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Upcoming Events:
Recovery Night
The second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., hear speakers share their stories of hope and success on their road to recovery from eating disorders.
Located at 2265 Como Ave. St. Paul, MN 55108
Click here for more information.
Mark Your Calendars:
NAMI Walk 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
11:30 a.m.
The National Alliance for Mental Illness will be putting on this annual walk as a fundraiser for mental health education, support and advocacy. The Emily Program Foundation will once again put together a team to participate in this event.
Click here for more information and to register as a TEPF team member.
If you are interested in a t-shirt for the event, email volunteer@emilyprogramfoundation.org.
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TEPF works to eliminate eating disorders through advocacy and education. Eating disorders are devastating and isolating conditions that strongly impact individuals, families, and communities. Together, we can make a difference. Current Board Members: Lindsay Drebenstedt, Larry Espel, Jillian Lampert, Mary Mathiowetz, Dan Mehls, Dirk Miller, Mary Ann Stump, Carol Peterson, Matt Walzer, Kitty Westin, Mary Westin. Newsletter Editor: Paul Huff
Get Involved!
Consider getting more involved by volunteering. Volunteers are vital to the operation of TEPF and do many things including: - Educate the community
- Run awareness events
- Advocate for access to treatment
- Fundraise to ensure our ongoing success
Contacting Keri Clifton at keri.clifton@emilyprogramfoundation.org to get involved today.
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TEPF: All About Advocacy
As the summer heats up, so is the The Emily Program Foundation (TEPF) by raising awareness about eating disorders in Minnesota and across the country. TEPF members have been hard at work the past few months, getting involved in many social and political causes related to the treatment and prevention of eating disorders. Here are some of the highlights:
Washington DC Advocacy Trip: Advocacy Director Kitty Westin and Board Member Jillian Lampert traveled to Washington DC in early June to speak to federal employees at the Dept. of Health and Human Services and The Dept. of Labor. Kitty and Jillian, along with staff from the Eating Disorder Coalition (EDC), met with representatives at the Dept. of Health and Human Services about the Essential Health Benefits (EHB) that will be included in the Affordable Care Act. Our goal is to have EHB include national uniform standards for the EHB categories, a federal definition of medical necessity that is broad and inclusive, and the elimination any disease specific exclusions.
Seventeen Magazine pledges to feature unaltered models. TEPF advocates sent a note to Julia Bluhm, a 14-year-old girl who started an online petition asking Seventeen Magazines to print unaltered photos. Seventeen responded by creating what they call a 'Body Peace Treaty' that began in July and promised it will "never change girls body or face shapes" and will only include images of "real girls and models who are healthy." Bluhm's efforts demonstrate grassroots advocacy at it's best!
Congressional support of Eating Disorder Treatment. The EDC was able to get eating disorder language into the Senate Appropriations funding bill. The bill contains a congressional directive "urging the National Institute of Health (NIH) to expand, intensify, and coordinate its research on eating disorders and to examine the possibility of creating collaborative consortia on eating disorders research". This is a WIN! The language is from the FREED Act - the first and only comprehensive eating disorder bill in Congressional history. More information can be found at eatingdisorderscoalition.org.
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"Patriots for Parity"
Field Hearing
On Monday July 16th, TEPF co-spo
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Patrick Kennedy, Kitty Westin, and Jillian Lampert after the "Patriots for Parity" hearing.
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nsored the Patriots for Parity Field Hearing at Minnesota Recovery Connection. The event advocated for Mental Health Parity implementation and featured speakers including Former Congressmen Patrick Kennedy and Jim Ramstad, Dave Wellstone, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, Congressman Keith Ellison, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Kitty Westin and several additional policy makers, consumers, and providers.
In 2008, Congress passed the The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equality Act (MHPAEA) which requires health insurance companies to provide the same coverage for the treatment of mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders as is covered for physical health problems - including reasonable co-pays and deductibles. This bill was signed into law by former president George W. Bush. Now, almost four years later, progress on the implementation of the bill has slowed.
Recently, co-authors of MHPAEA and former Congressmen Jim Ramstad and Patrick Kennedy have partnered with politicians, employers, insurance companies, and other healthcare providers to form the Parity Implementation Coalition with the goal to ensure that MHPAEA is fully enforced. Full enforcement would ensure current eating disorder clients receive equal health care coverage for their eating disorders. |
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TEPF's New Development Director,
Sue Riesgraf
Sue Riesgraf joined The Emily Program Foundation in July, and will be responsible for developing and executing a strategic fundraising/development plan that will ensure the Foundations fiscal sustainability; including fundraising, grant writing, donor development and fundraising events. Sue has spent more than half her career working with local non-profits to advance their missions. She earned her BA in English and Political Science from Minnesota State University, Mankato. She loves spending time with family and friends, reading, gardening, boating, and enjoying all Minnesota has to offer!
TEPF welcomes Sue with much excitement as we move to educate more Minnesotan's about eating disorders and advocate for those already impacted.
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Body & Voice CD Project
TEPF volunteer Sarah Pray is putting together Volume 1 of a CD showcasing artists affected by eating disorders. Participates can include Emily Program clients past or present, or anyone who has ever struggled with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating or has been close to someone who has. Material for songs can be submitted anonymously in the form of poetry or prose. Local musicians or spoken word artists are available to perform the material, co-write or help arrange ideas.
The album will be recorded, produced, and mastered at Essential Sessions Recording studio in St. Paul. Essential Sessions is donating studio time to the project. There is no cost to participate.
Submissions are ongoing until the compilation feels complete. Send submissions (mp3s, word documents, or just an email expressing interest) to Sarah at pray8587@gmail.com.
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