ATLANTA – State Representative Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta), chair of the House Public and Community Health Committee, today announces that the first full week of May will be recognized as Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Awareness Week in Georgia. During the 2026 legislative session, Rep. Cooper sponsored House Resolution 1295, designating the first full week of May as TD Awareness Week in Georgia and recently, Governor Brian Kemp also signed a proclamation recognizing that same week as TD Awareness Week in Georgia.
“During Mental Health Awareness Month, we recognize the importance of supporting Georgia residents living with mental health conditions,” said Rep. Cooper. “TD Awareness Week provides an important opportunity to encourage earlier recognition of movement disorders and promote routine screening as part of ongoing behavioral health care.”
Rep. Cooper highlights that TD is an involuntary movement disorder estimated to affect at least 800,000 adults in the United States. Despite its prevalence, TD is frequently underrecognized in routine care, with many individuals living with symptoms for extended periods before receiving an accurate diagnosis. She adds that approximately 60 percent of people with TD remain undiagnosed and emphasizes that during TD Awareness Week, it is important to bring attention to the impact of TD and the importance of routine screening for those living with a mental health condition who have taken antipsychotic medications.
She also adds that TD can occur after treatment with certain medications commonly used to manage mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, and notes that while these treatments are often needed for stabilizing mental health, ongoing screening and monitoring for associated movement disorders is also a component of comprehensive care.
TD is characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements that may affect the face, torso, limbs, fingers or toes. Rep. Cooper further notes that these symptoms can interfere with speaking, eating, walking and other daily activities, and may contribute to social withdrawal, stigma and reduced quality of life.
Rep. Cooper also emphasizes that TD Awareness Week encourages collaboration among patients, clinicians, health care providers, patient advocates and policymakers to strengthen awareness of TD and support TD screening during routine visits for patients who have been treated with antipsychotic medications. She adds that routine screening enables earlier identification, diagnosis and access to appropriate treatment, which can help individuals maintain functioning, independence and engagement in their communities, while also supporting care partners.
She further highlights that HR 1295 reinforces Georgia’s commitment to improving recognition of TD and encouraging routine screening as an important component of ongoing mental health care to help decrease stigma and promote early intervention.
Rep. Cooper encourages those interested in learning more about TD, living with TD and how to treat TD to visit https://www.talkabouttd.com/.
The full text of HR 1295 may be found here.
Gov. Kemp’s proclamation may be found here.
Representative Sharon Cooper represents the citizens of District 45, which includes a portion of Cobb County. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 and currently serves as Chair of the Public and Community Health Committee. She also serves on the Human Relations & Aging, Intragovernmental Coordination, Judiciary Non-Civil, Regulated Industries and Rules committees, as well as the Special Committee on Healthcare. She also serves as an Ex-Officio member of the Health Committee.
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