Funding for N.Y. eating disorders centers receives boost

Advocates for eating disorders treatment were heartened this month over the news that New York state has reversed course on years of funding cuts for three centers providing integrated care approaches for patients.

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) stated in a news release that an allocation of $1.2 million in the state budget for the Comprehensive Care Centers for Eating Disorders—more than a doubling of the 2015 allocation—will allow for more prevention, treatment and transitional services. The centers provide inpatient and outpatient services and emphasize clinical collaboration among providers involved in patients' care. They also conduct community outreach efforts that include training of behavioral health and primary care providers in recognizing the signs of an eating disorder.

“The restoration of funding for the Comprehensive Care Centers for Eating Disorders has once again made New York a national leader in providing an innovative model for a network of coordinated and continuous care across the state,” said NEDA chief executive Claire Mysko.

The centers, which allow for management of complex cases in locations closer to an individual's home community, are housed in the New York City, Albany/Saratoga Springs, and Rochester areas.