Education & Training

Diagnosis and treatment of people with Tourette syndrome (TS) can be improved when health care providers and educators have up-to-date and accurate information about this disorder. Education and training for these professionals will help them to better identify, diagnose, and refer for treatment people with TS.

Educating the community (for example, friends and family, educators, and coworkers) about TS can increase understanding of the symptoms, reduce teasing, and decrease stress for people living with TS. People with TS cannot help having tics, and are not being disruptive on purpose. When others understand these facts, people with TS might receive more support, which might help lessen some tic symptoms.

The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is committed to raising awareness about TS and to improving the education of those who care for and work with people living with TS. In doing so, CDC supports the following education activities.

Tourette Syndrome National Education and Outreach Program

CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities has partnered with the Tourette Association of America to provide much needed educational programs. The programs educate physicians, allied professionals, and school personnel, as well as those who have TS, their families, and the general public about TS. The programs provide accurate, up-to-date, science-based information about the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of TS.

The goal of this outreach is to increase awareness and provide information that will help people with TS receive needed health services, be more accepted by those around them, and have the opportunity to succeed in school and work.

The CDC-Tourette Association partnership also has a special focus on underserved communities, providing educational programs in all geographic areas and reaching out to organizations that serve cultural minorities or communities that are at risk for health disparities.

The CDC–Tourette Association outreach program has conducted more than 835 education programs for 31,800 professionals and community members in all 50 states in the United States, as well as in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, and Canada.

Click here to learn how to get a Tourette Association educational program for health professionals or educators in your area.

View the number of Tourette Association programs in your state.