Indi MP Helen Haines has warned the health crisis is "too urgent to wait for opportunistic grant rounds" to provide specialist care for eating disorders in this community.
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In May, Dr Haines wrote to federal assistant minister for rural and regional health Emma McBide, seeking a meeting and outlining the "critical lack of services in my region".
"We are experiencing an eating disorder crisis," Dr Haines stated.
"In the last three years, I have heard heartbreaking stories about what happens when people experiencing eating disorders can't get the support they need."
We are experiencing an eating disorder crisis.
- Indi MP Helen Haines
Dr Haines explained people had to drive to Melbourne or Geelong to receive inpatient treatment.
"There are innovative community based early-intervention models locally, but they have not received enough support to start meeting the avalanche of demand," she wrote.
At least two local service providers were unsuccessful in applying for a federal Community Based Eating Disorder Supports Grant in November, including Gateway Health to expand its Food In Mind program.
This program "is exactly the kind of intervention, which should be supported", Dr Haines insisted.
"It is based on a collaborative approach where a psychologist and dietitian provide support for people with mild-moderate eating disorder diagnosis.
"It has enormous potential to scale up and expand to Wodonga, yet with their current funding envelope they can only offer the service one day per week in Wangaratta.
On May 19, she met with Albury MP Justin Clancy to discuss the crisis and four days later facilitated a meeting between Ms McBride and North East mental health practitioners.
The minister recommended funding needed to come through the Primary Health Network (PHN), Dr Haines said.
She is to meet with Gateway Health and the Murray PHN to discuss funding for local eating disorder support.
Meanwhile on August 1, a North-East Hume Eating Disorders Service Providers Forum is being hosted by the Victorian Centre of Excellence in Eating Disorders to help service providers develop a shared understanding of local initiatives, service gaps and needs.
