Bill Text: CA SCR68 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Senate Concurrent Resolution 68

Bill Title: Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2025-07-03 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 124, Statutes of 2025. [SCR68 Detail]

Download: California-2025-SCR68-Chaptered.html

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 68

CHAPTER 124

Relative to Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week.

[ Filed with Secretary of State July 03, 2025. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SCR 68, Blakespear. Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week.

This measure would declare the week of May 5, 2025, as Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week.

Fiscal Committee: NO

WHEREAS, Serious mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia often require treatment with antipsychotic medications for effective management, and antipsychotic prescribing rates continue to rise; and

WHEREAS, While prolonged antipsychotic use may be essential for the treatment of certain conditions, it is associated with tardive dyskinesia (TD), a condition marked by uncontrollable, abnormal, and repetitive movements of the face, torso, limbs, or extremities; and

WHEREAS, People at higher risk of TD include those over 55 years of age, Black individuals, women, individuals with mood or substance use disorders, intellectual disabilities, or central nervous system injuries, and those with high cumulative antipsychotic exposure; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 60 percent of the estimated 800,000 adults in the United States living with TD remain undiagnosed. Even mild TD symptoms can be stigmatizing and impair physical, social, and emotional well-being, which underscores the urgency of early screening, detection, and intervention; and

WHEREAS, The American Psychiatric Association recommends routine TD screening in its clinical guidelines for antipsychotic treatment, and individuals treated with antipsychotics or experiencing abnormal movements should consult their health care providers to assess TD risk, receive TD screenings, and determine appropriate treatment together; and

WHEREAS, Federal Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for TD can provide options for symptom management and improve quality of life for many individuals living with TD; and

WHEREAS, The Senate encourages TD screening education and awareness for health care providers, patients, and care partners to help ensure patients prescribed antipsychotics receive care and support that aligns with clinical best practices, including regular TD screenings; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Senate declares the week of May 5, 2025, as Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week (TDAW); and be it further

Resolved, That in recognition and support of TDAW, the Senate underscores the importance of early detection and intervention to improve outcomes for people living with mental health conditions and prescribed antipsychotics, and supports efforts to raise awareness about the causes and symptoms of TD and the importance of routine TD screenings; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.