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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 16, 2015 10:00 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Steven J. Santarsiero |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Re-introduction of HB1959 - Eating Disorder Parental Education Legislation |
| In the near future, I plan to re-introduce HB 1959 from last session requiring schools to annually provide educational information regarding eating disorders to parents with children in 5th-12th grades. In addition, this legislation will create guidelines for local school boards that outline the optional development of an eating disorder screening program and appropriate opt-out and exemption procedures, specify training requirements for personnel and volunteers, and provide the framework for parental notification procedures in the event of a positive indication of an eating disorder. Eating disorders are real, complex, and devastating conditions that can have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships. These serious conditions are not a fad, phase, or lifestyle choice, but instead are potentially life-threatening conditions that affect a person’s emotional and physical health. People, especially children, who struggle with eating disorders, need to seek, or be provided with, professional help. The earlier a person with an eating disorder seeks treatment, the greater the likelihood of physical and emotional recovery. In the United States, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from eating disorders at some point in their life, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder. In Pennsylvania, nearly 300,000 women and more than 130,000 men suffer from an eating disorder. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to increase awareness about these serious and devastating disorders, as well as to help identify and treat students with these disorders as early as possible. |
Introduced as HB433