WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY AWARENESS:

• Having nationwide organizations (such as NEDA and ANAD) conduct psycho-educations for medical professionals in areas with a large presence of BIPOC individuals to make it clear that this population is in fact susceptible to eating disorders.
• Additionally, those in the medical field should be trained in cultural competency to provide a safety net so service users do not fall through the cracks. For example, a study done in 2020 proved that ER doctors in fact are trained in cultural competency, but it was concluded that it was bare bones and not enough. This study also proved that some doctors don’t receive this training at all (Mechanic et al., 2017). Thus, this is a massive area for improvement.

PEER SUPPORT & REPRESENTATION:

• Representation MATTERS! In this episode of a podcast entitled “Body Justice”, which is an eating disorder recovery show, we see the topic broached by young ED survivor Julissa Minaya. She states that as she was struggling with her own ED and recovering, it was hard to find people who looked like her to follow on their journey. Listen to the episode linked below for a first hand perspective. I am linking her recovery account in the Resources section of this site, along with other BIPOC creators; Julissa is so brave & awesome!

• Along with the topic of representation, it is difficult for most BIPOC individuals struggling to break free of the shame often associated with even having an eating disorder. ANAD hosts weekly BIPOC-focused support groups for this reason! Linked below is a conversation between two facilitators of this weekly group, sharing their personal struggles with EDS, being understood, and how this peer-led group helped aid in their recovery.

DONATING:

Breaking down financial barriers to those uninsured or in a lower socioeconomic group, PROJECT HEAL focuses on creating pathways for all to gain access to treatment. They offer three programs that 1) help navigate through insurance, 2) provides actual cash assistance to those who have financial need and 3) offer free treatment with affiliated partners to individuals (Project HEAL). These recovery options can look like inpatient hospitalization, partial in-patient programs, residential centers, as well as ED-focused therapists and dietitians for outpatient care.