Senator Hillary Clinton proclaims National Creative Arts Therapy Week

Mr. President, the process of using the arts therapeutically to assist victims of illness, trauma, disability and other personal challenges, has historically been under recognized as a valuable treatment, yet the benefits of this treatment are far reaching. The Creative Arts Therapies, comprised of the fields of Art Therapy, Dance/Movement Therapy, Drama Therapy, Music Therapy, Poetry Therapy and Psychodrama, are disciplines that foster creative expression to promote health, communication, self-awareness, emotional, social and cognitive functioning. I rise today, to proclaim National Creative Arts Therapies Week, June 1st-7th, 2003 as a time to recognize this unique service.

Creative Arts Therapies have been practiced in the United States for over 50 years with people of all ages and problems. Such therapists work in medical hospitals, rehabilitation centers, mental health facilities, day treatment centers, nursing homes, schools, homeless shelters, correctional settings, and in private practice. Creative arts therapists have helped people who have undergone trauma, loss, acute physical and chronic illness, emotional disturbance, or struggle with depression, retardation, developmental disabilities and addictions. Their contributions during the aftermath of 9-11, assisting victims and the bereaved through trauma treatment and the alleviation of post-traumatic stress were invaluable.

I want to recognize and thank Creative Arts Therapists in America who are assisting the most vulnerable in our society with valuable therapeutic intervention. There are over 15,000 licensed clinicians who meet high quality standards of graduate education and practice. Various States, including New York have additional licensure requirements, which protect patients from fraudulent practitioners and maintain the quality of care to the highest standard. These credentialed clinicians constitute a vital force of mental health professionals in our country. However, many Americans are unable to access such services because awareness about their effectiveness and employment of such therapists is not sufficiently widespread.

The National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations is collectively celebrating the history and status of their profession. They will be showcasing workshops, presentations and exhibits throughout the United States to inform the public, healthcare practitioners, insurers and legislators about the therapeutic value and significance of this discipline.

I therefore proclaim National Creative Arts Therapies Week, June 1st - 7th, 2003 as a time to recognize the unique service provided by these clinicians. Further, I encourage my colleagues in Congress to support the Creative Arts Therapies fields and expand awareness about this form of treatment. Particularly at this time of heightened sensitivity to maintaining mental health, we should recognize the Creative Arts Therapies as a way to help those in distress through the power of the arts to heal.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton