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The Missouri Eating Disorders Council, in collaboration with appropriate organizations and stakeholders, in addition to the Departments of Mental Health, Health and Senior Services, Elementary and Secondary Education and Higher Education, will lead the development of eating disorders education, awareness and research initiatives throughout the state, and promote increased access to treatments supported by clinical practice guidelines (i.e., considering the relevant scientific literature, as well as the potential harms and benefits of treatment for each case).1-3
The Council will focus on children, adolescents, and adults with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder (BED), atypical AN, sub threshold BN, sub threshold BED, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). These are the major diagnostic categories included in DSM-5.4 It will include the sub threshold diagnoses (atypical AN, sub threshold BN, sub threshold BED) because patients with these disorders demonstrate levels of distress and/or impairment similar to full-syndrome AN, BN, and BED.5
Eating disorder awareness, detection, prevention, treatment and recovery is of paramount importance and must start early. Early intervention is linked to better treatment outcomes, but requires enhanced awareness and screening.6 The Council will focus on helping professionals to recognize individuals with eating disorders and individuals at high risk for developing an eating disorder (e.g., those with high weight/shape concerns or low levels of compensatory behaviors).7-8 The Council will advocate for increased access to care for this population, as well as promote early intervention and prevention programs and recovery supports.
The absence of adequate coverage for treatment is a critical barrier to access to care for the patient.9 The high costs of medical complications, disability, and loss of life are significant health concerns.10-12 The Council will advocate for third party reimbursement for eating disorders, including coverage through private and public insurance plans.
The Council will work with identified partners, including state departments, to develop an eating disorders awareness program that targets patients with eating disorders as well as non-patient community members. This program will be designed to communicate that eating disorders are serious illnesses that require complete treatment, and to foster recognition of eating disorder symptoms and support for seeking treatment. The objectives of the awareness program are to educate Missouri citizens on the true and serious nature of the disease, dispel myths on who is affected, drive early intervention and encourage appropriate treatment for those suffering or those at risk.
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Melissa Drake is the founder of Brilliant Transformations. She is an Editor, Truthteller, and coach with a passion for words, writing, positive energy, and helping others recover from life’s tough transitions. She knows from personal experience, it's important to live your own truth over the truth others prescribed for you. She also knows writing helps process and heal your own hurts.
Once written, the act of sharing your story with others (whether that's on a small scale in an intimate support group, or on a large scale by publishing your story), can empower others. She desires to help individuals Live their Truth, Write their Story, and Empower Others. Her own vulnerable stories of survival have been featured on several global platforms including, Women for One, elephant journal, Scary Mommy, The Good Men Project, The Urban Howl, Thought Catalog, Sick Biz, She Owns It, and The SHFT Blog.
Connect with her on her website or on Facebook. She also has a closed group for individuals experiencing life’s tough transitions, that includes positive daily messaging. Request membership here. You can also follow Melissa on Instagram and Twitter.
Melissa knows and shows hope. There's life after depression and it's brilliant.
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Julie Maida has been in abstinence-based recovery since May of 2000, and has worked in the field of addiction since. In 2012, after the birth of her youngest son, she battled a severe bout of postpartum depression, OCD, and agoraphobia; which made it impossible for her to keep up with her 12 step recovery responsibilities.
Julie realized how much recovery support can often depend on regular meeting attendance, and how lonely it can feel without such support. She started thinking about women who, for whatever personal reasons, choose not to attend 12 step meetings or do not practice complete abstinence. She wondered if they felt as lonely in their process as she did at that moment.
In May of 2013, she “came out” about her personal recovery in a post titled I Got Sober Today. The post received an incredible response, and alerted Julie to the need for a supportive, judgment-free community for moms in and contemplating recovery.
Julie believes ALL women deserve to have a supportive and encouraging tribe. She created Sober Mommies to connect women with a diverse, inclusive community and to help moms build their personal recovery tribe.
The members of Sober Mommies understand the unique struggle, guilt and shame often associated where substance use/abuse and motherhood collide. Sober Mommies offers a platform for sharing stories, promoting identification and self-forgiveness, and an opportunity to receive and provide peer-to-peer support and mentorship.
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Wings-a Grief Education Ministry is a 501 c-3, non-profit, charitable organization founded by Nan & Gary Zastrow in 1993 with the express purpose of helping others understand the impact of loss/grief in one’s life. The organization supports and educates by listening, teaching, and sharing grief experiences that honor the past and rebuild the future. It offers workshops, seminars, support/education groups, and articles to heal the pain of loss. Current information is posted at their website.
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Hope and Me, The Mood Disorders Association of Ontario offers free support and recovery programs to people across Ontario living with depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder. They provide drop-in peer support groups, recovery programs, family and youth clinical support, early intervention for mood disorders and psychosis and online tools focused on wellness and recovery.
Drop-In Groups
Bipolar Support Every Friday 1-3PM in Office
Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour Peer Support 1st Tuesday of the Month 1-3PM in Office
Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour Peer Support 2nd Tuesday of the Month 7-8:50PM in Office
Clearing the Clutter (Hoarding) 1st, 3rd, and 4th Thursday of the Month 7-8:50 PM in Office
Courage and Compassion for Depression 2nd Wednesday of the Month 7-8:50 PM in Office
Depression and Anxiety 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the Month 7-8:50PM in Office
Family Members and Supporters 1st and 3rd Monday of the Month 7-8:50PM in Office
LGBTQ 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the Month 7-8:50PM in Office
Men's Group 2nd and 4th Monday of the Month 7-8:50PM in Office
Monday Mood Drop-In Every Monday 1-3PM in Office
Shyness and Social Anxiety Every Sunday 3-4:30PM on 519 Church Suite 301 (Hope and Me MDAO Affiliate)
Substance Use and Mood Disorders 1st and 3rd Monday 7-8:50PM in Office
West End Group 2nd Wednesday of the Month 6-8PM 1541 Jane St. Unison Health and Community Services
Women's Group Every Thursday 1-3PM in Office
Women's Group 2nd and 4th Monday 7-8:50PM in Office
Youth and Young Adults (Ages 16-30) Every Wednesday 7-8:50PM in Office
Drop-in One on One Peer Support Mondays and Wednesdays 6-8:30PM in Office (Up to 30 mins; up to 3 drop-in sessions; name, postal code, and birthday required) First come, first serve.
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The National Widowers’ Organization educates the public about the special needs of men who have lost their spouse or life partner. We do this by promoting the development of support groups for men to manage their grief and adjust to a new life and by advocating for research into mens unique needs to deal with grief and spousal loss.
Our vision is to make appropriate groups available nationwide to all widowers that seek support.
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Peter’s Place is a center for grieving children and families located in Radnor, PA. At our center, we offer age-appropriate peer support groups for children ages 4–17. While the children meet, their parents and caregivers have an opportunity to participate in their own peer support group. Additionally, Peter’s Place offers a group for young adults, ages 18-25, and a specialized peer support group called Ryan’s Hope, which is for parents who have experienced the death of a child as a result of addiction.
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Professional Parenting is a full service organization for supporting parents with information and skill development by certified family life educators. Books, webinars, coaching and help is provided to parents and caregivers seeking to apply non-punitive parenting practices. Professional parenting content is based on the most current research on brain and child development and the organization helps families across the world through video-conferencing and print materials.
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PsychU is a free community and online resource library for individuals engaged in the mental health field. Our 33,000+ members share one simple belief: improved information, increased collaboration, and ongoing discussion will lead to improved mental health care and patient outcomes for individuals with mental illnesses. PsychU members include physicians, clinicians, care managers, nurses, pharmacists, payers, administrators, and other professionals in mental health care.
By becoming part of the community, you’ll gain access to online forums and live events, a library of on-demand mental health resources, and perspectives from industry experts and thought leaders. Visit www.PsychU.org to learn more!
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Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO) promotes self-directed recovery and wellness for all individuals with mental health and addiction issues, whom we refer to as peers. We provide community-based and on-call peer support services, weekly peer support for peer support groups, and a virtual 80-hour Peer Wellness Specialist training offered live several times throughout the year.
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