Over many years in clinical practice, Jennifer August has established new Clinical Art Therapy Healing through the Arts Programs for: medical and psychiatric hospitals; alternative and other public schools; substance use disorder detox and rehab programs; centers for those with cognitive and/or developmental disabilities; a  residential trauma recovery center for teenagers/foster teens; domestic violence treatment and prevention programs; and for community-based art therapy programs. 

 

Jennifer is a licensed clinical art therapist in Delaware (LPAT) and Maryland (LCPAT). She received her Master of Creative Arts in Therapy degree from Hahnemann University where she presented original research at the Medical School Grand Rounds, at the national American Art Therapy Association Conference, and was recognized as the Outstanding Graduate Student.

 

In 2017, Jennifer ardently advocated for the enactment of the Art Therapist Licensing Act. This legislation created the LPAT (Licensed Professional Art Therapist) and LAAT (Licensed Associate Art Therapist) licenses under 24 Delaware Code, administered by the Delaware Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Professionals. Jennifer has drafted the Art Therapist Reimbursement Act to implement the license on behalf of needing and deserving consumers, to address the State's needs, and to build the workforce of credentialed Art Therapists.  

The training standards for art therapists are rigorous. A Master's degree in Art Therapy from a CAAHEP- or ACATE-accredited Art Therapy program is the entry-level credential for delivering art therapy services. The Federal Department of Labor O*NET Registry recognizes the standalone Healthcare Profession, "Art Therapists," for which a "Master's degree is required," and "extensive preparation is necessary." U.S. Art therapists train a minimum of 6 years for independent practice, 8 years if Registered (ATR), Board-certified (ATR-BC) or licensed. Currently, 20 states/D.C. license or otherwise regulate the profession, and 8 states have active legislation underway.

 

Jennifer's advocacy, on behalf of consumers and workers, helps the public, and policymakers, distinguish the regulated healthcare profession and qualified healthcare intervention and discipline, "Art Therapy" and "Art Therapy Services," as broadly defined -- from 'art-for-wonderful-art' (arts and culture, according to their separate enabling legislation). She works to communicate and defend the standards of the profession, such that they protect consumers through responsible policymaking.

 

She is deeply involved in trauma-responsive care and trauma prevention reforms benefiting children, families and communities to save and improve lives. 

 

Work Recognition: Jennifer is the American Art Therapy Association's 2018 National Legislative Service Award recipient; the immediate past Chair of the Delaware Behavioral Health Consortium's Trauma-Responsive Programming Sub-Committee; and a member of the Art Therapy Advisory Committee to the Delaware Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Professionals.

 

She is the 2014-2015 Rehoboth Art League Teacher of the Year for community Art Outreach and STEAM (STEM+Art) Programs. In 2012 she taught her "Art Rocks Science!" creativity and innovation program to Delaware Art Educators at the Governor's First STEM Institute. Thereafter, she offered community-based STEAM programming, and coordinated Delaware's first satellite event to the USA Science and Engineering Festival. She is a 2022 and a 2017 Sunshine Circle Club Humanitarian Award recipient for her commitment to the self-evident truth, social justice, and healthcare protective factor, Equality.

 

As a Girls Stater, and the mother of 3 Girls Staters, she is a Delaware Girls State 'Idea Leadership & Equity' workshop facilitator. She has presented broad-topic coursework for the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Social Policy and Practice and Delaware State University.