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Food Help for Eating Disorders
~30M Americans live with an eating disorder at some point in life. Recovery requires reliable food access + specialized nutrition + medical monitoring. This page lists specific resources: NEDA, ANAD, Project HEAL, FEAST, dietitians, Medicaid coverage.
CRISIS: NEDA Helpline 1-800-931-2237 (M-Th 11AM-9PM ET). ANAD Helpline 1-888-375-7767. Crisis Text Line Text NEDA to 741741. 988 (24/7).
1. National organizations
- NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) — nationaleatingdisorders.org. Line: 1-800-931-2237. Comprehensive resources + screening tool.
- ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders) — anad.org. Line: 1-888-375-7767. Free support groups (peer mentoring + virtual).
- Project HEAL — theprojectheal.org. Treatment scholarships + insurance help.
- FEAST (Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders) — feast-ed.org. Family support for young patients.
- F.E.A.S.T. Around the Dinner Table — parent forum
- Eating Disorder Hope — eatingdisorderhope.com. Treatment locator + resources.
2. Treatment levels
| Level | Description | Cost / coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Inpatient | nutritional restoration + 24/7 monitoring | Medicare + Medicaid + insurance if medically necessary |
| Residential | 24/7 staff, 30-90 days typical | $1,000-$2,000 / day. Limited insurance coverage. |
| PHP | Partial Hospitalization. 6 hr/day, 5 days/week. Meals in program. | Covered by most insurance |
| IOP | Intensive Outpatient. 3 hr/day, 3 days/week. 1-2 meals in program. | Covered |
| Outpatient | Weekly appts: therapist + dietitian + doctor | Covered |
3. Eating-disorder-trained dietitians
- CEDS (Certified Eating Disorder Specialist) — iaedp.com/find-a-professional. Specialty-trained dietitians.
- Covered by insurance as "medical nutrition therapy" when diagnosed
- Medicaid covers in many states (verify)
- Telehealth available for rural areas
4. SNAP during recovery
- If SSI/SSDI for severe ED, SNAP medical deduction covers: therapist, dietitian, MD, prescribed supplements
- SSDI under SSA listing 5.08 — severe ED-caused malnutrition can qualify
- SSDI under SSA listing 12.13 — trauma-related disorders include some cases
- Ensure / Boost / Orgain — nutritional supplements are EBT-eligible under SNAP. Useful during restoration.
- EBT prepared meals — during early recovery stages, microwaveable ready meals can reduce stress
5. Insurance coverage
Under Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA, PL 110-343), eating disorders must have parity with medical coverage. But practices vary:
- If insurance denies — NEDA Insurance Help and Project HEAL offer appeals assistance
- States with specific mandates — ~20 states have laws requiring specific ED coverage
- Medical documentation — your MD must document "medical necessity" for residential / inpatient. NEDA has templates.
- Project HEAL HEALers — theprojectheal.org/treatment-access. Treatment scholarships for uninsured.
6. Meal support — during recovery
For many in recovery, eating is challenging. Meal support resources:
- Meal coach / virtual mentor — some platforms (Rise Up, Equip) offer meal coaches
- ANAD Recovery Mentor — free. Peer mentor for meal support.
- Virtual support groups — NEDA, ANAD, Eating Disorder Recovery Support have daily meetings
- Equip Health — equip.health. Family-based treatment, virtual. Insurance-covered for some.
- Project ECHO Eating Disorders — rural provider training
7. Recovery apps
- Recovery Record — recoveryrecord.com. App + clinical portal. Meal tracking. Free for patients (clinicians pay).
- Rise Up + Recover — free. Designed for self-help.
- Mantra Health — student-focused. Covered by some universities.
8. If caring for someone with ED
- FEAST — feast-ed.org. Parents + caregivers support
- F.E.A.S.T. Around the Dinner Table — 24/7 forum
- NEDA Family + Friends Toolkit — complete support guide
- Family-Based Treatment (FBT) — evidence-base for adolescent anorexia. Parents directly supervise meals.
- NIMH information — nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/eating-disorders
Need help today?
- NEDA Helpline — 1-800-931-2237
- ANAD Helpline — 1-888-375-7767
- Crisis Text Line — Text NEDA to 741741
- 988 — Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7)
- ER if medical emergency — severe malnutrition, dehydration, cardiac irregularity
Related resources
Last updated 2026-04-30. Feed America Inc. (EIN 92-1761881).