Massachusetts PANS PANDAS Updates

Massachusetts PANS PANDAS Updates

 
For all updates and more information:

Please follow the Massachusetts PANS/PANDAS Legislation Facebook page.

Call To Action

CALL TO ACTION TO MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS – BY NOVEMBER 30th
Anyone who has been impacted or witnessed the impact of PANS/PANDAS (family, co-workers, educators, school nurses, employers, etc…) is strongly encouraged to send in your written support for H.3920, An Act Relative to PANS/PANDAS Screening in a Medical/Clinical Setting by November 30th. Please, share this message and ask friends, family, etc…to join you in sending in letters of support.
The Massachusetts Coalition for PANS/PANDAS Legislation has drafted a sample letter for you to use…make sure to email it to: jointcmte-financialservices@malegislature.gov and cc your State Representative & State Senator. You can search here for their email address: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator
The State House had nearly 7000 bills filed this year…if we want our PANS/PANDAS Screening bill to stand out they need to hear from you. Your letters truly make a difference; it’s how we got the insurance mandate passed in 2021.
Let’s make history again, Massachusetts!!

P.S.: It is particularly important if you happen to live in Weymouth or Bristol and Norfolk Counties – Consisting of the city of Attleboro and the towns of Mansfield, North Attleboro, and Norton in the county of Bristol; and the towns of Canton, Foxboro, and Sharon in the county of Norfolk; because the chairmen of the Joint Committee on Financial Services serve those communities.

H 3920

AN ACT RELATIVE TO PANS/PANDAS SCREENING IN MEDICAL/CLINICAL SETTINGS

For more information about H 38920 – See the Massachusetts Gov Website

Example Letter – See Link

3920 Point Paper – See PDF Link

Benefits of Mandating PANS and PANDAS Screenings in Pediatrics Well Visits:

Evidence-Based Healthcare: Mandating PANS and PANDAS screenings during annual well visits
empowers pediatricians to provide comprehensive care encompassing both physical and mental
health. This approach supports early detection, timely treatment, and preventable hospitalizations
promoting overall well-being for children.

Prevention of Misdiagnoses: Routine screenings decrease the likelihood of misdiagnosing PANS and PANDAS as purely psychiatric conditions, thereby preventing inappropriate treatments that lead to continued physical and mental deterioration and prolonged suffering. Recognizing the autoimmune basis of these disorders can guide appropriate and targeted therapeutic interventions.

Point Paper

 

S.1266 & H.1975

An Act Relative to PANS/PANDAS

S.1266 & H.1975 Point Paper – See PDF Link

This legislation is of paramount importance to understand the prevalence of PANS/PANDAS in children who were & are beneficiaries of DMH services. This knowledge is instrumental in developing best practices for diagnosing, treating, and supporting these children, ensuring that no child goes overlooked. Furthermore, it has the potential to revolutionize how the Commonwealth provides assistance to children with PANS/PANDAS.

Point Paper

 

Gabriella True

Gabriella True

Published : November 19, 2023
Category : Blog, Featured on Homepage, Legislative Resources

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