Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1975 Compare Versions

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22 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3311 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
33 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1975
44 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
55 _________________
66 PRESENTED BY:
77 Josh S. Cutler
88 _________________
99 To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
1010 Court assembled:
1111 The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
1212 An Act relative to PANDAS/PANS.
1313 _______________
1414 PETITION OF:
1515 NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Josh S. Cutler6th Plymouth1/20/2023Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex1/24/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester1/25/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/25/2023Bruce J. Ayers1st Norfolk2/1/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol2/2/2023Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire2/8/2023Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth2/16/2023Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk2/20/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/27/2023 1 of 2
1616 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3311 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
1717 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1975
1818 By Representative Cutler of Pembroke, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1975) of
1919 Josh S. Cutler and others that the Department of Mental Health and Department of Education use
2020 established clinical criteria developed by the PANS/PANDAS Consortium available through the
2121 PANDAS Physicians Network. Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
2222 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
2323 _______________
2424 In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
2525 (2023-2024)
2626 _______________
2727 An Act relative to PANDAS/PANS.
2828 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
2929 of the same, as follows:
3030 1 SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, the
3131 2Department of Mental Health, in conjunction with the Department of Education shall conduct a
3232 3study of pediatric and adolescent psychiatric hospital settings and therapeutic day schools to
3333 4determine if any children within these settings have root causes in missed or known
3434 5neuroimmune issues or pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with
3535 6streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome.
3636 7 (b) In conducting the study, the Department of Mental Health and Department of
3737 8Education shall use established clinical criteria developed by the PANS/PANDAS Consortium
3838 9available through the PANDAS Physicians Network, and other experts specializing in the
3939 10treatment and diagnosis of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with
4040 11streptococcal infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome. The Departments
4141 12shall interview children and families who had previously been misdiagnosed and subsequently 2 of 2
4242 13found to have pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal
4343 14infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome while they were accessing
4444 15support through the Department of Mental Health. Further, the departments shall consult with the
4545 16Department of Public Health’s PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council and professionals in pediatric
4646 17and adolescent psychiatric hospital settings and therapeutic day schools.
4747 18 (c) The findings of the study shall include, but no limited to, the following: (i) Identify
4848 19the prevalence of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal
4949 20infections and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome in pediatric and adolescent
5050 21psychiatric hospital settings and therapeutic day schools. (ii) Report outcomes of interviewed
5151 22children & families who had been previously misdiagnosed and subsequently found to have
5252 23pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections and
5353 24pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome.
5454 25 (d) By December 31, 2023, the Department of Mental Health and the Department of
5555 26Education shall report the findings of the study to the Joint Committee on Public Health, the
5656 27Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use and Recovery, the Department of Public
5757 28Health, the PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council and the Clerk of the Senate and Clerk of the
5858 29House of Representatives.