Music Therapy on the IEP: Layman's Terms for Parents As Advocates

Originally enacted in 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees the rights of all children with disabilities to a “free and appropriate public education.” For some excellent resources on IDEA and what all it entails, see here and here.

Any parent whose child is receiving special education services under IDEA is generally familiar with the rights and services they receive under IDEA, but it seems like the best-kept secret of IDEA is that music therapy is a related service.

This means that music therapy can be added to a child’s IEP at no cost to the family. If you know how to ask for it and are willing to be assertive about your rights as a parent, your school system will pay for your child to receive music therapy services as part of their IEP. For information and research on how music therapy can improve educational and quality of life outcomes for children with a variety of needs and diagnoses, please see: Music Therapy with Young Children

Music Therapy in Special Education

Music Therapy in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Music Therapy Research: Autism Spectrum Disorders

Music Therapy Research: Special Education

Music Therapy Research: Williams Syndrome

The basic process for obtaining music therapy services on an IEP is outlined as simply as possible below. (Credit for the following information goes to Judy Simpson, cited under “References.”)

1. Request a Music Therapy Assessment

Under IDEA, parents are an equal part of the IEP team and have the right to request assessments for related services. Parents can request an IEP meeting or can wait for the next scheduled meeting to make a request for a music therapy assessment. Parents have the right to contract with a music therapist separately for an assessment, of course, but that gives the school system the right to refute the results of the assessment. Time and expense can be saved by going through the school system for the assessment to begin with. Once an assessment has been requested, a school system cannot legally deny you one, but many may try as a way to avoid the expense of paying for services. You may need to remind the school system that you are guaranteed the right to assessments for your child and they must comply.

2. Music Therapy Assessment is Completed

Once the school system complies, they will contract with a music therapist of their choosing to complete the assessment for your child. You may want to check The Certification Board for Music Therapists to make sure the therapist the school contracts is actually a board-certified music therapist. Assessments vary somewhat from state to state, but in order for a music therapist to recommend that your child receive services, your child’s progress toward IEP goals will need to be measured without music therapy services and with them. If a qualified therapist determines that your child will make significantly more progress toward IEP goals with music therapy to the point that music therapy can be considered necessary for your child’s education, then that therapist will recommend services for your child.

3. Following Up With the School System

Again, many school systems will balk at this stage and attempt to deny access to services. This is generally for financial reasons. However, they are in violation of IDEA laws if they attempt to withhold services after a qualified therapist has deemed those services necessary. A written notice and reminder of their duty is all that is typically needed to encourage a school system to comply. However, sometimes it is necessary to enlist legal help and inform the school system that you will be seeking fulfillment of your rights through the courts if necessary. That being said, it is almost never necessary to actually go to court as most school systems find that the expense and bad press of litigation are not worth fighting. If you find that your school system is reluctant to grant you access to your rights, there are many organizations for parents of children with special needs who can provide you a lawyer at little to no cost.

A Final Note: Parents as Advocates

Parents, as advocates for their child’s rights, must drive the process of obtaining music therapy services on the IEP. This removes music therapists from a real or perceived conflict of interest in assessing and recommending for or against services. However, if you would like assistance and resources for the process, it is strongly recommended that you contact the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and let them know that you are attempting to add music therapy services to your child’s IEP. AMTA can assist parents by providing research and public relations materials, a letter of support addressed directly to school administrators, a copy of the letter from the U.S. Department of Education which clarifies music therapy as a related service, as well as many other additional resources. 

If you decide to pursue music therapy services for your child, I wish you the best of luck. You may find that music therapy makes a difference!

References:

Simpson, J. (2002). Increasing access to music therapy: The roles of parents, music therapists, and AMTA. In B. L. Wilson (Ed.), Models of music therapy interventions in school settings (2nd ed., pp. 3-6). Silver Spring, MD: The American Music Therapy Association, Inc.

Advocacy: The Student Edition

Last year, one of the best posts to come out of Social Media Advocacy Month was Top 10 Times You're an Advocate and You Don't Even Know It by the fantastic Kimberly Sena Moore. Music therapy students, if you don't know who she is, I suggest you start following her on Twitter and reading her blog, Music Therapy Maven. She's an advocacy rock star!

Since a student's involvement with music therapy is a little different than that of a working professional, I offer you all the best ways I have found to advocate as a student!

1. Educate Mom & Dad (and your siblings, and grandparents, and cousins, and nieces and nephews, and great aunt Sally)
Don't be afraid to take a few minutes at the next family dinner and chat with your family about what you are going to school for. Most people are naturally fascinated by the idea of music therapy, so go ahead and ask your family what they already know and fill in any major gaps in their knowledge. The coolest thing happened to me over the holidays. A friend of the family asked what music therapy was all about, and before I could open my mouth, my parents started explaining it like advocacy pros!

2. Social Media
Our generation was practically born with Facebook and Twitter accounts. Use that knowledge of social media to share music therapy news with your family and friends. Follow music therapists on Twitter, and like music therapy businesses on Facebook. Check out the AMTA News page for ideas of what to share using social media.

3. Practice Your "Elevator Speeches"
The question, "What is music therapy?" will be with you like a birthmark until music therapy becomes so mainstream that it would be laughable not to know about it. Until that day, people will ask you this in restaurants, grocery stores, in lines, in the park, you name it. The challenge for you is answering this question in less than 2 minutes! Practice answering the most common questions you hear and see how concise you can get your answer while still giving the most important points.

4. Wear It Out Loud
Does your music therapy student organization have t-shirts or hoodies? Do you have any AMTA apparel? Don't save it for lazy Saturdays in the house. Instead, wear your music therapy clothing out to run errands and be prepared to answer "What is music therapy?" yet again.

5. Gig In the Name of Music Therapy
Every time I perform for anything, when someone compliments a performance, my response goes something like this. "Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it. I am actually majoring in music therapy, so I would hope my education is paying off." And again, I answer, "What is music therapy?"

6. Start a Music Therapy Blog
It's not hard, and even as a student, you will have valuable things to share. I promise.

7. Join Your CBMT State Task Force
If you really want to be involved with advocacy, this is the way to go. I'm not kidding. I did it, and so did a fellow Drury student. We have gotten to participate in conference calls and be "in the know" with the process of state recognition in Missouri. If there is anything students can do along the way, I want to know about it and help. Check out the CBMT State Recognition page and brainstorm ways you could be involved with the process. Contact your state task force to offer your services.

I didn't quite make 10, but I bet you have some more ideas! Share them in the comments below.

Saturday Shout Out: Taking Body Blows

This Saturday Shout Out goes out to my dad, Ray Blevins.

It was around this time last year (one week before finals) that my dad wrote me a super encouraging Facebook post. He reminded me that while my stress was high and the semester was knocking me around a little bit that I would make it. To slip into a boxing analogy for a moment, he told me that all the best fighters had to take repeated body blows before they could wear down their opponents and claim victory. Next week includes 2 project presentations, 3 tests, a review packet or two, a recital class performance, and who knows what all else. Next week may feel like black eyes and broken ribs, but those are just body blows. It's not a knockout. I just need to go two more rounds (weeks) in the ring with this semester and then, the KO is mine. So, thank you, Dad, for your insight and wisdom.

Now I want to know, whether you are a student, a practicing therapist, or a supervisor/educator, what body blows have you been taking lately? Who or what helps you stay in the ring until the final bell?