Employment and Public Relations Committe of AMTA

Amy Hemenway, MT-BC
Email Amy Email    Call Amy (860) 704-0660
The Employment and Public Relations Committee is focused on promoting awareness of music therapy as a "viable healthcare profession and as an efficacious clinical intervention." (AMTA website) Developing communication programs that articulate the benefits of music therapy to medical, educational and community-based settings, is one of this committee's primary goals. This includes the dissemination of accurate and up-to-date information on music therapy to members and consumers of AMTA. Providing educational and technical assistance to those wishing to enhance or develop effective therapeutic and ethical business models is also a priority of this committee.

An NER display board has been created for utilization by NER/AMTA members who seek to represent/promote the music therapy profession at conferences, workshops, presentations, college fairs, etc. It includes several pictures and articles about local music therapists and how their services are impacting several educational, medical and community-based settings. If you have something you would like to contribute to this board or would like to use it for an event, please contact me.

Committee Report
Written by Amy K. Hemenway, MT-BC   
Thursday, 25 June 2009
The Employment and Public Relations National Committee met during the recent AMTA conference in St. Louis.  Many issues were discussed including the possibility of taking steps to reorganize the AMTA website.  This committee would like to work with the webmaster in correcting outdated and inaccurate information, as well as developing a more "user friendly" format.

The subject of showcasing regional display boards at national conferences was discussed in great length.  Several regions have been reluctant to bring their display boards to conferences due to the fees associated with shipping and displaying in the exhibit hall.  This committee proposed designating a "regional contact area," where display boards and related PR materials may be showcased throughout the conference in an area that would remain separate from the exhibit hall.  The national board has not reached a decision regarding this issue, at this time. 

One of this committee's ongoing charges has also been working on sending letters to webmasters who maintain various career databases.  We are asking them to include information on music therapy, on these websites.  This committee has also requested that the AMTA website be linked to these databases so that students will have easier access to music therapy resources.

There are now AMTA educational materials and brochures available to all of our New England Region members at no cost.  If you are planning an in-servide presentation, a display at a college fair, or would like to educate potential emplyers on the benefits of music therapy, and are interested in utilizing some of these resources, please contact Amy Hemenway, Employment and Public Relations Representative at (860) 704-0660 or email me.  These items include "Music Therapy Makes a Difference," "Music Therapy as a Career," and "Resources and Trends in Music Therapy Reimbursement" brochures.  Reprinted articles from Newsweek, USA Today, and Advance magazines are also available.  Please allow for 7-10 business days when requesting that these articles be shipped to you.  The NER display board is ready for your use in addition to the mentioned educational materials.

We are interested in including any published new articles about New England music therapists or pictures of you at work on our NER display board.  If you are interested in contributing to this display, please contact Amy Hemenway. 
 
About Amy: Amy earned her Bachelor of Music Degree from Marywood University in the fall of 1997.  She began her private practice in September of 1998, after completing her internship at Taconic Developmental Center in Wassaic, NY.  Amy contracts with several public and private schools, as well as some group homes and an adult day care center within the Greater Hartford area. Providing group and individual services for people with a variety of special needs, has been the focus of her practice.  Amy works primarily with children diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum, but also has experience working with people with Downs syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Williams Syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis.  
 
Amy is very passionate about singing.  She cantors weekend masses at St. Patrick Church in East Hampton, CT, and is also a member of the Greater Middletown Chorale.  She resides in Central CT with her husband Kirk and two cats, Dante and Isabelle.