enough but not too long to reevaluate what is happening in the profession,” Schneck said.

One of the rapidly changing aspects in the profession that will be thoroughly examined is the increasing use of telehealth and telepractice – which skyrocketed during the pandemic. What do competency measures in this type of practice look like? That is part of what the Practice Analysis will evaluate in this cycle.

The Practice Analysis is developed using guidelines issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and American Psychological Association standards for test validation. CBMT also works with a testing firm, PSI, and adheres to the guidelines of the American Educational Research Association and the National Council on Measurement in Education. The MT-BC program is accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies, the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence, ICE, which additionally requires these practices to be followed.

You can watch CBMT’s video explaining the Practice Analysis process in more detail. To learn more about CBMT’s role in the profession of music therapy, visit cbmt.org.

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“When testing centers shut down and candidates were not able to finish their internships or educational requirements, everyone was isolated, and we definitely felt what was happening, but growth continued even then,” said Joy Schneck, CBMT Executive Director. “A few months ago, we announced we hit the 10,000+ milestone, and now we’ve already well surpassed it. These are active MT-BC practicing music therapists, and their numbers continue to exceed expectations. This is a very strong profession.”

The level of excellence in the profession is even more a source of pride than its growth, and maintaining the industry’s standards always comes first.

One area where excellence and growth seem to work in tandem has been the state recognition plan. It has been a primary focus of CBMT and AMTA since 2005 when the two national organizations started the project jointly. This year, four new states – Washington, Illinois, Ohio, and most recently, Connecticut – now require state licensure to practice in the profession of music therapy.

Official state recognition is the first step toward successful inclusion within health and education regulations. This possibly allows for improved employment opportunities and increased access to reimbursement and state funding streams, such as private insurance, Medicaid waivers, and special education.

Learn more about state licensure requirements and the importance of state recognition.

It’s a national voluntary certification program, with different states having different requirements. With states that mandate licensing, the MT-BC credential is required. CBMT provides digital badging for verification, as well as paper certificates, to the new music therapists being certified every day in their states.

Even in states where no registration or licensure is required, employers require proper education and training, as well as CBMT’s MT-BC certificate.

“This current state of affairs in music therapy is something we’ve all worked together to bring about,” Joy added. “We should all be proud of what has been accomplished by our profession. It only confirms how important it is for all of us to support one another – and shows what we can do when we work together. This is a vibrant profession in large part because we each have an important role to play, and we are all committed to the practice of music therapy.”

The healthy state of the music therapy profession has indeed been a joint effort – from the schools to the students to the music therapy employers to the national organizations that shepherd the growth of the profession – all focused on expanding the depth and breadth of the profession in order to reach the people whose lives can be changed by music therapy.

To learn more about the music therapy profession and CBMT’s role in this profession, visit cbmt.org.

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