Connecticut Passes Bill for PANDAS Research!

[thereishope]

The State of Connecticut Senate has UNANIMOUSLY passed the bill “AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF PEDIATRIC AUTOIMMUNE NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDER ASSOCIATED WITH STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS”.

 

 

 

 

This bill requires “The Commissioner of Public Health…to do a study on PANDAS to learn how it’s diagnosed and treated in this country and others and an evaluation of the level of recognition of the disorder in the medical community. The report is to be finished no later than January 1, 2013”.

 

 

 

 

Further information can be found on the State of CT General Assembly website http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB-0206

 

 

 

 

 

http://pandasnetwork.org/2012/05/connecticut-passes-bill-for-pandas-research/

Edited May 10, 2012 by Vickie

[DeterminedMomVA]

How forward thinking! That certainly appears to be good news.

[LNN]

Thanks Vickie! One of your links didn't work for me - here's a summary of who voted http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB0206&which_year=2012&SUBMIT1.x=0&SUBMIT1.y=0 (go to the votes heading)

 

The description of the bill is:

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF PEDIATRIC AUTOIMMUNE NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDER ASSOCIATED WITH STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS.

 

To require health insurance coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infections.

 

I thanked my senator for his yes vote and took issue with my state rep who was absent for the vote. Not sure how all this got started, but hope that the Yale/NIH study helps support an insurance mandate! (CT also passed a law a few years ago protecting doctors who prescribe long term antiobiotics - every once in awhile, I'm glad I live here, despite the weather (and the tics).

[fightingmom]

I can't even find a doc in RI that will entertain the idea of PANDAS --- so being in the next state over I think this is a giant step for our kids -- very excited about this!

[colleenrn]

That is amazing! How can we go about trying to get this legislation in each of our states?

 

Colleen

[LNN]

I emailed my senator to thank him for voting yes on this and got this reply today:

 

"Unfortunately this proposal was not taken up

in the House of Representatives despite its passing the Senate

unanimously. As such the intent of this legislation will have to be

addressed again next year.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions."

 

Kate McAvoy

Legislative Aide

Office of Senator John A. Kissel

 

So looks like more lobbying will be in order.

[T_Mom]

Wow! WHO WAS BEHIND THIS ?

LLM -- Did you spearhead this???

 

whoever it was -- THANK YOU.

[LNN]

No, not me. I just thanked my senator for voting yes after the fact.

 

PandasNetwork credits Jim Carson and Lynn Johnson. Hopefully, the measure will be taken up - and approved by both houses - in the next session.