{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/54.1-3709.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/54.1-3709.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/54.1-3709.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/54.1-3709.1.html"}],"law_id":368887,"edition_id":2,"section_id":368887,"structure_id":52560,"section_number":"54.1-3709.1","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"2020, cc. 103, 233.","full_text":"As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\n“Music therapist” means a person who has (i) completed a bachelor’s degree or higher in music therapy, or its equivalent; (ii) satisfied the requirements for licensure set forth in regulations adopted by the Board pursuant to \u00a7 54.1-3709.2; and (iii) been issued a license for the independent practice of music therapy by the Board.\n\n“Music therapy” means the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship through an individualized music therapy treatment plan for the client that identifies the goals, objectives, and potential strategies of the music therapy services appropriate for the client using music therapy interventions, which may include music improvisation, receptive music listening, songwriting, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, learning through music, and movement to music. “Music therapy” does not include the screening, diagnosis, or assessment of any physical, mental, or communication disorder.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1375377,"text":"As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1375378,"text":"“Music therapist” means a person who has (i) completed a bachelor’s degree or higher in music therapy, or its equivalent; (ii) satisfied the requirements for licensure set forth in regulations adopted by the Board pursuant to \u00a7 54.1-3709.2; and (iii) been issued a license for the independent practice of music therapy by the Board.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"2":{"id":1375379,"text":"“Music therapy” means the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship through an individualized music therapy treatment plan for the client that identifies the goals, objectives, and potential strategies of the music therapy services appropriate for the client using music therapy interventions, which may include music improvisation, receptive music listening, songwriting, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, learning through music, and movement to music. “Music therapy” does not include the screening, diagnosis, or assessment of any physical, mental, or communication disorder.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":52560,"edition_id":2,"name":"Music Therapy","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":52558,"metadata":{"child_laws":3,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:01:01","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:17","permalink":{"id":1471115,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52560,"identifier":"2","token":"54.1\/III\/37\/2","url":"\/54.1\/III\/37\/2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52558,"edition_id":2,"name":"Social Work","identifier":"37","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":18,"parent_id":52479,"metadata":{"child_laws":15,"child_structures":3},"date_created":"2026-08-02 03:00:59","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:17","permalink":{"id":1471067,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52558,"identifier":"37","token":"54.1\/III\/37","url":"\/54.1\/III\/37\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52479,"edition_id":2,"name":"Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":3,"parent_id":52436,"metadata":{"child_laws":738,"child_structures":83},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:59:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:35:00","permalink":{"id":1468107,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52479,"identifier":"III","token":"54.1\/III","url":"\/54.1\/III\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":52436,"edition_id":2,"name":"Professions and Occupations","identifier":"54.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":118,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":1282,"child_structures":163},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:58:52","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:34:51","permalink":{"id":1466315,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":52436,"identifier":"54.1","token":"54.1","url":"\/54.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":368887,"structure_id":52560,"section_number":"54.1-3709.1","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/54.1-3709.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/37\/2\/54.1-3709.1","metadata":false},{"id":368888,"structure_id":52560,"section_number":"54.1-3709.2","catch_line":"Music therapy; licensure","url":"\/54.1-3709.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/37\/2\/54.1-3709.2","metadata":false},{"id":368889,"structure_id":52560,"section_number":"54.1-3709.3","catch_line":"Advisory Board on Music Therapy; membership; terms","url":"\/54.1-3709.3\/","token":"54.1\/III\/37\/2\/54.1-3709.3","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":368888,"structure_id":52560,"section_number":"54.1-3709.2","catch_line":"Music therapy; licensure","url":"\/54.1-3709.2\/","token":"54.1\/III\/37\/2\/54.1-3709.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/54.1-3709.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2020. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 103<\/a> and 233<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":368888,"section_number":"54.1-3709.2","catch_line":"Music therapy; licensure","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-3709.2\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1471117,"object_type":"law","relational_id":368887,"identifier":"54.1-3709.1","token":"54.1\/III\/37\/2\/54.1-3709.1","url":"\/54.1-3709.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/54.1-3709.1\/","token":"54.1\/III\/37\/2\/54.1-3709.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 54.1-3709.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:<\/p>

“Music therapist<\/span>” means a person who has (i) completed a bachelor’s degree or higher in music therapy<\/span>, or its equivalent; (ii) satisfied the requirements for licensure set forth in regulations adopted by the Board<\/span> pursuant to \u00a7 54.1-3709.2<\/a>; and (iii) been issued a license for the independent practice of music therapy<\/span> by the Board<\/span>.<\/p>

“Music therapy<\/span>” means the clinical and evidence<\/span>-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship through an individualized music therapy<\/span> treatment plan for the client that identifies the goals, objectives, and potential strategies of the music therapy<\/span> services appropriate for the client using music therapy<\/span> interventions, which may include music improvisation, receptive music listening, songwriting, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, learning through music, and movement to music. “Music therapy<\/span>” does not include the screening, diagnosis, or assessment of any physical, mental, or communication disorder.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 54.1-3709.1)\n\nAs used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\n“Music therapist” means a person who has (i) completed a\nbachelor’s degree or higher in music therapy, or its equivalent; (ii)\nsatisfied the requirements for licensure set forth in regulations adopted by the\nBoard pursuant to \u00a7 54.1-3709.2; and (iii) been issued a license for the\nindependent practice of music therapy by the Board.\n\n“Music therapy” means the clinical and evidence-based use of music\ninterventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic\nrelationship through an individualized music therapy treatment plan for the\nclient that identifies the goals, objectives, and potential strategies of the\nmusic therapy services appropriate for the client using music therapy\ninterventions, which may include music improvisation, receptive music listening,\nsongwriting, lyric discussion, music and imagery, music performance, learning\nthrough music, and movement to music. “Music therapy” does not\ninclude the screening, diagnosis, or assessment of any physical, mental, or\ncommunication disorder.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, cc. 103, 233.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}