ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION No. 120
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: MARCH 14, 2024
The Assembly Health Committee reports favorably Assembly Joint
Resolution No. 120.
This resolution designates the first full week of May of each year
as “Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week” in NJ. Tardive Dyskinesia
(TD) is a persistent, irreversible, and potentially disabling neurological
condition characterized by uncontrollable repetitive movements of the
face, torso, or other body parts. This involuntary movement disorder
is caused by medications that help control dopamine, such as
antipsychotics prescribed to treat people living with mental illnesses
such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. People
with mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder, major
depression, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder, or
gastrointestinal disorders, including gastroparesis, nausea, and
vomiting, may be treated with medications that work as dopamine
receptor blocking agents (DRBAs). It is estimated that about 1.1
million adults in New Jersey, or 16.14 percent of adults in the State,
are living with a mental illness and as a result are likely to receive
DRBAs as a form of treatment, which can lead to the onset of TD.
It is vital that people taking DRBAs are monitored for TD through
regular screenings as recommended by the American Psychiatric
Association because long-term use of DRBAs can lead to the onset of
TD. People living with TD face physical, social and emotional barriers
due to the stigma associated with uncontrollable movements, which
can further lead to worsened mental health symptoms and cause
embarrassment or withdrawal from society. It is estimated that TD
affects approximately 600,000 people in the U.S. and approximately
70 percent of people with TD have not been diagnosed. Although TD
is treatable, many people with the disorder are unaware of the
treatment options. Raising awareness about the symptoms and impact
of TD will promote the importance of early screening, diagnosis, and
treatment.