GA HB878

Designates October 9 of each year as "PANDAS Day" in Georgia to raise awareness of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS)

PANS and PANDAS cause sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder, severe anxiety, tics, personality changes, and developmental regression in previously healthy children

An estimated 1 in 200 children have PANS or PANDAS, affecting roughly 15,000 children in Georgia

Treatment can cost tens of thousands of dollars and many insurers do not cover it, while many pediatric providers are unfamiliar with current diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is developing a pilot clinic to treat children with these disorders, and a 2019 PANS Study Committee Report identified policy goals for insurance coverage and provider training