Group of 51 Bipartisan Senators and Members of Congress Urge HHS for Full-Scale Implementation of Education and Training on Eating Disorders Provisions from the 21st Century Cures Act

Group of 51 Bipartisan Senators and Members of Congress Urge HHS for Full-Scale Implementation of Education and Training on Eating Disorders Provisions from the 21st Century Cures Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 2, 2018) - Recently a bipartisan group of fifty-one Senators and Members of Congress, led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D-MN], Shelley Moore Capito [R-WV], Tammy Baldwin [D-WI] and Rep. Ted Deutch [D-FL] and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen [R-FL], sent a House and Senate letter to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Azar, urging the full-scale implementation of Section 13006 "Education and Training on Eating Disorders" for health care professionals authorized by the Anna Westin Act through 21st Century Cures (P.L. 114-255). This letter was sent after hundreds of advocates stormed and called Washington, D.C. on April 23rd, urging their Members of Congress' assistance in implementing these life-saving provisions. View the Senate champions' joint press release here and the House of Representatives' joint press release here.
"Passage of the 21st Century Cures Act was a major bipartisan accomplishment, and now we are asking the Department to utilize all necessary resources to implement these health programs," said Congressman Deutch. "We need to train our health professionals to learn how to detect, prevent, and treat eating disorders among their patients. With 30 million Americans affected by these illnesses over their lifetime, this demands the full attention and appropriate resources of our federal health agency."
Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act in December 2016, which included key provisions from the bipartisan, bicameral Anna Westin Act of 2015 (S. 1865 / H.R. 2515), including Section 13006 for the early identification and intervention of eating disorders trainings for health professionals. Unfortunately, since the passage, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has taken little to no action to implement these provisions.

"Eating disorders are a leading cause of further illness and sometimes death in our nation. However, it is unfortunate that programs to train health professionals to identify and treat these disorders have not been forthcoming from the Department of Health and Human Services," Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen said. "Along with my friend and colleague, Ted, I urge Secretary Azar to implement programs that will help those with eating disorders get the help they need."

Senate signatories of this letter include the following Senators: Amy Klobuchar [D-MN], Shelley Moore Capito [R-WV], Tammy Baldwin [D-WI], Sherrod Brown [D-OH], Tammy Duckworth [D-IL]. Richard Blumenthal [D-CT], Debbie Stabenow [D-MI], Elizabeth Warren [D-MA], Edward Markey [D-MA], Mark Warner [D-VA], Chris Murphy [D-CT], Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY] and Corey Booker [D-NY].

House of Representatives signatories of this letter include the following Members of Congress: Rep. Ted Deutch [D-FL], Ileana Ros-Lehtinen [R-FL], David Price [D-NC], Eleanor Holmes Norton [D-DC], Peter King [R-NY], Zoe Lofgren [D-CA], John Larson [D-CT], Grace Napolitano [D-CA], Betty McCollum [D-MN], Federica Wilson [D-FL], C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger [D-MD], G.K. Butterfield [D-NC], Debbie Wasserman Schultz [D-FL], Doris Matsui [D-CA], Kathy Castor [D-FL], Steve Cohen [D-TN], Tim Walz [D-MN], Erik Paulsen [R-MN], Chellie Pingree [D-ME], Paul Tonko [D-NY], Lou Barletta [R-PA], Donald Payne, Jr. [D-NJ], Rodney Davis [R-IL], Lois Frankel [D-FL], Mark Pocan [D-WI], Keith Rothfus [R-PA], Kyrsten Sinema [D-AZ], Eric Swalwell [D-CA], Debbie Dingell [D-MI], John Katko [R-NY], Seth Moulton [D-MA], Val Demings [D-FL], Brian Fitzpatrick [R-PA], Brian Mast [R-FL], Jamie Raskin [D-MD], Lloyd Smucker [R-PA], Gus Bilirakis [R-FL], and Don Young [R-AK].
Eating disorders affect over 30 million Americans during their lifetime and have the highest mortality rate out of any psychiatric illness. Given the high prevalence and severity of these disorders, specialized training in early identification and treatment of eating disorders is needed.

The Eating Disorders Coalition (EDC) is a Washington, D.C.-based, federal advocacy organization comprised of treatment providers, advocacy organizations, academics, parents of children with eating disorders and people experiencing eating disorders nationwide. Additional resources can also be found at www.eatingdisorderscoalition.org.