Art and Music Therapy Review Completed
After almost a year of campaigning against an hourly pay cut, music and art therapists have learned of the new maximum rate they can charge NDIS participants.
There was huge outcry last year when the government announced it would slash the rate of music and art therapy to just $68/hour (from the standard $193.99), and an independent Review of Art and Music Therapies was undertaken, led by leading health economist Dr Stephen Duckett AM.
The ‘Duckett Review’ Recommendations
Art and music therapies will continue to be available to NDIS Participants where there is evidence it will provide beneficial outcomes.
The ‘Duckett Review’ made 19 recommendations relating to art and music supports for NDIS participants, of which 15 are to be executed by the National Disability Insurance Agency.
The NDIA has agreed to support all the recommendations directed to it.
The review’s key recommendations include:
- Art and music therapies must be delivered by a qualified therapist who is registered with a recognised professional association.
- A new national price limit of $156.16 per hour for Art and Music Therapy – same as the maximum payment rate for counselling.
- Making a clearer distinction between art and music as a therapeutic support or a non-therapeutic support.
E.g. Art therapy delivered by a registered Art Therapist VS a group activity which involves art as a social tool. - NDIS funding cannot directly be used to cover the cost of art and music activities. For example, music lessons or art lessons. Funding can however be used for a Support Worker to help a Partcipant attend these lessons.
- The NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee* will assess the evidence base of music and art therapy interventions for specific groups of people in its 2025-26 work plan.
- The NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee* will develop a process for making decisions where there is a poorly developed evidence base.
New Rate of $156.16
From November 24th 2025 Music and Art Therapists will be able to bill NDIS Participants at a rate of $156.16. This is the same rate as Counsellors.
To charge this amount, therapists need to be qualified by a recognised professional association like ANZACATA and Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA)
Dr Duckett said ““Where an artist or musician does not have the relevant qualifications to register with one of the professional therapy associations, they should not be charging the therapy price limit.””
Before November 24th, Participants can keep accessing the supports outlined in their plans.
What do people have to say?
The Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association welcomed the review’s recognition of art therapy as an “evidence-based therapeutic support”, but expressed “deep concern” over the new payment cap.
CEO Kate Dempsey said it failed to “reflect the complexity, qualifications, and standards involved … particularly when psychology is funded at $232.99 and occupational therapy at $193.99”.
“Art therapy is a distinct allied health profession requiring a master’s qualification and rigorous clinical training,” she said.
“While we respect all therapeutic disciplines, art therapy involves specialised techniques, materials, and clinical approaches that warrant appropriate recognition in pricing.”
*Evidence Advisory Committee was set up to provide evidence-based decisions about whether supports are effective or not, and whether they should be available through the NDIS.
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