Equip

With over 5 million Americans struggling with eating disorders and fewer than 5,000 trained clinicians available to treat them, this workforce shortage is more critical than ever. Equip's co-founder and COO Erin Parks, Ph.D., will be addressing this topic at The Kennedy Forum’s upcoming Alignment for Progress conference. Erin will join the "Mental Health and Substance Use Care Workforce" panel to discuss the growing shortage of trained clinicians and rising rates of burnout within the eating disorder field—and what we can do about it. Catch Erin and the rest of the panel on Wednesday, September 25 in Washington, DC. Get more information here: https://lnkd.in/e2ADZe2r #Align4Progress #MentalHealth #EatingDisorders #WorkforceDevelopment

At Equip, we recently conducted a survey of over 600 women to explore the intersection of fertility and eating disorders/disordered eating behaviors. Our findings reveal the complex impact that these behaviors can have on fertility journeys: ?? Women with ED/DE experience higher infertility rates (45%) compared to the national rate (11%). ?? 23% wouldn’t have sought help for their ED/DE behaviors if not for their fertility struggles. ?? 1 in 3 women hesitated to discuss their eating habits with healthcare providers, and 35% were advised to lose weight—despite evidence showing this doesn’t improve fertility. These insights highlight the need for more education, support, and compassionate healthcare. Swipe to learn more, and click the link below to read more about the survey.? https://lnkd.in/gkj2aHfd

Studies show that eating disorder patients experience higher rates of almost every form of trauma. For people recovering from both trauma and an eating disorder, addressing the two simultaneously is essential. Integrated, compassionate care that treats the whole person is critical to achieving long-term recovery. Swipe to learn more about the connection between trauma and eating disorders, and the tools that empower whole-person recovery.

This September, Equip Academy is offering two opportunities to earn CE/CME credits and learn from eating disorder experts! This month’s events focus on two vulnerable populations that experience higher rates of eating disorders: athletes and people with co-occurring OCD. Here are the event details: “Untangling OCD and Eating Disorders: Differentiating and Addressing These Closely-Related Conditions” Presented by Jessie Menzel on Weds, Sept 18, 2024 at 9:00am PT / 12:00pm ET. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gySfjyjJ “Treatment of Athletes with Eating Disorders: Considerations, Conundrums, and Best Practices” Presented by Camilla Blanton RD, LD, CEDS and Megan Hellner, DrPH, MPH, RD, CEDS-S on Mon, Sept 23, 2024 at 10:30am PT / 1:30pm ET. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gYBqgSrW

Do you work with college students? If you do, it’s essential to be aware of the threat eating disorders pose on campus. Eating disorders are on the rise among college students, with risk increasing by 13% from 2013-2021. There are many reasons that could explain why this happened: increasing body image pressure, social media, rising financial and academic stress, and greater feelings of isolation (from the pandemic and other factors). Whether you’re an administrator, student health provider, coach, or other form of mentor for college students, here are a few key things to know about addressing eating disorders in college students: 1?? Eating disorders won’t always show up how you expect them to. They affect all races, genders, and body sizes. So it's more effective to identify them based on behavior, not appearance. 2?? Screening for eating disorders should be ongoing. Eating disorders thrive in secrecy, and students may often hide their symptoms. Regular screening is key to catching subtle changes. 3?? Start a conversation and have resources on hand.? Share information about eating disorders proactively. If you suspect a student is struggling, help them understand their treatment options and that you’re invested in them getting care. To learn more about the exact signs and symptoms to look out for, and understand how Equip treats college students while they stay in school, visit our new college resource hub: equip.health/college

Equip co-founder Kristina Saffran will be taking the stage at Rock Health's annual Summit next month. ?? The Rock Health Summit is a virtual health conference that brings together experts from technology, medicine, public health, and other industries for a day of meaningful discussions and connections. Catch Kristina and other inspiring speakers at the summit on September 10th either in-person in San Francisco or virtually! More info here: https://lnkd.in/gkKPrwy

Children and teens get eating disorders at high rates, but only a fraction of those affected are diagnosed and treated. For pediatricians and children's health professionals, it's important to keep an eye out for signs and symptoms year-round, but the back-to-school season is particularly critical. Below are a few red flags to be on the lookout for during yearly physicals. If you notice some of these signs and there's not another explanation, it could be an eating disorder:? ?? Growth concerns: losing weight (or not gaining expected weight), falling off the growth curve, delayed puberty ??♂? Poor bone health: low bone density, frequent fractures ?? Digestive problems: complaints of stomach pains, constipation, or other GI issues ??Cardiovascular problems: low heart rate, low blood pressure, or abnormal heart rhythms ?? Consequences of malnutrition: irritability, depressed or anxious mood, slow processing skills, or social withdrawal Recognizing the signs of an eating disorder is vital, but knowing the next steps is just as important. Equip is a valuable resource when referring patients or guiding families about their treatment options. We offer a evidence-based treatment virtually, allowing families to recover at home, without disrupting their lives. Learn more about eating disorders in children here: https://lnkd.in/gu6f-Zrp

As a virtual eating disorder treatment program, we often get asked, so what level of care is Equip? Is it comparable to outpatient? What kinds of patients are a good fit? There's no simple answer to this question, because Equip doesn't neatly fit into one category in the traditional levels of care for eating disorders. Instead, we've reimagined eating disorder treatment by treating a wide range of medically-stable patients in all stages of recovery. Swipe to learn more about how Equip is reimagining eating disorder treatment, and visit our new webpage to dive deeper into who we treat and how: https://lnkd.in/gQFn7eqY.

On the heels of our announcement yesterday of our inclusion on the Forbes Next Billion Dollar Startups List, we're excited to share a bonus Forbes video conversation with our two co-founders Erin Parks, Ph.D. and Kristina Saffran. Watch now to hear from our co-founders on Equip's journey and vision for the future:?https://lnkd.in/ggx2b8h4

This week Equip was recognized in Forbes Next Billion Dollar Startups List! ?? It’s an honor to be featured in this prestigious list. It wouldn’t be possible without the village it’s taken to get us here, and the payor partnerships we’ve developed to help make evidence-based care accessible to everyone who needs it. Click to read the full piece in Forbes about how co-founder Kristina Saffran saw a gap in the treatment landscape after her own anorexia recovery, and how Equip has grown into the company it is today.?Thank you to Katie Jennings for bringing attention to our mission and the eating disorder landscape at large. https://lnkd.in/g4CcY_8C?