Last month, Governor Kotek signed HB 3761 into law, expanding access to Art Therapy for Oregonians on Medicaid/Oregon Health Plan. This new law ensures that those with the fewest resources can benefit from this powerful mental health treatment.
Joining the Exchange to discuss the impact of the new law is Dr. Mary Andrus, Co-Director of the Art Therapy Program at Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling.
Dr. Andrus explained that Art Therapy’s reliance on somatic practices makes it especially effective for trauma treatment. “Neurobiologically, we know how trauma encodes in the brain in ways that can shut down a person’s ability to talk about it. Art Therapy uses approaches that soothe the nervous system and help create new, healthier responses,” she said. Art Therapy is also particularly helpful for engaging children and youth, as well as individuals with language barriers or who are nonverbal.
The new law positions Oregon as a national leader in expanding mental health care access while supporting art therapists in building sustainable, impactful careers serving the public.
