On September 23, Governor Cuomo signed S2530/A5294 into law, legislation that amends the public health law to establish the Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention Program within the New York State Department of Health. The legislation was passed by the New York State Senate and Assembly in June 2014.
This is a major victory for the early intervention and prevention of eating disorders in New York, as this program will promote available resources and services to those who are suffering from eating disorders. It will also help increase awareness about the signs and symptoms of eating disorders, which could ultimately save lives.
Lynn Grefe, president and CEO of NEDA expressed gratitude to the governor and the legislature for their support. “We applaud Governor Cuomo and the legislature – in particular Senator Kemp Hannon and Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther – for their partnership to move this important legislature forward and signing it into law. Early detection is critical to recovery from an eating disorder and having this information readily available can make a world of difference for families and individuals struggling with these devastating and potentially life-threatening illnesses.”
“The National Eating Disorder Association is a tremendous advocate for those suffering from eating disorders” said Senator Kemp Hannon, Chair of the New York State Senate’s Standing Committee on Health "and we are fortunate that they call New York home. I have had the pleasure of working with Lynn Grefe, NEDA’s President and CEO, for many years on eating disorder issues in New York State. This important legislation is among the efforts we have partnered on, and its enactment is a testament to NEDA’s hard work and advocacy.”
“The statistics on eating disorders are alarming and signal a public health crisis. This new program will help spread awareness and will allow people suffering from eating disorders to get the help they need to get better. I thank Governor Cuomo for signing this important bill into law”, said Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther.
NEDA also sends a special thanks to all the dedicated advocates across the state who called and wrote to their legislators requesting their support of this legislation! We could not have done this without your efforts!
