Bill
HR 778
Designates October 9, 2025 as PANDAS Awareness Day at the Georgia State Capitol to raise public and professional attention to PANS/PANDAS and related care challenges.
Status
- Type: House Resolution (ceremonial)
- Introduced: January 28, 2025
- House actions: Referred to Ways & Means (1/28/2025); placed on Local & Consent/Calendars; Read and Adopted by the House (4/17/2025); reported enrolled (4/21/2025).
- Primary sponsors: Reps. Karen Bennett (94th), Mitchell Scoggins (14th), Carolyn Hugley (141st), Debra Bazemore (69th), Karla Drenner (85th).
Purpose and intent
- The resolution recognizes October 9, 2025, as “PANDAS Awareness Day at the state capitol” and calls for increased public awareness of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS).
- It highlights the medical, educational, and insurance-related challenges facing affected children and families and underscores Georgia’s capacity (medical centers, research institutions) to contribute to diagnosis, treatment, and research.
Key provisions and findings included in the resolution
- Describes PANS/PANDAS as conditions that can cause sudden onset of obsessive‑compulsive symptoms and other neuropsychiatric changes in previously healthy children.
- Lists common symptoms: tics/abnormal movements, severe separation or generalized anxiety, irritability, aggression, personality change, ADHD-like symptoms, marked school performance deterioration, and developmental regression (including handwriting).
- Notes that some children may improve with antibiotic therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), or plasmapheresis.
- References ongoing research at academic institutions and a pilot PANS/PANDAS clinic being developed by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
- Cites the 2019 House PANS Study Committee Report recommending policies on insurance coverage for diagnosis/treatment, provider training, and increased public-health surveillance.
- Estimates prevalence (from PANS consortium experts) of roughly 1 in 200 children, or about 15,000 children in Georgia.
- Observes barriers: limited provider familiarity with current diagnostic/treatment guidelines and insufficient insurance coverage for often costly treatments (described as potentially “tens of thousands of dollars”).
- Notes the Southeastern PANS/PANDAS Association (SEPPA) as an advocacy organization working to expand access to care.
Who is affected / potential impacts
- Directly highlights children with PANS/PANDAS and their families.
- Indirectly relevant to pediatricians, nurse practitioners, pediatric subspecialists, school and behavioral-health professionals, insurers, and state public-health and education policymakers.
- As a symbolic resolution, it does not create mandates, appropriations, or regulatory changes; however, it aims to raise awareness that could influence future policy, training, research initiatives, or insurer practices.
Administrative action
- Directs the Clerk of the House to make copies of the resolution available to the public and press.
Bottom line
- H.R. 778 is a nonbinding, awareness-focused resolution that formally designates October 9, 2025, as PANDAS Awareness Day at the state capitol and summarizes the medical, policy, and access issues related to PANS/PANDAS in Georgia, encouraging greater public and professional attention to the disorders.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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