Health and Community Services
February 7, 2011

Eating Disorder Awareness Week Proclaimed  

The Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services, gathered with representatives from the Eating Disorder Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (EDFNL) to proclaim February 6-12 as Eating Disorder Awareness Week in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“The Provincial Government is committed to keeping mental health and addiction issues a priority,” says Minister Kennedy. “As such, our government has provided funding to the Eating Disorder Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador and, in June of this past year, appointed a new Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Advisory Council to advise on mental health and addiction matters. We have also funded the creation of new programs to support those affected by eating disorders.”

For example, the Provincial Government has invested $804,500 to establish a provincial eating disorders program. The Centre for Hope is a day treatment service located in St. John’s that serves the province’s children and adults dealing with eating disorders. It provides meal and weight management, medications, and individual, group, and family counselling through a multidisciplinary treatment team approach.

In addition, the Provincial Government provides $50,000 in annual funding to the EDFNL to advocate, educate and support families affected by eating disorders. This funding is part of $225,000 in annual core funding provided to mental health and addictions community groups throughout the province as announced in June 2010. In addition, in February 2010, $70,000 was provided in one-time funding to the EDFNL for the Eating Disorder Interprofessional Community Capacity Building Program that teaches professionals how to assess and treat clients with eating disorders. 

Budget 2010: The Right Investments – For Our Children and Our Future allocates a total of $7.2 million to strengthen mental and addictions services in the province. This included $2.4 million for continued planning and construction of a new residential treatment centre in St. John’s for children and youth with complex mental health needs; $2 million to further a new residential treatment centre in Grand Falls-Windsor for children and youth with addictions; $2 million for the planning and development of an adult residential addictions treatment centre in Harbour Grace; $482,900 to enhance child psychiatry services at the Janeway Hospital; and, $300,000 to support new community-based projects, with a focus on mental health and addictions issues.

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Photo: The Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services, signs the Eating Disorder Awareness Week proclamation. Front row (left to right): Vince Withers, Chair, Eating Disorder Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (EDFNL); Minister Kennedy; and, Dr. Olga Heath, Assistant Professor, Memorial University and EDFNL Board Member. Back row (left to right): Krista Wade, Manager, Centre for Hope, Eastern Health; and, Ellen Foley, Executive Director, EDFNL.

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2011 02 07                                                     12:10 p.m.