Legislation Would Enhance Access to Psychotherapy for NY’s Most Underserved Communities

Therapists represented by 1199SEIU are urging Governor Hochul to sign legislation improving Medicaid coverage to include licensed creative arts therapy.  Earlier this year, the New York legislature overwhelmingly approved changes to the state’s social services law to permit licensed creative arts therapists (“LCATs”) to bill Medicaid directly for their services, and now the legislation (A9018/S8715) is waiting for the governor’s signature to become law. 

LCATs, the second largest group of mental health practitioners in New York State, are masters-level psychotherapists who specialize in music therapy, art therapy, dance/movement therapy, drama therapy, and poetry/bibliotherapy. Over 2,000 LCATs provide psychotherapy in a wide variety of inpatient & outpatient settings around the state, but they are currently limited in their ability to bill Medicaid for their services. 

“This lack of access to creative arts therapy disproportionately affects children and adolescents in Washington Heights, many of whom are Medicaid users, and already face systemic barriers to care. Creative arts therapy is a vital, evidence-based practice that connects individuals in many ways traditional therapies often cannot, offering an essential path to healing for those navigating complex mental health challenges,” explained Gabriela Asch-Ortiz, a licensed creative arts therapist (LCAT) who practices at a hospital in upper Manhattan where she also serves as an 1199SEIU delegate. “Mental health providers, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers, are experiencing unprecedented burnout, further straining the system and limiting the care we can offer. Improving access to creative arts therapy is not just about filling a gap—it’s about ensuring that every child and family has equitable opportunities for comprehensive mental health support.” 

Facing an unprecedented mental health crisis, the therapists fought for this critical legislation to improve access to mental health and substance abuse services for vulnerable communities–while also reducing overall healthcare costs. Studies have shown that preventive mental healthcare, like creative arts therapy, decreases the need for much more costly acute and crisis level care. Allowing LCATs to directly bill Medicaid will not increase the state’s overall budget, but instead add more providers for psychotherapy, an already covered service. 

“We are dedicated to helping children and families impacted by intimate partner violence, trauma, and migration using holistic, culturally responsive, embodied, and radical healing approaches to process trauma. Working at a federally funded clinic at a teaching hospital, we have the privilege of providing creative art therapy services free of cost for families,” said Melissa Ulloa, a licensed creative arts therapist (LCAT).

“The children and families we treat are encountering challenges transitioning out of our program because there is a lack of similar services covered by Medicaid insurance in the community. It is imperative that New York enhance access to creative art therapy to bridge the gap of continued care for vulnerable and underserved families impacted by trauma,” added Missy Hall, a licensed creative arts therapist (LCAT) who works with Ulloa in a Manhattan hospital.

The therapists explained that they are uniquely qualified to work with patients who may not be able to fully express their needs verbally including children, those suffering from memory loss, and non-English speakers. Yet these clinicians are often unable to treat the low-income New Yorkers who would benefit from the non-verbal, inclusive, and culturally-centered arts-based interventions provided by creative arts therapy, because these patients are Medicaid recipients.

“We know Governor Hochul is committed to transforming and strengthening New York’s mental health system and this legislation would do just that. We are urging the Governor to help our patients who rely on Medicaid, and also help alleviate burdens faced by other mental health providers,” said Susanne Bifano, a licensed creative arts therapist (LCAT).