About AIMT
About Us
Music therapists in Indiana are committed to providing quality care to the individuals we serve, while educating the public on the benefits of this allied health profession through facility and community-based educational offerings, co-treating opportunities with other therapies, the training of new therapists in both undergraduate and graduate programs in Indiana, and ongoing advocacy efforts across the state.
Why Music Therapy?
There has been an increased focus on music and neurology, with a great deal of exciting research about how the use of music impacts functioning on a variety of levels: cognition/memory, physiology, and emotional response. Music also is known to impact socialization levels, pain levels, and can be used in rehabilitation or mental health. Music therapy is an allied health profession which has been an organized profession in the United States for approximately 60 years, but the use of music in healing and for health is centuries old. Today, research is being conducted on the use of music therapy with a variety of diagnoses and populations, and studies have been published in a variety of professional journals. The music therapy peer-reviewed journals include: Music Therapy Perspectives and the Journal of Music Therapy. An international online forum for music therapy is called Voices may be found at: http://voices.no, and other general information can be found on the American Music Therapy Association website.
Where do music therapists work in Indiana?
There are over 250 board-certified Music Therapists in Indiana who serve a number of client populations, which include: Autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities; traumatic brain injury and stroke; PTSD, depression, and other psychiatric disorders; substance abuse; geriatrics (including Alzheimer’s and dementia); hospice/palliative care; med/surgery; pediatrics, maternal health and premature infants/NICU. Indiana music therapists work in state agencies/hospitals, private hospitals, nursing facilities, day treatment programs, intensive out-patient programs, schools, clinics, and private practice.
Are music therapy services reimbursable?
Music Therapy services in Indiana are now being reimbursed through some private insurance companies, Indiana Medicaid Waivers (Community Integration and Habilitation Waiver and Family Supports Waiver), community and national grant programs, and private pay. A number of our therapists have been able to provide increased access to music therapy services for individuals in their Indiana communities, by becoming approved service providers through the Indiana Medicaid Waivers.
What does the future hold for music therapy in Indiana?
The future of music therapy in Indiana looks bright. Working with the American Music Therapy Association and the Certification Board of Music Therapists, we will continue to discuss and document the efficacy of music therapy services for the individuals we serve, while working to expand our advocacy efforts to increase access to quality music therapy services to the citizens of our fine state.
Executive Board:
President Leigh Ann Fuller
President-Elect Kathy Williams
Past President Jennifer Pinson
Vice-President Phoebe Neace
DEI RepresentativeKrista Cole
Treasurer/Membership Kaitlin Kemp
Secretary Mark Richins
Public Relations Elyssa DiRaddo
Webmaster Amy Foley
Clinical Training Jordy Novak
State Task Force Chair Amanda Henley
Government Relations Lindsey Wright
Advocacy Carolyn Dwyer and Kristin Knox
Continuing Education Jennifer Pinson
Historian Lori Peterson and Michelle Weller
Job Hotline Contact AIMT Webmaster
Jennifer Pinson
Past President & Continuing Education
Kathy Williams
President-Elect
Kathy is currently serving AIMT through the president-elect role. Kathy has a long history of service in the music therapy community through previous roles as AIMT Vice President, IN State Representative to GLR, and participation in planning committees for multiple […]
Jordy Novak
Clinical Training
Leigh Ann Fuller
President
Leigh Ann has been a board-certified music therapist for over 20 years. She graduated from Indiana University-Purdue University, Ft. Wayne in 1998. She has worked as a music therapist with Meaningful Day Services for 21 years and is currently the […]
Amanda Henley
State Task Force Chair
I have been a board-certified music therapist for almost twenty years. I worked as a clinician with children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for 10 years. During the past 9 years, I have managed music therapy clinical research […]
Lindsey Wright
Government Relations
Lindsey Wright, MT-BC is the Executive Director of Therapies and Advancement for Opportunities for Positive Growth, Inc. (OPG). The Department of Therapies and Advancement is comprised of around 50 professionals and students providing music therapy, employment services, and occupational therapy. […]
Amy Foley
Webmaster
Amy Foley, MMT, MT-BC, is an Assistant Professor of Practice and the Director of Music Therapy at the University of Indianapolis. Her primary responsibilities at the university include teaching within the music therapy program, supervising music therapy students during their […]
Kristin Knox
Advocacy (Co-chair)
Kristin Knox (Advocacy) has been an MT-BC since 2012. She earned her B.M. in Music Therapy from Appalachian State University in Boone, NC and completed her clinical internship at Bi-County Services in Bluffton, IN. She then worked in private practice […]
Kaitlin Kemp
Treasurer
Kaitlin Kemp is a graduate of the University of Evansville and has been a board-certified music therapist since 2014. She is a native of the Indianapolis area where she returned to in 2014 after living in Williamsburg, VA. She currently […]
Lori Peterson
Historian (co-historian)
Lori Peterson, MT-BC Music Therapist working for Opportunities for Positive Growth Graduate of the University of Evansville Past-President of AIMT, Past Government Relations for GLR Retired Elementary Educator
Phoebe Neace
Vice President
Krista Cole
DEI Representative
Krista Cole (she/her) is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University and IUPUI. She is currently a lecturer of music therapy at Saint Mary of the Woods College.
Mark Richins
Secretary
Elyssa DiRaddo
Public Relations
Elyssa DiRaddo has her Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy of Ohio University in Athens Ohio and is currently a Board Certified Music Therapist at Opportunities for Positive Growth in Fishers, IN. Elyssa advocates for disability rights and inclusion through […]