We frequently sign on to letters from eating disorders and mental health groups to lend our voice to their initiatives.

THE EDC is proud to SUPPORT:

2023

• The Eating Disorders Coalition endorsed the Behavioral Health Information Technology (BHIT) Coordination Act. The legislation will improve coordination of mental and physical health care by supporting behavioral health providers’ efforts to adopt health information technology systems.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter supporting the markup of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter supporting the markup of the bipartisan Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition endorsed the CONNECT for Health Act. The legislation will expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make permanent COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s proposal that would prevent Facebook, owned by Meta, from monetizing data of users younger than 18.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to Senate leadership urging them to advance the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to Senate LHHS leadership supporting funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to House LHHS leadership supporting funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition endorsed Senator Bennet and Wyden's Better Mental Health Care for Americans Act.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to House and Seante LHHS leadership requesting $13 million for the HRSA Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program for Fiscal Year 2024.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to House and Senate Appropriation Committee leadership to express the need to address the severe shortages of school-based mental health professionals by providing robust investments for Fiscal Yeas 2024.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to Congress requesting continued support and funding for the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) program.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by Center for Countering Digital Hate to demand action from TikTok on the damaging effect its platform’s content algorithm causes on the mental health and well-being of children.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a request for information on updating Essential Health Benefits under the ACA.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter to Ranking Member Cassidy and Senators Carper, Scott, Warner, Cornyn & Menendez to provide information regarding policy solutions to improve coverage for dually eligible enrollees.

2022

• The Eating Disorders Coalition co-led a letter to House and Senate leadership to urge them to include Kids Online Safety Act (S. 3663) in the end-of-year package.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter thanking Senators Casey and Portman for introducing the Kids' Mental Health Now Act.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to House and Senate leadership expressing support for the inclusion of a mental health crisis intervention benefit in the Medicare program in the end-of-year legislative package.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter to Senate and House Appropriations Commitee leadership urging them to include eating disorders requests from the FY23 LHHS Subcommittee and Defense Subcommittee reports and explanatory statements in the end-of-year package.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure in response
  to the Request for Information on National Directory of Healthcare Providers & Services (NDH).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter urging Senate and House Leadership to include mental health services and support for Americans within the end-of-year package.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter thanking Senators Casey and Portman for introducing the Kids' Mental Health Now Act.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to House and Senate leadership expressing support for the inclusion of a mental health crisis intervention benefit in the Medicare program in the end-of-year legislative package.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to President Biden acknowledging the one-year anniversary of the declaration of a national emergency in youth mental health.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined over 400 organizations in calling for swift Senate passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation that would protect marriages of same-sex and interracial couples under federal law. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by MHLG urging the Senate Finance Committee to advance the Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act of 2021 before the end of the year. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition co-led a letter to Senate leadership urging them to advance both the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (S. 3663) and bipartisan Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (S. 1628) to the U.S. Senate floor this fall.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition co-led a letter to House Energy & Commerce leadership urging them to introduce the Kids Online Safety Act to significantly improve young people’s wellbeing by transforming the digital environment for children and teens.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by MHLG to thank Senators Casey and Cassidy for introducing the Health Care Capacity for Pediatric Mental Health Act. This legislation will make investments in mental health and substance use disorder care for kids and teens while providing support to the pediatric health professionals who serve them.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to urge Senate HELP Committee to bring forward and pass their mental health package to renew life-saving mental health programs. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by the Kennedy Forum to urge CA Governor Gavin Newsom to support The Miles Hall Lifeline and Suicide Prevention Act to make California a national leader in transforming responses to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto an letter expressing support for the Improving Access to Behavioral Health Integration Act, which would provide direct support to both pediatric and adult primary care practices to confront the nation's mental health crisis. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by the Kennedy Forum to urge the Department of Health and Human Services to end the separate and unequal systems for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition, Fairplay, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, Center for Digital Democracy, Common Sense Media, and Mental Health America led a letter to the Senate Commerce Committee urging them to vote 'Yes' to the Kids Online Safety Act and Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by The Kennedy Forum urging Senator Schumer to continue to support civil monetary penalty authority for the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to enforce the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA). 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention expressing support for the Expanding Access to Mental Health Training (MHAT) program. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by The Education Trust to President Biden to elevate the importance of addressing hunger in the forthcoming White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition, Fairplay for Kids, Mental Health America, and American Psychological Association led a letter to Senators Cantwell and Wicker urging them hold a committee markup on the Kids Online Safety Act (S. 3663) in the month of June.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics requesting $30 million for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program (PSLRP) to continue providing loan repayment for pediatric medical subspecialists, pediatric surgical specialists, and child mental health professionals who care for children in underserved areas, addressing critical shortages of these highly trained professionals by lessening financial disincentives for pursuing pediatric specialty training. House letter. Senate letter.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by Mental Health Liasion Groups to House Energy & Commerce leadership requesting their support for the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Reauthorization Act (H.R. 7255) which would reauthorize this impactful federal grant program to support states, tribes, and campuses with the implementation of youth suicide prevention and early intervention strategies.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by the Children's Hospital Association requesting $718.8 million for the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education (CHGME) program to strength the pediatric workforce and access to care for children. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice to House and Senate leadership urging them to bring the Post-Disaster Mental Health Response Act up for a vote. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by American Academy of Pediatrics requesting $14 million for the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in the FY23 Labor, HHS, Education (LHHS) appropriations bill.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition thanks Representatives Deutch, Fitzpatrick, Tonko, Garbarino, Spanberger, and Van Drew for championing our FY23 appropriations requests and for urging LHHS leadership to sustain funding for eating disorders programs.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by NASP to urge House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership to address the shortages of school-based mental health professionals. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter on behalf of MHLG urging Senators Cantwell and Wicker to advance the Kids Online Safety Act to protect current and future generations of young social media consumers.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition wrote a letter to the Administrator and Director of HRSA inquiring about the implementation of eating disorders training for primary care providers.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition supported a letter led by MHLG to express support for the Virtual Peer Support Act of 2021.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition supported a letter led by MHA, NASMHPD, and APA to Congress urging them to support the mental health needs of the nation by including a prevention and early intervention setaside in the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition supported a letter lead by Members of Congress to the Department of Defense urging them to implement the provisions of the SERVE Act that were passed through FY22 NDAA to expand eating disorders coverage under TRICARE.
• The Eating Disorders Coalitions signed onto a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics thanking Senators Murphy and Cassidy for introducing the Supporting Children's Mental Health Care Access Act of 2022.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics thanking Representatives Schrier and Miller-Meeks for introducing the Supporting Children's Mental Health Care Access Act of 2022.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by the American Psychological Association to the U.S. Surgeon General urging him to create a public awareness campaign on the dangers of social media to adolescents. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by Fairplay and Center for Digital Democracy to urge Congressional Leadership to enact policy safeguards to protect children and teens online.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by the Kennedy Forum to Majority Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi requesting that any reconciliation package that moves forward include civil monetary penalty authority for mental health parity. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to delay implementation of the telemental health in-person requirement as a prerequisite for coverage of a telehealth service within Section 123 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter to U.S. House & Senate Appropriations Committees Regarding Funding for a White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, Hunger, and Health.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a statement letter, led by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Coalition, to the Senate Finance Committee commending them for holding a hearing on mental health and to encourage bold action of a federal emergency declaration in children’s mental health.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter to Senate Agriculture Committee and House Education and Labor Committee to urge committee members to include the Improving Mental Health and Wellness in Schools Act in the Child Reauthorization Act. 
• The Eating Disorders coalition joined over 300 organizations in a letter of support to Congressional leadership asking them to facilitate a pathway to comprehensive permanent telehealth reform. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a MHLG led letter joined by over 40 organizations to the Senate Agriculture Committee and House Education and Labor Committee urging committee members to include the legislation in the Child Reauthorization Act.

2021

• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter of support for the Veteran Peer Specialist Act of 2021 (S. 2386/H.R. 4575). The legislation would ensure that two new peer specialists positions would be employed at each VA health facility around the country.
• The Eating Disorders Coaltion signed a letter urging Congress to pass FY2022 appropriations legislation with significant investments to address mental health workforce shortages.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a letter urging the CDC to re-include items assessing disordered eating behaviors into the national Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System survey.
• The Eating Disorders Coaltition signed a letter to House and Senate appropriations leadership urging them to finalize a full-year spending bill with $30 million for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics to Senate Finance sharing the National State of Emergency in Children's Mental Health declaration and recommendations to address the crisis.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a letter to Senators Wyden and Crapo asking them to extend the Federal Parity Act through statute to TRICARE to ensure equal coverage to the military and their families.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a letter to Senators Bennet and Cornyn urging them to extend the Federal Parity Act through statute to TRICARE to ensure equal coverage to the military and their families.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a letter led by MHLG to House leadership in support of the mental health provisions to the Build Back Better legislation.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined 30 national organizations urging Congress to prioritize childrens' needs in the Build Back Better budget reconciliation package.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a letter led by MHLG urging House and Senate Committee on Appropriations to fund the National Suicide Prevention Hotline in the Fiscal Year 2022.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a thank you letter to Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott on his strong leadership to strengthen enforcement of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (Federal Parity Act) in the Committee-passed Build Back Better Act language.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined over 400 organizations urging Senate Democrats to close the Medicaid Gap.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition thanks Committee on Appropriations' Chairwoman DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger for providing $25 million in funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program (PSLRP).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics thanking Rep. Schrier and Rep. Joyce for their leadership in securing $25 million in funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program (PSLRP).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter in support of the Evaluating Disparities and Outcomes of Telehealth During the COVID-19 Emergency Act of 2021 or EDOT, which would require data collection on telehealth utilization within the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a letter led by the Mental Health Liaison Group that urges Congress to improve children's access to mental health. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto the letter led by the Mental Health Liaison Group, in support of the Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act, which would allow for every state and territory the ability to join the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration and would authorize investments in the model for current and prospective CCBHCs.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joint wrote a letter with Well Being Trust, Kennedy Forum, Mental Health America, and Inseparable on recommendations against using Medicare as the base for Public Health Insurance Option.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a letter in support of the Children and Media Research Advancement Act, or CAMRA, that would research the impact social media and other screen-based content has on the cognitive and social-emotional development of our nation's kids. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined over 400 organizations in support of continuing telehealth coverage after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ends. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition, along with a coalition of mental health and wellness organizations, signed a letter in support of Increasing Access to Mental Health in School Act.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed onto a letter led by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, urging Congress to close the Medicaid coverage gap as part of recovery legislation this upcoming year. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics in support of the Equality Act, which provides affirmative, statutory nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ Americans both in the workplace and in the community.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition, along with a coalition of mental health and wellness organizations, signed on to a letter applauding a slate of bipartisan mental health bills that passed in the U.S. House in May 2021. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by 2020 Mom in support of the bipartisan Moms Matter Act, which provides critical investments in programs to expand access to treatments and support for maternal mental health conditions and substance use disorders for individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health in support of the 2021 Child and Adolescent Mental and Behavioral Health Principles to improve and enhance mental health services for this population.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition, along with the REDC Consortium, submitted a letter to the Department of Defense, urging it to take action to better identify, treat and rehabilitate servicemembers and their family members affected by eating disorders.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by the National Association of School Psychologists to House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee and Senate HELP Committee leadership, encouraging them to help address the severe shortages of school-based mental health professionals in our nation's schools.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition helped lead a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter in support of the SERVE Act, which would improve access to care, early identification, and quality of care for servicemembers and military family members affected by eating disorders.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter to Senate Committee on Finance, House Energy Commerce Committee, and Ways and Means Committee leadership, urging them to act on the Nutrition CARE Act and bring the bill forward for consideration.
• The Eating Disorders signed on to a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter in support of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act (H.R. 1667), which would help reduce and prevent suicide and mental and behavioral health conditions among health care professionals. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics to House appropriations committee leadership, to request $50 million in funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program in the House Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics to Senate appropriations committee leadership, to request $50 million in funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program in the Senate Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter to Norris Cochran, Acting Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, thanking him for his recent letter to Governors stating the public health emergency (PHE) declaration will likely remain in place throughout 2021, which allows for the continuation of much needed telehealth flexibilities 
• Senate Finance Letter Nutrition CARE
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter to Senate HELP committee leadership, in support of the recent reintroduction of the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act, which would increase access to health care services during the national COVID-19 public health emergency by allowing practitioners with valid licenses to provide services, including telehealth services, in all states for the duration of the public health emergency.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics to House and Senate leadership, urging the inclusion in future COVID-19 response funding of an additional $16 million to expand the Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to all states, D.C., and the territories.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by Trust for America's Health to House and Senate leadership, requesting $4.5 billion in long-term, additional annual funding for CDC, state, local, tribal and territorial core public health infrastructure to modernize the nation’s public health system, rebuild the workforce, and promote healthier communities.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by Safe States Alliance urging President-Elect Biden to move swiftly to repeal Executive Order (EO) 13950, Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, which presents a barrier to evidence-based diversity programs and equity-related initiatives across all federal agencies, their grantees and contractors.
• LHHS Letter FY22

2020

• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a MHLG letter in support of the CAHOOTS Act (S.4441), which would enhance the utilization of crisis response services and mobile interventions for individuals experiencing mental health and substance-use disorder crises in local communities.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a MHLG letter urging HHS Secretary Azar to direct the CDC to issue guidance advising states to include mental health and addiction treatment providers, recovery support providers, and patients in inpatient psychiatric and residential treatment and community-based treatment settings among their prioritized groups for receiving the Covid-19 vaccines.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed in support of model legislation spearheaded by the Kennedy Forum, based on California SB 855 and named in honor of the late Jim Ramstad, which would advance mental health and addiction parity by requiring compliance with generally accepted standards of care.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) effort to send letters to 9 states that do not have a state mandate to cover telehealth, including Alabama (linked), urging them to enact executive orders on coverage for tele-mental health services through the end of 2021.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to Administrator Seema Verma, strongly urging further telehealth expansion by allowing telehealth through audio-only devices and the elimination of current geographic and site restrictions.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by the National Eating Disorders Association to the House Education and Labor Committee and Senate Agriculture Committee in support of the bipartisan Eating Disorders Prevention in Schools Act, which would integrate eating disorders prevention into local school wellness policies.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to the leaders of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which would reduce and prevent suicide and mental and behavioral health conditions among health care professionals (House Version).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to the leaders of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which would reduce and prevent suicide and mental and behavioral health conditions among health care professionals (Senate Version).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a letter led by the American Psychological Association (APA) in support of the Medicare Mental Health Access Act, which would improve Medicare beneficiaries’ access to mental and behavioral health services provided by clinical psychologists (Senate Version).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a letter led by the American Psychological Association (APA) in support of the Medicare Mental Health Access Act, which would improve Medicare beneficiaries’ access to mental and behavioral health services provided by clinical psychologists (House Version).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA) to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, requesting the inclusion of $3.5M funding for a “Maternal Mental Health Hotline” within the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 LHHS Senate appropriations package.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined 38 other organizations in a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom, expressing support for Senate Bill 855, which would make California a national leader in increasing access to Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder care by ensuring that health plans cover medically necessary care.
• The Eating Disorders Colition joined an MHLG letter to Congressional leadership to express our strong support for $4.5 billion in needed funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), as provided in the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by the American Academy of Pediatrics to the Senate Committee on Appropriations urging them to include $50M in funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program (PSLRP) in the Senate Fiscal Year 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill and prioritize the inclusion of this funding in a final omnibus spending bill.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined 225 organizations in a letter to the leaders of the House Telehealth Caucus in support of the bipartisan Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act (H.R. 7663), which would ensure all Medicare beneficiaries have continued access to telehealth services after the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) period.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a letter to Members of the House of Representatives, urging them to support the amendment being offered by Representative Bill Foster (D-IL) and Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) to H.R. 7617, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, striking Section 510 of the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill, which currently prohibits the US Department of Health and Human Services from spending any federal dollars to promulgate or adopt a national patient identifier. (Offices who didn't support this amendment during the FY20 budget process)
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a letter to Members of the House of Representatives, urging them to support the amendment being offered by Representative Bill Foster (D-IL) and Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA) to H.R. 7617, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, striking Section 510 of the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill, which currently prohibits the US Department of Health and Human Services from spending any federal dollars to promulgate or adopt a national patient identifier. (Offices who did support this amendment during the FY20 budget process)
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) to House and Senate leadership, urging them to dedicate resources and oversight to ensuring language and communications needs are not a barrier to COVID-19 public health knowledge, testing and treatment.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter in support of Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Lisa Murkowski’s (R-AK) bills, Emergency Support for Substance Use Disorders Act and COVID-19 Behavioral Health Support Act, and Senator Smith’s Emergency Mental Health and Substance Use Technical Assistance Act.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter to House Ways & Means Committee leadership in support of the Evaluating Disparities and Outcomes of Telehealth During the COVID-19 Emergency Act of 2020 or EDOT Act (H.R. 7078), which would require data collection on telehealth utilization within the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined this letter, led by Trust for America’s Health, along with 250 other organizations to urge Congress to invest in public health infrastructure across the nation, as this investment is critical to support the public health system as it rebuilds from the COVID-19 response.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to Senate leadership, urging the Senate to raise the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) in order to assist state Medicaid programs. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition helped lead a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to Senate leadership, urging them to make substantial investments and critical policy changes to mitigate the mental health and substance use-related effects of COVID-19, the impact on individuals and families, and the economic impacts on the providers they rely on for their care.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to House Committee on Energy & Commerce leadership and E&C Subcommittee on Health leadership in support of the Mental Health Research Act, which would help conduct and support research on the mental health consequences of COVID-19.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma, requesting that regulations providing flexibility for telehealth in Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, and federally subsidized and funded health programs be extended after the COVID-19 emergency, to allow data to be collected to determine which flexibilites should be continued permanently.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition recently led a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to the leads and original co-sponsors of the Health Care Protection Act, expressing strong support for the bill and thanking these Members of Congress for their leadership in pushing their Congressional colleagues to maintain the safety and continuity of health care for individuals and families.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition submitted a letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein, expressing support for Senate Resolution 560, which recognizes and supports the goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault Awareness Prevention Month. The EDC is particularly supportive of the recognition that sexual assault is often associated with the development of an eating disorder, along with numerous other adverse consequences for the victim.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to Representatives Schrier and Roe, in support for H.R. 6644, the Health Care at Home Act, which would require group health plans and health insurers to cover telehealth services, including mental health and substance use disorder services, during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by the National Council of Nonprofits to House and Senate leadership, requesting that the next COVID-19 relief package Congress considers expands nonprofit access to credit, strengthens charitable giving incentives, treats self-funded nonprofits fairly, and increases emergency funding.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter on behalf of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) to House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) leadership, requesting that they implement measures in the 4th COVID-19 relief bill that temporarily loosen restrictions on telehealth services under TRICARE.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined over 55 organizations to support a letter, in tandem with a petition led by the Psychotherapy Action Network, urging for several telemental health coverage provisions within upcoming COVID-19 relief packages. The final letter was sent to House and Senate leadership and to the Secretary of Labor. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter on behalf of the Mental Health Liaison Group to Senate and House leadership urging them to provide temporary statutory authority to the Department of Labor that would allow the agency to ensure all ERISA plans cover telehealth services, including mental health and addiction treatment.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition led a letter on behalf of the Mental Health Liaison Group to Senate and House leadership urging them to support a federal program to subsidize COBRA continuation coverage for Americans and families that have lost health care coverage due to furloughs and layoffs associated with COVID-19.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition recently signed on to a letter led by Families USA, urging Congressional leadership to ensure all individuals have equitable access to testing and treatment for COVID-19; equip states and localities with sufficient financial support to combat the crisis; and more. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a letter to Congress, urging them to take immediate action in the 4th COVID-19 relief bill to prevent the behavioral health system from collapsing and to mitigate a greater public health and economic crisis from untreated mental illness and addiction.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition supported a letter led by the Jewish Federations of North America to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma, urging them to immediately expand Medicare coverage of telehealth to allow audio-only communications and waive the current Medicare requirement for audio-video connecting during the COVID-19 public health emergency. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition submitted comments to Senate Finance Committee Leadership in response to a Request for Information (RFI) on factors contributing to poor maternal health outcomes in the United States, by providing relevant data and findings and addressing gaps in coverage that can be tackled to improve maternal health outcomes across the nation.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to Governors across the country, requesting that states temporarily lift restrictions on telebehavioral health at all levels of care by telephone or video for individuals regardless of insurance plan and ensure payment parity until the conclusion of the COVID-19 national emergency.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to the National Association of Insurace Commissioners, requesting that states temporarily lift restrictions on telebehavioral health at all levels of care by telephone or video for individuals regardless of insurance plan and ensure payment parity until the conclusion of the COVID-19 national emergency.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to House and Senate leadership, requesting that states temporarily lift restrictions on telebehavioral health at all levels of care by telephone or video for individuals regardless of insurance plan and ensure payment parity until the conclusion of the COVID-19 national emergency.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition lent its support to a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee and LHHS Subcommittee leadership, requesting $50 million in funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program for FY21. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition lent its support to a letter to House Appropriations Committee and LHHS Subcommittee leadership, requesting $50 million in funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program for FY21. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter led by Families USA to House and Senate Leadership, urging Congress to move legislation forward that includes least $150 billion in direct aid to states for fiscal relief as they deploy their resources to address critical health needs and absorb the economic crisis associated with COVID-19.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined a letter to Senate and House leadership urging that they remove the language excluding nonprofits that receive Medicaid reimbursements from the emergency Small Business Loan Program, and other related efforts. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to a letter with 81 other organizations to Vice President Pence and Senate/House leadership, urging them to ensure the accessibility of mental health services, strengthen crisis services, and more during the COVID-19 outbreak.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition lent its support to a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to House members expressing support for the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, which would eliminate the discrimination against mental illnesses that continues to exist in the Medicare program. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition lent its support to a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to Senate members expressing support for the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, which would eliminate the discrimination against mental illnesses that continues to exist in the Medicare program. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to Representatives Brindisi, Craig, and Katko expressing their support for the Seeding Rural Resilience Act, which would prioritize mental health care services in rural areas and create a training program for the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Services in the management of the stresses experienced by farmers and ranchers. 
• The Eating Disordders Coalition signed a Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) letter to Senators Tester and Grassley, expressing their support for the Seeding Rural Resilience Act, which would prioritize mental health care services in rural areas and create a training program for the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Services in the management of the stresses experienced by farmers and ranchers. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined fellow Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) members in a letter to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, House Homeland Security Committee, and House Oversight and Reform Committee leadership, urging them to convene oversight hearings and evaluate the impact of the sharing of confidential therapy records on detained children.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition signed on to an Mental Health Liaison Group letter to the FCC, expressing its support for the FCC's proposed rule plan to have 9-8-8 be designated as a three-digit hotline for suicide and other mental health crises. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition, along with other groups focused on mental health policy, signed on to a letter to the leadership of the Senate Commitee on Finance, advocating on behalf of the Nutrition CARE Act and urging that it be brought forward for consideration.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joined other organizations in the nutrition and mental health spaces by signing on to a letter to the leadership of the House Committee on Energy & Commerce and the House Committee on Ways and Means, advocating on behalf of the Nutrition CARE Act.
• HASC Letter to DHA for Telehealth
• Senate Letter to DHA for Telehealth
• COVID TRICARE Guidance
• Telehealth Letter

2019

• The Eating Disorders Coalition has submitted a letter to Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Fred Upton (R-MI), requesting the inclusion of the Nutrition CARE Act within a planned Cures 2.0 legislative package. 
• The Eating Disorders Coaltion, in conjunction with the membership of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG), has signed on to a letter led by the Trevor Project opposing the Health and Human Services grants regulation proposed rule, RIN 0991-AC16.
• The Eating Disorders Coaltion joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in signing on to a letter led by the National Alliance on Mental Illness to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services urging them to reject Tennessee TennCare II Demonstration Amendment 42.
• The Eating Disorders Coaltion joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) supporting the bipartisan Barriers to Suicide Act of 2019 (H.R. 4309).
• The Eating Disorders Coaltion joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) supporting the bipartisan Effective Suicide Screening and Assesment in the Emergency Department Act of 2019 (H.R. 4861).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) supporting the bipartisan STANDUP Act (S. 2492). 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins over 60 organizations in support of the bipartisan Investment in Tomorrow's Pediatric Health Care Workforce Act (S. 2443).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) supporting the bipartisan RISE from Trauma Act (S. 1770 / H.R. 3180).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in sending a letter to Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Bob Casey (D-PA) in support of the UNDERSTAND Act (S. 1323).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in sending a letter to Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ) in support of the Parity Enforcement Act (H.R. 2848).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins FamiliesUSA and 43 other organizations in sending a letter to Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Leader McConnell, and Leader Schumer in support of legislation that recently passed in the House of Representatives, H.R. 986 and H.R. 987.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in sending a letter to Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA-45) and Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) in support of the Mental Health Parity Compliance Act of 2019.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in sending a letter to Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) to encourage the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to include the Mental Health Parity Compliance Act (S. 1737) within their large health cost savings package that is currently in development.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in sending a letter to Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in support of the Mental Health Parity Compliance Act of 2019 (S. 1737).
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in sending letters to Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representative Joe Kennedy (D-MA-04) in support of the Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2019 (S.1576, H.R. 2874). Click here for the Senate letter and here for the House letter.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins 66 other organizations in expressing concern about HRSA’s latest behavioral health workforce projections and to offer suggestions for future improvements in workforce estimates for behavioral health professionals caring for children, adolescents, and young adults.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in sending a letter to Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) in support of the Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2019. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in sending a letter to House Committee on Budget Chairman Yarmuth (D-KY) and Ranking Member Womack (R-AR) in support of the Investing for the People Act of 2019. 
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in sending a letter to Reps. Grace Napolitano (D-CA) and John Katko (R-NY) in support of the Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2019. 
• Eating Disorders Coalition Supports Energy & Commerce Committee Investigation of Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance Plans.
• The Eating Disorders Coalition joins fellow members of the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG) in sending a letter to Senate HELP Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) on solutions to improve health care affordability. 
• The EDC joins 45 other organizations in requesting that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), in their next Proposed Rulemaking, seek comment from public stakeholders about the CMS policy barriers and opportunities for states and communities in using schools and early education programs to better address the mental health and substance use disorder risk for students. 
• The Mental Health Liaison Group Urges Congress to extend and expand the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration.
• The reauthorization of the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program

2018

• Public comments to the Draft First Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research.
• Read the letter led by Representatives Patrick Kennedy [D-RI] in Support of Plaintiffs in Lawsuits Challenging Federal Final Rule Authorizing Short-Term, Limited Duration Insurance.
• HHS Conference Report Calls for CDC to Include Eating Disorders in National Surveillance Systems to Monitor the Health of Our Youth.
• The Mental Health Liaison Group Supports Medicaid Demo on substance use disorder (SUD) Provider Capacity in Final Opioid Package.
• Eating Disorders Coalition Urges Support for AB 2338
• Mental Health Liaison Group URGES passage of H.R. 2345 The National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2017
• Opposition to Creating a Private School Voucher Program for Military-Connected Children as Part of the National Defense Authorization Act FY 2019
• Limited Repeal of the IMD Exclusion for Adult Medicaid Beneficiaries with Substance Use Disorder Act
• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and opposition of H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018

• Funding for the pediatric mental health care access grant program

  • Senate Letter to Chairman Blunt and Ranking Member Murray
  • House Letter to Chairman Cole and Ranking Member DeLauro
• Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee's (ISMICC) The Way Forward: Federal Action for a System That Works for All People Living With SMI and SED and Their Families and Caregiver
  • ​Letters of support regarding the ISMICC's first report were sent to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Department of Defense, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Social Security Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs
• H.R. 2345 The National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act of 2017
• The Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2018, H.R. 4778
• The Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2018, S. 2301
• GAO Letter 2018

2017

• Five-year extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
• Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Recovery Expansion (CARE) Act, H.R. 2687
• The Preventive Health Savings Act
• Opposition to provisions related to repealing the Affordable Care Act's individual shared responsibilty mandate and medical expense deduction within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
• The Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Expansion Act (S. 1950/H.R. 3931)
• Bipartisan Health Care Stabilization Act of 2017
• Massachusetts H. 952, an Act making discrimination on the basis of height and weight unlawful
• H.R. 3192: CHIP Mental Health Parity Act
• The CONNECT for Health Act, S. 1016
• Stabilizing the Individual Health Insurance Marketplace
• An opposition to the new Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson (GCHJ) proposal aimed at repealing and replacing major portions of the current health care system
• A five-year extension of CHIP funding
• The Mental Health in Schools Act (H.R. 2913)
• The protection of mental health and substance use disorder with health insurance marketplace reform
• The protection of Medicaid under the AHCA
• The expansion of mental health parity in New York State
• The protection of Medicaid and substance use disorder services under the American Health Care Act
• Pediatric alternative payment options for transition-aged youths
• The protection of Medicaid and coverage for mental health and substance use disorders under the American Health Care Act
• Congressman Tim Murphy's amendment to the House Resolution 154 to Repeal and Replace the Patient Protection and ACA related to Mental Health Parity
• The protection of Medicaid coverage in mental health reform
• The protection of Medicaid expansion included under the Affordable Care Act
• The protection of access to mental health services under the Affordable Care Act and 21st Century Cures Act in reforms to health insurance coverage in the 115th Congress

2016

• The required use of quantitative and standardized measures by Joint Commission-accredited mental health and substance use care providers
• The inclusion of Section 722 in H.R. 2646 to reauthorize the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program (PSLRP)
• An initiative calling on the FDA to revoke its support of the AspireAssist
• The advancement of comprehensive mental health reform legislation (S. 2680/HR 2646)
• The Mental Health Reform Act of 2016, S. 2680
   
  • Sept. 19, 2016: EDC sent a letter addressed to Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Harry Reid​ to push for S. 2680 to be considered for a vote on the Senate floor, on behalf of eating disorders organizations and treatment centers across the country. 
• Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015 (H.R. 2646)
• Inclusion of eating disorders within the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program for Fiscal Year's 2017 Department of Defense Appropriations bill
• AB 2539, a California bill that addresses eating disorders in the fashion industry and aims to protect the health of models
• Mental Health on Campus Improvement Act (S. 2685)
• The Mental Health Reform Act of 2016
• The Comprehensive Behavioral Health Reform and Recovery Act (H.R. 4435)
• The Behavioral Health Coverage Transparency Act of 2016 (S 2647)
• SF 2204, an act relating to insurance coverage for the assessment and treatment of eating disorders and including applicability date provisions
• The expansion of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Center demonstration program authorized in Section 223 of The Protecting Access to Medicare Act 
• Mental Health Awareness Semipostal Stamp Act (H.R. 3640)

2015

• The Educating to Prevent Eating Disorders Act of 2015 (H.R. 4153)
• Mental health reform legislation 
• An Act regulating the sale of dietary supplements for weight loss or muscle building (H. 3471)
• The Mental Health Awareness and Improvement Act of 2015 (S. 1893)
• The Children's Recovery from Trauma Act of 2015 (S. 1494) 
• The Children's Recovery from Trauma Act of 2015 (H.R. 2632)
• The Medical Evaluation Parity for Service Members (MEPS) Acts (S. 646) 
• The Mental Health in Schools Act (H.R. 1211) 
• The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (GLSMA) Reauthorization of 2015 (H.R. 938) 
• GLSMA Reauthorization of 2015 (S. 1299)
• Amendment 608