Florida Senate - 2026 (NP) SR 1802
By Senator Rodriguez
40-02159-26 20261802__
1 Senate Resolution
2 A resolution recognizing the week of May 3, 2026 as
3 “Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week” in Florida and
4 expressing the Senate’s support of efforts to raise
5 awareness about the causes, symptoms, and importance
6 of routine screening for tardive dyskinesia.
7
8 WHEREAS, such serious mental illnesses as bipolar disorder,
9 major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia often require
10 treatment with antipsychotic medications for effective
11 management, and antipsychotic prescribing rates continue to
12 rise, and
13 WHEREAS, while prolonged antipsychotic use may be essential
14 for the treatment of certain conditions, it is associated with
15 tardive dyskinesia (TD), a condition marked by uncontrollable,
16 abnormal, and repetitive movements of the face, torso, limbs, or
17 extremities, and
18 WHEREAS, people at higher risk of TD include those older
19 than 55 years of age; black individuals; women; individuals with
20 mood or substance use disorders, intellectual disabilities, or
21 central nervous system injuries; and those with high cumulative
22 antipsychotic exposure, and
23 WHEREAS, approximately 60 percent of the estimated 800,000
24 U.S. adults living with TD remain undiagnosed, and even mild TD
25 symptoms can be stigmatizing and impair physical, social, and
26 emotional well-being, underscoring the urgency of early
27 screening, detection, and intervention, and
28 WHEREAS, the American Psychiatric Association recommends
29 routine TD screening in its clinical guidelines for
30 antipsychotic treatment, and individuals treated with
31 antipsychotics or experiencing abnormal movements should consult
32 their health care providers to assess TD risk, receive TD
33 screenings, and determine appropriate treatment, and
34 WHEREAS, treatments approved by the United States Food and
35 Drug Administration for TD can provide options for symptom
36 management and improved quality of life for many individuals
37 living with TD, and
38 WHEREAS, education and awareness for health care providers,
39 patients, and care partners can help ensure patients prescribed
40 antipsychotics receive care and support that aligns with
41 clinical best practices, including regular TD screenings, NOW,
42 THEREFORE,
43
44 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
45
46 That the week of May 3, 2026 is recognized as “Tardive
47 Dyskinesia Awareness Week” in Florida, and that the Senate
48 expresses its support of efforts to raise awareness about the
49 causes, symptoms, and importance of routine screening for
50 tardive dyskinesia.