West Virginia Legislature passes bill to increase awareness of PANS and PANDAS disorders
Charleston, West Virginia — March 13, 2026 — The West Virginia Legislature has passed House Bill 5004, landmark legislation aimed at improving awareness and education surrounding Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS)—serious but frequently overlooked neuroimmune conditions that can cause sudden and severe psychiatric and neurological symptoms in children.
The bill, sponsored by Delegate Ian Masters (91st District) and co-sponsored by Delegates Watt, Pritt, Pinson, and Hornbuckle, passed the West Virginia House of Delegates unanimously on March 4, 2026, and later cleared the West Virginia Senate on March 12, 2026, sending the measure to the Governor for signature.
House Bill 5004 directs the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health to incorporate information about PANS and PANDAS into existing public health programs and professional education initiatives. The goal is to help healthcare providers recognize symptoms earlier and ensure families receive timely evaluation and treatment.
PANS and PANDAS are immune-mediated conditions in which infections or immune triggers can lead to sudden onset of severe psychiatric and neurological symptoms, including obsessive-compulsive behaviors, motor or vocal tics, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, cognitive decline, and behavioral regression.
Early identification and treatment can dramatically improve outcomes for affected children.
“By improving education and awareness among healthcare professionals, we can help children get answers sooner and begin the care they need,” said Delegate Ian Masters, sponsor of the bill. “This bill is an important first step, but families also need access to treatment coverage, and that’s something we’ll continue working toward.”
The legislation was inspired in part by families across West Virginia who have experienced the devastating and confusing onset of PANS symptoms in their children.
“PANS is not rare, but it is rarely diagnosed,” said Kate Masters, a West Virginia parent advocate involved in advancing the legislation. “I believe PANS and PANDAS represent the next great childhood health crisis—one that is quietly ravaging families while our systems remain unprepared to identify and treat what is, in many cases, a treatable and reversible condition when addressed early.”
Masters and other parents began meeting with lawmakers earlier this year to raise awareness about the disorder and share their personal experiences navigating delayed diagnoses and limited treatment access.
“Many families spend years searching for answers while their child rapidly deteriorates, often being told it’s purely psychiatric or something they simply have to live with,” said Diana Panucci, a West Virginia parent advocate who testified before the House Health Committee this year in support of the legislation. “The heartbreaking reality is that many of these children could recover or significantly improve if the condition were recognized and treated earlier.”
House Bill 5004 directs the Bureau for Public Health to incorporate information about PANS and PANDAS into existing educational outreach for healthcare providers and the public, including key warning signs such as:
• Sudden onset obsessive-compulsive behaviors or tics
• Symptoms beginning between ages three and puberty
• An episodic, relapsing-remitting course
• Links to infections such as Group A Streptococcus
• Associated neurological abnormalities
Advocates say the legislation represents a critical first step toward building awareness of a disorder that remains poorly understood despite increasing recognition among researchers and clinicians nationwide.
Next Steps
Advocates say passage of House Bill 5004 represents the beginning of a broader effort to improve care for affected children and families.
In the coming months, advocates plan to:
• Work with pediatricians and healthcare providers across West Virginia to increase clinical awareness
• Collaborate with schools to help educators recognize sudden neurological or behavioral changes in students
• Continue pursuing policy solutions that improve insurance coverage for medically necessary PANS/PANDAS treatment
“Education is where progress begins,” Masters said. “But ultimately families need access to care. This legislation opens the door to that conversation.”
About PANS and PANDAS
Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) are neuroimmune conditions believed to occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks parts of the brain following infection or inflammation.
These disorders are characterized by sudden onset of severe psychiatric and neurological symptoms, often appearing seemingly overnight in previously healthy children.
When recognized and treated early, many children experience substantial improvement or recovery.
Originally Published