EDC Press Release: U.S. Senators Harkin, Klobuchar, and Franken introduce FREED Act in Senate

U.S. Senators Harkin, Klobuchar, and Franken introduce bill to confront eating disorders in the U.S.

For Immediate Release

Contact:
David Jaffe
Executive Director, EDC
202-543-9570

(Washington, D.C. - March 3, 2011) - The United States took an important step toward addressing the national emergency of eating disorders when Senators Tom Harkin, Amy Klobuchar, and Al Franken introduced the Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders (FREED) Act today.

“The FREED Act is the first legislative effort in the history of the Senate to comprehensively confront the seriousness and deadly threat of eating disorders in the United States. We are proud to have Senators Harkin, Klobuchar and Franken champion our cause,” said Jeanine Cogan, Policy Director of the Eating Disorders Coalition.

A coordinated national response like the FREED Act can help the millions of Americans suffering (and, too often, dying) from eating disorders.

“It has been ten years since anorexia killed my daughter Anna,” said EDC Board Member Kitty Westin. “And eating disorders have killed thousands of Americans since then. It’s time for Congress to pass the FREED Act as a critical first step in addressing this national emergency.”

Eating disorders do not discriminate: men and women, all economic classes, old and young are affected. Sadly, eating disorders even touch young children. According to a recent report in the December issue of PEDIATRICS, Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, hospitalizations for children with eating disorders under age 12 increased by a shocking 119% for the years 1999 to 2006.

The FREED Act would fund much needed research to better understand eating disorders and provides solutions for prevention, education, screening, diagnosis and treatment. Among other things, the legislation would fund grants to conduct research on treatment efficacy, train health professionals and school personnel to identify and respond to eating disorders, and build on existing reform efforts to ensure that treatment is available to those who need it.

Ten months ago, two days before she was to join the Eating Disorders Coalition citizen lobbying effort on Capitol Hill, a young woman from Pennsylvania named Nicole died in her sleep from her eating disorder. Nicole’s mother sadly states, “If the FREED Act was in place, I might still have my daughter with me today.” Nicole’s aunt, Wendy Bloom, added, “The FREED Act will stop the endless pain for millions of people. It will allow treatment for a disease without the fear of not completing their treatment because their insurance doesn't cover it. It will end the torment and pain of another mother burying her child because she couldn't afford treatment.”

About the EDC
The Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action is working in Washington, D.C., to increase awareness, educate policymakers, and promote understanding about the disabling and life-threatening effects of eating disorders. Our mission is to advance the federal recognition of eating disorders as a public health priority. www.eatingdisorderscoalition.org

Important Renfrew Center Events to add to your 2011 calendar

The Renfrew Center Foundation Presents the 2011 Spring Seminar Series for Professionals.

This year, The Renfrew Center Foundation has planned a series of six advanced, day-long training seminars addressing core issues in the treatment of eating disorders. Refer to the schedule below to determine which eating disorder expert will be in your city and what specific topic will be covered.

The False Self: The Complexity of Body Image and Identity Issues in the Treatment of Eating Disorder. Presented by: Adrienne Ressler, MA, LMSW, CEDS, National Training Director for The Renfrew Center Foundation.

Dates: April 6 – Old Greenwich, CT April 8 – Hartford, CT

Stages of Growth and Transformation in the Treatment of Eating Disorders. Presented by Jennifer Nardozzi, PsyD, National Training Manager, The Renfrew Center Foundation.

Dates: March 25 – Orlando, FL April 15 – Baltimore, MD

May 13 - Mahwah, NJ June 3 – Richmond, VA

All seminars will be held from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Offering 6 CE Credits

For more information or to register, visit http://www.renfrewcenter.com/news-events/Events/springseminars2011.asp or contact Debbie Lucker at 1-877-367-3383 or dlucker@renfrew.org.

Conference Listing:

Save the Date!

For the 21^st Annual Renfrew Center Foundation Conference

Feminist Relational Perspectives and Beyond: The Next Generation

November 11-13, 2011

Philadelphia Airport Marriott

Click here for more information

iaedp Foundation Chapter Forming in DFW - all eating disorder professionals invited to join!

Please join us for an informal lunch to learn about the start of this local chapter of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals. We will share with you the heart behind this chapter and assess your interest, thoughts and support in getting this up and going in the area.

March 11, 2011 at noon
1320 Greenway Drive #135, Irving Texas 75038
(La Hacienda Treatment Center Meeting Room)

Timberline Knolls will be hosting lunch. Please encourage your colleagues to attend.

RSVP to Shannon Devilbiss by March 10, 2011 @ sdevilbiss@timberlineknolls.com
or 214-862-8040

Action Alert: Eating Disorder Bill Introduced in Texas

Action Alert!

Eating Disorder Bill Introduced in Texas!

House Bill 1292, sponsored by Representative Garnet Coleman, will amend the existing insurance code, adding eating disorders to the list of serious mental illnesses, requiring insurers to cover treatment for these devastating conditions. Adoption of this important initiative could help to save lives by ensuring that individuals with eating disorders have access to the care that they so drastically need.

Your support is needed to pass this important initiative.

1) Please email star@myneda.org to hear updates about the bill and to find out how you can continue to support the effort, and

2) Please take a few moments to contact your representatives today.

You can call, write, or email to encourage them to Vote Yes on House Bill 1292 to add eating disorders to the list of covered conditions under the state mental health parity law.

Your help could be invaluable.

Attached you will find information about writing to your legislator, and a letter/email template.

Your representatives can be found by visiting: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/ and entering your address in the “Who Represents Me” box.

Click here to read the full text of the bill.

Currently we believe that there are 24 million people in the US who suffer from anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder. We also know that so many cases go undiagnosed and people suffer in silence due to the lack of insurance coverage. Providing access to early, adequate care would help alleviate the serious health consequences that accompany prolonged eating disorders, it could save the emotional turmoil involved for the entire family, and of course the financial burden of treatment would lessen significantly if the there were adequate access to treatment.

Eating Disorder Hope Features The Center for Change in the Eating Disorder Specialist Library

Center For Change

Getting There

Eating disorders are complicated illnesses, and they require advanced, sophisticated treatment. At Center for Change we treat adolescent and adult women struggling with eating disorders and we provide a multifaceted, interdisciplinary approach to treating the whole person. We believe that everyone has the ability for a complete and full recovery.

Eating disorders are complex. They are often accompanied by related health and psychological concerns such as trauma, addiction, anxiety, depression, malnutrition, relationship problems, and more. At Center for Change, we have the ability to diagnose and treat those concerns, and concurrent illnesses, helping women fully recover from the devastating effects of their illness and live healthier, more balanced lives.

Our staff is carefully selected, not just for their expertise in treating the symptoms and underlying causes of eating disorders, but also for their compassion and willingness to extend themselves in behalf of our clients.

Comprehensive Treatment for Anorexia, Bulimia, and Compulsive Eating

Eating disorders and associated illnesses, cause pain, fear and disruption in the lives of far too many young women. Often chronic, painful and severe anorexia, bulimia, compulsive eating, and binge eating take their toll on individuals and families. At Center for Change, we have been nurturing very real hope to our clients since 1994.

Our active yet caring approach to treatment includes acute inpatient care, long-term residential care, transitional care, day & evening programs, and outpatient services. We employ a specialized, multidisciplinary approach that helps women establish regular patterns of eating while offering constant encouragement of healthy exercise, body-image improvement, and a return to a full, happy life. We utilize dietary and nutritional therapies that help women develop an understanding of an intuitive eating approach that will continue to help them in their long-term recovery. We empower clients with the commitment and the tools they need to reclaim their lives.

Throughout our program clients receive individual, family, and group therapy, individual nutritional counseling, medical care and monitoring, medication management, and a variety of experiential therapies. Individualized, compassionate care is offered by our experienced team of physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, dietitians, nurses, care technicians, and other professionals.

Cascade Mountain High School is our Northwest Accredited academic program located in-house with curriculum taught by certified teachers. Our outstanding academic program also includes collegiate support, adult education, and life-skills training.

Throughout each stage of recovery, two things remain constant: Our unwavering compassion and our complete conviction that there is hope.

A Whole New Light

Center for Change was established in 1994 by a team, including psychologists and a physician, who have worked together since 1989. The founders have been treating eating disorders for more than 25 years. We offer the most comprehensive therapy and treatment program available, focusing on healing the whole person – mind, body, and spirit. We work to free those suffering from the pain and loneliness that have overcome their lives.

Center for Change is located in Orem, Utah and offers a full continuum of care with inpatient, residential treatment, day & evening programs, and outpatient services. In the mountains of Utah, hope is real. The prospect of a life filled with health, peace and fulfilling relationships is real. Often, those who come to us tell us that the Center has given them their lives back. They experience freedom from the darkness, pain and isolation that only individuals stricken with eating disorders can know. They come to see themselves in a whole new light.

Center for Change is accredited by the Joint Commission and the Northwest Accreditation Commission.

Center for Change
1790 N. State Street
Orem, UT 84057
888-224-8250
info@centerforchange.com
www.centerforchange.com

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Details About the New Eating Disorder Specialist Library:

The Eating Disorder Specialist Library features detailed overviews and pictures of eating disorder treatment centers and providers. Simplifying the search for specialized treatment!

Many eating disorder sufferers and families find that reviewing the online 'virtual brochures' offered in the Eating Disorder Specialist Library greatly simplifies their search and puts them in touch with some of the best treatment centers and providers for their loved one suffering from anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder.

This new and rapidly expanding eating disorder specialist library is an excellent tool for eating disorder sufferers, families, friends and treatment providers who feel overwhelmed with where to begin in the search for appropriate care for the eating disorder sufferer.

Finding highly skilled professionals specialized in the field is key to successful recovery. Begin your search @ http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/eating-disorder-specialist-library.html

*Interested in featuring your treatment center in the popular Eating Disorder Specialist Library? Contact Eating Disorder Hope for more information.

March 10, 2011 Eating Disorder Treatment Professionals Seminar by Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center

March 10, 2011

Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center hosting ~ Interdisciplinary Assessment and Treatment of Eating Disorders: Knowing and Working with the Continuum of Care

1686 Barton Road, Room 1100, Redlands, California 92373

For Eating Disorder Treatment Professionals - for more information, call Staff Development at 909-558-3500 or find information at pdf download.

To register, go to: http://www.llubmcevents.com

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Additional eating disorder treatment, prevention and awareness events can be found on the Eating Disorder Hope Events Calendar

Student Film Makers Raise Awareness about the Dangers of Eating Disorders

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is February 20-26, 2011

Anonymous Screenings Available at www.CollegeResponse.org

Wellesley Hills, MA (February 18, 2011) – Screening for Mental Health^® (SMH) is pleased to announce the winners of the first annual National Eating Disorders Screening Program^® (NEDSP) public service announcement contest. SMH started the video contest to give college students a chance to educate their peers about the consequences of anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder and to encourage students to assess their risk by taking an online screening at www.CollegeResponse.org.

Students across the country will see the winning public service announcements as part of NEDSP, which is an education and screening program hosted by hundreds of colleges and universities nationwide. Schools participate in NEDSP by hosting in-person events and/or providing anonymous screenings online.

“Food concerns, body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem can keep a person from being successful at school or work, and hinders social activities like being with friends, family and functioning as a person. The National Eating Disorders Screening Program offers education and screening to help young men and women recognize unhealthy eating habits before they evolve into full-blown eating disorders,”says Douglas G. Jacobs, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard University Medical School and founder and president of SMH.

In the United States, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder. Data reveals that nearly 20% of college students admit to having an eating disorder and nearly three-quarters have never received treatment (National Eating Disorders Association).

Eating disorders frequently co-exist with depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse. A comprehensive new study from The National Center on Addictions and Substance Abuse reveals that nearly half of those suffering from an eating disorder also abuse alcohol or illicit drugs, compared to just nine percent of the general population. People suffering from eating disorders may use drugs or alcohol for the same reasons they engage in eating disorder behaviors, to control their weight or to self-medicate negative emotions.

“I seriously struggled with an eating disorder in high school,” says Sarah Garrett, a student at Auburn University in Alabama and producer of the winning PSA video. “It took literally hitting rock bottom to get me to a therapist, and I swore then I would one day make a difference for someone else through eating disorder awareness.”

The second place winning PSA comes from Danielle Rollins, a 37-year old nursing student at Aultman College of Nursing in Canton, Ohio. The video was selected because of its powerful message and supporting statistics.

Lauren Webb, an 18 year old studio art major at Virginia Tech, whose PSA took third place says, “I understand how difficult an eating disorder can be... I used to get sick a lot and over my teenage years my problem developed into bulimia. I also struggled with anxiety, and soon realized there was a connection with all of my symptoms. I was able to express my major battle with food to my parents through my drawings and artwork. With their help, I got into therapy and am now on my way to recovery.”

The winning PSAs can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/CollegeResponsePSA.

About CollegeResponse: CollegeResponse^®, a program of the nonprofit Screening for Mental Health, Inc., promotes the prevention, early detection and treatment of prevalent and often under-diagnosed mental health disorders. CollegeResponse programs are provided in-person and online and include the National Eating Disorders Screening Program, National Depression Screening Day^®, National Alcohol Screening Day^® and The DORA College Suicide Prevention Program. Learn more at www.MentalHealthScreening.org. The National Eating Disorders Screening Program is funded in part by donations from Timberline Knolls Treatment Center, Eating Disorder Hope and Remuda Ranch Treatment Center.

March 10, 2011 Eating Disorder Treatment Professionals Seminar by Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center

March 10, 2011

Interdisciplinary Assessment and Treatment of Eating Disorders: Knowing and Working with the Continuum of Care

1686 Barton Road, Room 1100, Redlands, California 92373

For Eating Disorder Treatment Professionals - for more information, call Staff Development at 909-558-3500 or find information at pdf download.

To register, go to: http://www.llubmcevents.com

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Additional eating disorder treatment, prevention and awareness events can be found on the Eating Disorder Hope Events Calendar

Healing the Scars of Emotional Abuse - Free Book Drawing

Win One of 10 Free Books Offered in Drawing

ENTER DRAWING
Please complete the contact form, enter Healing the Scars of Emotional Abuse in message, and you will automatically be entered into our March 15, 2011 drawing!

Healing the Scars of Emotional Abuse

By Dr. Gregory L. Jantz with Ann McMurray @ www.aplaceofhope.com

The signs of emotional abuse are easy to overlook. There is no scar tissue to stretch, no bruises to yellow and heal, no gaping wound to point to. In spite of their invisibility, emotional wounds comprise a very damaging form of abuse.

While emotional abuse always accompanies physical and sexual abuse, it can also be present on its own. Because its implications have been overlooked, it's been left to do its damage in silence. The abused have no recourse but to wonder why they just can't seem to get their lives on track.

Each will think back to his or her childhood and won't be able to come up with a single time they were back-handed across the room or left alone with no food, or forced to do something "naughty" in secret. They conclude they were never abused and delve no further into the past to discover why their present doesn't seem to be working. But just as physical and sexual abuse have signposts to mark their presence, emotional abuse, being a systematic attack on one's sense of self, has common traits and runs the gamut of intensity and damage.

Purchase @ A Place of Hope Bookstore

Dr. Jantz has generously donated 10 books to be given away in this drawing!

University of Utah National Eating Disorders Awareness Week Events

University of Utah ~ Utah

Students Promoting Eating Disorder Awareness and Knowledge {SPEAK} SPEAK is a group of diverse students from many different educational backgrounds such as exercise and sport science, public health, nutrition, and sport psychology, psychology, and health promotion and education.

Our Goals & Objectives include:

• Promote self-esteem
• Promote self-efficacy
• Promote healthy body images
• Promote healthy eating habits

Our Mission: To promote awareness of eating disorders and body image issues through educating diverse populations, developing strategies for prevention, providing resources for treatment, and conducting relevant research. Schedule an outreach with SPEAK: SPEAK would be happy to prepare an outreach event specifically designed to address your interests. Outreach events may include a presentation, interactive discussion, or educational activities. Possible topics include but are not limited to: positive body image, prevention and treatment of eating disorders, healthy eating habits, self-esteem, and self-efficacy.

To schedule an outreach, simply email our Outreach Director with the details and we'll contact you.

Mailing Address:
Attn: SPEAK
1901 E. South Campus Drive, Rm 2135
SLC, UT 84112

SPEAK Webmaster (Justine.Reel@hsc.utah.edu) Disclaimer

Contact: Justine Reel, Ph.D. SPEAK Outreach Director: Justine.Reel@hsc.utah.edu

Outreach Events

Research Projects

Love Your Body Week (events scheduled for 2011 National Eating Disorder Awareness Week)

***Learn more about colleges nationwide and their efforts to promote eating disorder awareness and prevention at: http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-college-hope.html