Bill > S805

This bill establishes a comprehensive screening program for PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections) and PANS (Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome), which are complex medical conditions affecting children. The legislation requires the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to develop a detailed screening program with specific diagnostic criteria, including a working definition of PANS that encompasses a range of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder, severe food intake restrictions, anxiety, emotional instability, behavioral regression, and cognitive changes. The bill mandates that various healthcare professionals, including physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and mental health counselors, screen patients for these disorders using methods specified in new regulations. Additionally, healthcare facilities serving children must ensure patients receive PANDAS/PANS screenings. The department of public health is required to develop these screening protocols within 180 days, and the screening requirement for healthcare providers will take effect 270 days after the act becomes law. The bill also amends several existing sections of Massachusetts law to incorporate references to screening for these specific pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S805