tourette syndrome association
of new jersey, inc.

198 West High Street • Somerville, New Jersey 08876
Phone 908-575-7350 • Fax 908-575-8699
Web Site: www.tsanj.org • e-mail: NJTSA@aol.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2005

TSANJ Launches the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome
and Associated Disorders (NJCTS)

New Center Offers Hope for New Jersey Families
Dealing With Tourette Syndrome

SOMERVILLE, NJ - Faith Rice is all too familiar with some of the frustrations experienced by families seeking answers, proper diagnosis and proper care for someone with Tourette Syndrome (TS).

It took almost seven years from the time her son Kim first exhibited symptoms until the time he finally began to receive treatment for his Tourette Syndrome. They were bounced from family doctor... to pediatrician... to specialist... even to family counseling before being properly diagnosed. It was a trying and frustrating time for the entire family. For the most part, they were on their own because nobody knew exactly what TS was, what to do, how to treat it, or where to send her struggling child for help.

"I've heard hundreds of similar heartbreaking stories from those who seek support from our helpline. I'm delighted that we are finally able to do something so that other families in New Jersey won't have to go through the same kind of frustrations," says Rice, who is now president of the Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey, located in Somerville, NJ.

With funding from Special Child Health and Early Intervention Services, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, TSANJ is collaborating with UMDNJ Medical Schools and Rutgers University to create a New Jersey Center of Excellence for the Treatment of Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders. Psychiatrist Dr. Cathy L. Budman, a nationally recognized expert in Tourette Syndrome, will serve as interim medical director of the program.

The New Jersey Center of Excellence will be patterned, in part, after programs in other states such as the TS/OCD Clinic at the Yale University Child Study Center in Connecticut, and the TS Program at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia. The NJ Center will offer a much-needed diagnosis and treatment resource for the thousands of New Jersey families with TS.

"The demand here is great, and specialists are at a shortage. Just getting an appointment for diagnosis at one of the out-of-state centers can take up to a year, and neither specifically serves the needs of adults with TS," Rice adds. "Kids and adults who need help shouldn't have to wait a year. Even a month is way too long."

Tourette Syndrome is an often misdiagnosed and misunderstood neurological disorder that affects as many as 7,000 New Jersey residents, with thousands more experiencing at least mild TS symptoms. Many people with TS also exhibit symptoms of related neurological disorders, such as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), Rage Syndrome and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Depression and Learning Disabilities.

According to Rice, the New Jersey Center of Excellence will offer an innovative and comprehensive approach for families with TS:

• Medical diagnosis and treatment
• Psychiatric and psychological services
• Educational testing services
• Coordinated patient care among partner and community organizations throughout the state
• Educational training in UMDNJ medical schools and the Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology to develop a new generation of professionals knowledgeable about TS and associated disorders
• Professional and educational training for practicing physicians and educators and allied professionals

In addition to serving the medical and psychological needs of TS families, the Center will become a recruitment resource for TS patients and families willing to participate in controlled research studies into the causes and effective treatments of TS and associated disorders.

"The goal is to create a Center here in New Jersey that can serve as a model for the country, and help more people with TS more efficiently and more successfully," claims Rice. "It's going to mean a lot for the thousands of New Jersey families dealing with Tourette Syndrome."

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For more information, contact Allan Gorman (973) 509 2728 or Faith Rice (908) 575 7350