Can Regional Center fund music therapy?

Regional Center is an option for getting funding for music therapy. If you can demonstrate to the Regional Center that music therapy is not a covered benefit under your health insurance plan, then the Regional Center should provide funding as it falls under “Social/Recreational Services and Non-Medical Therapies.” It’s easier to get music therapy funded through the Self-Determination Program, as Regional Centers often want to fund music classes rather than music therapy.

Lisa Concoff Kronbeck, Undivided’s Public Benefits Specialist, says there are a few parameters to keep in mind. First, music therapy has to support a goal in your child’s IPP. Fortunately, because music therapy can address such a wide variety of goal areas, from social-emotional to fine motor, this is not likely to be a big hurdle. Second, the music therapy provider will need to be vendored with your Regional Center (for families with Self-Determination, this is not required). However, if you find a provider that is not vendored with your Regional Center but is vendored with a different Regional Center, you can call to request the vendor file from that center. Concoff Kronbeck also recommends that parents look at their Regional Center’s purchase of service standards to get a sense of when the center is willing to fund the service, which can help you understand how best to structure your request.

For more information, see our full article Music Therapy 101.