Alaska Eating Disorders Alliance

The Alaska Eating Disorders Alliance is the only organization in Alaska to address eating disorders. Its mission is to provide help and inspire hope by engaging our diverse communities in education, advocacy and support for Alaskans affected by eating disorders.

Goals include:
1. Provide educational programming: AKEDA offers community awareness presentations throughout the state to build awareness of eating disorders and Alaska resources. A major focus of the organization is to offer educational programs for medical providers, mental health professionals, dietitians, health aides and families. The goals of these programs are to grow the capacity of Alaska clinicians to address eating disorders, improve treatment team collaboration and enhance the knowledge of families to support loved ones.

2. Engage in advocacy: AKEDA works on advocacy initiatives in our state and nationally to promote funding for mental health, equity in access to eating disorder treatment and access to medical nutritional treatment.

3. Support – AKEDA offers a monthly Family and Friends support group, educational courses to help educate and empower parents, and a professionally-led support group for adults experiencing eating disorders.

4. Prevention/Body Confidence — AKEDA offers programs to teens and young adults to promote body confidence and open a dialogue surrounding eating and body image issues, social media pressures to be thin, diet culture and other triggers for an eating disorder.

For Good Health and Wellbeing:
1. Mental health treatment is a key component of essential health services. To provide treatment for eating disorders in a rural state like Alaska there must be sufficient health professionals who are eating disorder-informed. AKEDA prioritizes growing professional capacity so that more therapists, medical providers, dietitians and others can diagnose and address eating disorders in Alaska. Strategies include professional conferences, tailored presentations, and opportunities for multiple disciplines to learn together and discuss case studies through programs such as Eating Disorder Project ECHOs.

2. Increase access to knowledge and care: Compared to other states, Alaska can be viewed in its entirety as a rural location with limited access to treatment options. In addition, AKEDA recognizes that individuals who live in small communities, are low- income, or have no health care, experience burdens that make accessing eating disorder care even more problematic. AKEDA will offer educational and family support programs statewide through interactive, online platforms and will continue to work with the tribal health system to ensure knowledge and access for Alaska's indigenous population.

Reduced Inequities:
1. Ensure diversity, equity and inclusion: Despite the myth that eating disorders affect only urban, white, affluent teens, in fact this illness affects 9% of Americans across all demographic groups. However, people of color with eating disorders are half as likely to be diagnosed or to receive treatment. AKEDA will develop programs that ensure inclusion of previously marginalized groups both in terms of presenters and involvement of communities.

AKEDA is a statewide organization that actively creates partnerships to ensure that its services reach throughout Alaska. AKEDA’s community presentations and trainings are offered with a statewide perspective. In the past nine months, we have completed a training for Community Health Aides in villages throughout Alaska, provided a presentation to the Seldovia Village Native Association, offered trainings to therapists from Unalaska, Ninilchik, Sitka, Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley. In addition, family members and individuals experiencing eating disorders across Alaska attend our support groups.

The co-founders of AKEDA, Beth Rose and Jenny Loudon, bring decades of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, community engagement, and health policy and planning. They have extensive contacts throughout the state.

The Alaska Eating Disorders Alliance board adds eating disorders knowledge and expertise to guide this organization effectively. Board members include a family practice doctor, psychiatrist, two therapists, a dietitian, nonprofit mental health executive, wellness coach, foundation program officer and the co-founders.

AKEDA is a statewide organization that has worked to create partnerships to ensure that its services reach throughout Alaska. Among the organizations that partner with AKEDA are the Alaska Native Medical Center, Mat-Su Health Services, Alaska Behavioral Health, Alaska Chapter of the Academy of Pediatricians, NAMI Anchorage, University of Alaska campuses, Southcentral Foundation and other tribal health entities. Funding for AKEDA’s activities come from hundreds of individual donors and funders such as the Rasmuson Foundation, Alaska Community Foundation, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, GCI, and community groups.

In 2021, AKEDA has reached more than 1100 Alaskans. In March 2022, the organization received American Rescue Plan Act funds to create additional programs in Alaska to mitigate the spike in eating disorders caused by the pandemic.

From September 2020 to December 2021, AKEDA reached more than 1300 Alaskans. Our outreach included:
* 302 Therapists trained in eating disorder diagnoses and treatment
* 227 Physicians and primary care providers trained in eating disorders management
* 147 Family members provided with family education and skills training
* 100+ Alaskans assisted through family and individual support groups
* 41 Facilitators trained in body confidence courses
* 37 presentations to mental health organizations, physical conferences, universities and community groups
* 8 High schools reached for student athletes education on eating disorder prevention
* 7 media interviews, including one that was picked up nationally