Offered for the First Time in Cumberland County
SOMERVILLE, NJ – The Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey (TSANJ) has announced the dates for the continuing series of 2005/2006 Support Group meetings for individuals, family, and friends of those impacted by Tourette Syndrome (TS). Run in conjunction with nine affiliated hospitals across the state, the facilitated Support Groups educate attendees on a variety of TS-related issues and provide an opportunity to exchange information and problem-solve.
Parents, teachers, and medical professionals are invited to attend. Call TSANJ at 908-575-7350 or visit the website at www.tsanj.org for details and directions. There is no charge to attend.
Cumberland County Family Support Group – NEW
South Jersey Regional Hospital’s Fitness Connection
1430 West Sherman Avenue, Vineland, NJ
7:00 P.M. to 9:30 P.M.
February 16, 2006 – Peg Kinsell: “SPAN Basic Rights in Special Education”
The workshop is for parents of classified children and for parents of children who are having trouble in school but may not be classified. The session will provide families with an introduction to their rights and responsibilities as parents of children with special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the New Jersey Code, and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act. Program is free. Pre-registration is required at 800-654-SPAN or www.spannj.org
Future meeting dates:
April 20, 2006
June 15, 2006
Cancellation of support group meetings due to weather will be posted to the website at www.tsanj.org. Contact us at 908-575-7350 or www.njtsa.org for driving directions and calendar updates.
BACKGROUNDER:
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is an inherited neurological disorder that is manifested in involuntary physical and vocal tics. Symptoms generally appear before an individual is 18 years old. TS affects people of all ethnic groups with males affected 3 to 4 times more frequently than females. It is estimated that 200,000 Americans have full blown TS and that as many as 1 in 200 show a partial expression of the disorder. There is no cure for TS.
The mission of TSANJ is to support the needs of families with TS, to advocate for individuals with TS, and to educate the public and professionals about TS. TSANJ has a membership of 2,500 families and medical professionals. The organization relies completely on its membership, corporations, government, and foundations to fund its mission.
Currently TSANJ operates 9 support groups at regional medical centers across New Jersey; conducts awareness training for teachers, school nurses, students and community leaders; manages a TS help line for disseminating information about TS to parents, teachers, doctors, and others; and works with Rutgers University at the nation’s only student clinician TS clinic, developing support programs and treatments for families dealing with TS.
TSANJ is collaborating with UMDNJ Medical Schools and Rutgers University to create a New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders (NJCTS). The NJ Center will offer a much-needed diagnosis and treatment resource for the thousands of New Jersey families with TS. In addition to serving the medical and psychological needs of TS families, the Center will become a resource for TS patients and families willing to participate in controlled research studies into the causes and effective treatments of TS and associated disorders. PRESS