Judy Simpson, AMTA Director of Government Relations, represents the music therapy profession with legislators, agencies, and coalitions on the state and federal level. In this role, she has provided testimony to the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Administration on Aging, and legislative committees in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Representing AMTA as a National Partner, Judy serves on the Legislative Planning Committee for Arts Advocacy Day, an annual national arts initiative sponsored by American for the Arts.
Since 2005, Judy has led AMTA’s national state recognition initiative in collaboration with Certification Board for Music Therapists’ Regulatory Affairs Advisor, Dena Register and Regulatory Affairs Associate, Kimberly Sena Moore. She has presented and participated in advocacy trainings and events in 26 states and has contributed to legislative and regulatory language in 40 states. Judy has personally met with state and federal legislators and state agency officials to support increased access to quality music therapy services provided by qualified board certified music therapists.
In addition to her government relations work, Judy is also responsible for providing reimbursement guidance to AMTA members and music therapy consumers. She holds the professional designation of “Managed Healthcare Professional” from America’s Health Insurance Plans, (AHIP) and is the co-author of “Music Therapy Reimbursement: Best Practices and Procedures”. Prior to her work with AMTA, Judy’s 20+ years of clinical experience as a board certified music therapist involved developing music therapy programs in hospital settings, including physical rehabilitation, oncology, labor and delivery, psychiatry, ICU, and general medicine.