Music Therapy

Music Therapy at BOCES 2

Student enjoying music therapy exerciseThe purpose of music therapy is to apply musical interventions in conjunction with a therapeutic relationship to promote functional independence in areas of need such as motor skills, communication skills, cognitive development, socialization, affective expression and auditory processing.

At Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES, music therapy services are provided to address educational goals of students who demonstrate a measurable response to music within a targeted need area. Through a formal music therapy evaluation, a student must show an increase of 25 percent or greater in an IEP-related skill when comparing responses between a music and non-music setting. The quantity of services is determined based on the student’s level of need, number of need areas/IEP-related skills tested, and the percentage increase in independence when performing skills in the music therapy setting. 

Who Provides the Service?

Playing guitar for a classMusic therapy is provided by trained professionals who hold the national MT-BC credential (Music Therapist, Board Certified) and are licensed by New York State as Licensed Creative Arts Therapists or LCAT.

Who Gets the Service?

Class during music therapyMusic therapy is provided to children in preschool through age 21 who qualify for music therapy services through a formal evaluation procedure. BOCES 2 music therapists use the Special Educational Music Therapy Assessment Protocol (SEMTAP) and the scored Music Therapy Special Education Assessment Scale (MT-SEAS) to evaluate students who are referred for services. Students may be referred for an evaluation by parents, teachers, physicians, school districts, support staff members and outside agencies. Services are contingent upon approval through the IFSP, CPSE or CSE process.

Music Therapy Internship

Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES has university-affiliated internships through Nazareth College and SUNY Fredonia. Interns work with several MT-BCs in the department during the school year and manage a caseload of clients with developmental disabilities and behavior needs, ages 3-21. 
Depending on the number of applicants, we accept 1-2 interns per academic year (September - June OR January - August). Applicants must send completed applications by March 1 for Sept. - June placement, OR by Oct. 1 for Jan.- Aug. placement.


For more information, please contact:  

Christopher Gold, MA, LCAT, MT-BC 
Department Chair - Music & Art Therapy
160 Wallace Way, Building 9 
Rochester, NY 14624
Ph: (585) 617-2325
Fax: (585) 349-8897

Why Music Therapy?

According to the American Music Therapy Association:
  • Music therapy is considered a related service under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). When music therapy is deemed necessary to assist a child to benefit from his/her special education, goals are documented on the Individualized Education Program (IEP) as a related service intervention. 
  • Music therapy can be an integral component in helping a child with special needs attain educational goals identified by his/her IEP team. 
  • Music therapy can offer direct or consultant services as determined by the individual needs of the child.
  • Music therapists can also support special education classroom teachers by providing effective ways to incorporate music into their academic curriculum.
  • Music therapy involvement can stimulate attention and increase motivation to participate more fully in other aspects of the educational setting.
  • Music therapy interventions apply the inherent order of music to set behavioral expectations, provide reassurance, and maintain structure for children with special needs.
  • Music therapy can adapt strategies to encourage a child’s participation in the least restrictive environment.  
Therapist playing guitar