Using a Music Therapy Collaborative Consultative Approach - World ...

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to the needs of individuals and their families, the public resources, and trends in Early
Intervention / Early Childhood Special Education. More effective and contemporary models
of service delivery are sought (Chester at al., 1999; Register, 2002; Reuer, 1996). Reuer
(1996) says: “For music therapists who embrace change, unlimited opportunities exist to
actively participate in the redefinition of health care and the transformation of practice
settings” (p. 16). In her article she encouraged music therapists to explore new methods of
service delivery and introduced consultative strategies as a career option for music therapists.
The AMTA’s Standards of Clinical Practice (2003b) states that music therapy can be
provided both as a direct service to clients or consultative services “to other professionals in
music therapy and related disciplines and to others directly involved with the client” (p. 20).
Smith and Hairston (1999) cite outcomes of a national survey investigating the current
practice of music therapy in U.S. school settings showed that 62% of the study participants
engaged in the traditional direct-service delivery model each week, whereas only 13%
provided consultative services.
2.1.4.4. Collaborative and Consultative Models of Service Delivery in Music Therapy
Music therapists have given some attention to collaborative and consultative models
of service delivery as effective strategies for inclusion of students within public school
settings. A revised monograph by Wilson (2002) focuses on the most current information on
models of music therapy service delivery in school settings. In this publication, Coleman
(2002) gives specific information on direct and consultative models of service delivery for
children with severe disabilities. Snell (2002) discusses models for school-aged students
with ASD, Gladfelter (2002) for students with learning disabilities, Darrow and Grohe (2002)