SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2236        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1266

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Patrick M. O'Connor

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to PANDAS/PANS.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2236        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1266

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to PANDAS/PANS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

(a) Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, the Department of Mental Health, in conjunction with the Department of Education shall conduct a study of pediatric and adolescent psychiatric hospital settings and therapeutic day schools to determine if any children within these settings have root causes in missed or known neuroimmune issues or pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome.

(b) In conducting the study, the Department of Mental Health and Department of Education shall use established clinical criteria developed by the PANS/PANDAS Consortium available through the PANDAS Physicians Network, and other experts specializing in the treatment and diagnosis of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome. The Departments shall interview children and families who had previously been misdiagnosed and subsequently found to have pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome while they were accessing support through the Department of Mental Health. Further, the departments shall consult with the Department of Public Health’s PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council and professionals in pediatric and adolescent psychiatric hospital settings and therapeutic day schools.

(c) The findings of the study shall include, but no limited to, the following:

(i)  Identify the prevalence of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome in pediatric and adolescent psychiatric hospital settings and therapeutic day schools.

(ii) Report outcomes of interviewed children & families who had been previously misdiagnosed and subsequently found to have pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome.

(d) By December 31, 2023, the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Education shall report the findings of the study to the Joint Committee on Public Health, the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use and Recovery, the Department of Public Health, the PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council and the Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the House of Representatives.