NJCTS Youth Advocate Accepts Internship

BLOOMFIELD, NJ (December 2, 2020) – NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome (NJCTS) Youth Advocate, Dominic Dominguez, 19, has accepted an internship with NJCTS within the Youth Development department. He will be working alongside his fellow Youth Advocates to find new ways they can advocate, build leadership skills and help build the Tourette Syndrome community. Dominic has been a Youth Advocate for Tourette Syndrome with NJCTS since 2018.

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by uncontrollable movements known as tics. As many as 1 in 100 people show signs of TS or other tic disorder which is frequently accompanied by mental health disorders including ADHD, OCD, and anxiety.

Dominic was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome much later than most, at the age of 16, even though he had been experiencing tics since he was 14. He is now 19 years old, a Bloomfield high school graduate, and set to attend Princeton University in the fall of 2021. He decided he wanted to continue his work as a Youth Advocate as an intern with NJCTS to continue making changes for the Tourette Syndrome community.

“Being an advocate for NJCTS has been incredibly rewarding; I feel like I am a part of something bigger than myself and able to make a positive, tangible difference in the world,” says Dominic. “I am a youth advocate to speak for those who feel silenced,”

NJCTS, the nation’s first Center of Excellence for Tourette Syndrome, is a not-for-profit organization committed to the advocacy of children and families with Tourette Syndrome and its associated disorders. Dedicated to delivering high quality services to these individuals, the Center recognizes the importance of educating the public, medical professionals, and teachers about this disorder through programs and affiliations with public schools, health centers, and universities. To learn more about Tourette Syndrome and the programs available from NJCTS, visit www.njcts.org.