Legislative Info & Action Alerts
The Buckeye Art Therapy Association
Affiliate Chapter of the American Art Therapy Association

April 26, 2008

April BATA Legislative Training
Saturday April 26, 2008, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Capital University, Huber Spielman, Room 06, Columbus OH

BATA members came together on April 26 to learn more about BATA's art therapy certification act for title protection of Ohio art therapists and advocacy skills we can use with Representatives!

Members:
  • Learned the history of art therapy legislative efforts in Ohio;
  • Learned how to approach their Representatives;
  • Learned more about our Art Therapy Title Protection Act, how it differs from Art Therapy License to Practice Act, and why going for Title Protection is essential to Art Therapists in Ohio;
  • Created a 3 ring binder of information to give to thier Representative;
  • Received a Resource and Promo CD to give to their  Representative.

BATA members received 2.5 FREE CEUs for attending!  Thank you to all who attended and shared this day with us!


February 22, 2008

BATA to Attend Governor's Awards for the Arts & Ohio Arts Day in April

In effort to provide more visibility to BATA's current legislative efforts, BATA will be sponsoring a table at the Governor's Awards for the Arts Luncheon and attending Ohio Arts Day on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 in Columbus. Five from BATA's Board of Directors will be attending along with BATA members who have been assisting with recent legislative work.  The morning will include activities such as an advocacy briefing and Statehouse legislative visits. The luncheon will be attended by Representatives of the 127th General Assembly, with the keynote given by Ohio's Governor. This daylong event demonstrating public value and support for the arts is sponsored by Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation. 
For more information visit: http://www.oac.state.oh.us/News/NewsArticle.asp?intArticleId=332


January 31, 2008

BATA Receives Senate Sponsorship for Title Protection

BATA Member Eileen Pappalardo and 1st Vice President Michele Tarsitano-Amato had a wonderful meeting on January 27 with Ohio Senate Representative Timothy Grendell.  Senator Grendell stated that he will sponsor our Title Protection Bill /Art Therapy Certification Act on the Senate side. 

We will be looking for BATA members who live in Senate Educational Committee members districts to become active with letter writing and meeting with their Representatives to discuss the positives of art therapy and why title protection is important for Ohio art therapists. 


January 16, 2008

CALL FOR SUPPORTERS TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY
Update from Michaele Barsnack, Legislative Chair/Chapter Delegate

Thank you to those who have sent letters in our preliminary writing campaign!  We need your help in recruiting art therapists and non-art therapists who will provide testimony before the committee our legislation is assigned to and speak to the benefits of art therapy, and to the need of qualified art therapists in the form of title protection.

Please ask your co-workers, administrators, MD's, psychiatrists, psychologists and/or clients (if ethically appropriate) if they are willing to testify to the Ohio state legislator. 

If you know someone or you would like more information on how to go through the process of testifying, contact Michaele Barsnack , Gretchen Miller , or Michele Tarsitano Amato as soon as possible.  Things will begin to move a bit more quickly and we need a list of contacts to call who can testify within a 2 day notice.  Thank you for your help!


December 20, 2007

OHIO ART THERAPISTS GAIN A SPONSOR AND A BILL FOR TITLE PROTECTION

Greetings, BATA members!

As the result of a meeting between House Representative Jim McGregor, Gretchen Miller, Don Cutcher and Michaele Barsnack, Rep. McGregor has affirmatively agreed to move toward creating and sponsoring our bill for title protection. He will be forwarding a draft of the legislation to the Legislative Service Commission (LSC) where the bill  will be put into words and given a number. He is also going to put out a call for co-sponsors. Rep. McGregor suggested we also find someone on the Senate side to help our bill through the Senate. If anyone has a connection, please let us know.

PREPARE FOR LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN
Rep. McGregor stressed the importance of starting to send letters (in e-mail form) to House and Senate Representatives encouraging them to support our legislation. Look for a call to go out in the near future for BATA members to begin this letter writing campaign. This is where we will need the help of all BATA members. 

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR REPRESENTATIVE
Please log into the BATA Members Only Section and check out the BATA Legislative Database (Under the Legislation Info Section) to become familiar with your Representatives. Look for your name, find your Representative's link and learn more about what committees your Representative serves on, causes he/she supports, and his/her contact information.  

Thank you for taking the time to do this. It will benefit us all!

Sincerely,

Michaele Barsnack, ATR-BC
Legislative Chair and Chapter Delegate


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