ACT eating disorder facility one step closer after long wait

Funding for Canberra's first in-patient facility was part of the federal government's $52 million health package for the ACT, forming part of the Liberal party's pitch for re-election in 2019.

The Commonwealth will deliver the $13.5 million for the facility upon receipt of a project plan, with the model of care only recently decided.

The publicly-funded eating disorder program will be modelled off Wandi Nerida on the Sunshine Coast, a residential recovery centre which typically involves longer-term stays.

Currently slated for a site in Coombs, a timeframe for the delivery of the long-awaited inpatient facility has not been provided.

Minister for Mental Health Emma Davidson said it would definitely be operational within the next five years.

Ms Davidson said the opening of the design tender was a significant milestone.

"To get to this point has taken a lot of working with people with lived experience and working with NGOs that have a lot of understanding of what people need, with this particular situation," she said.

Asked if she was happy with the speed of its delivery, Ms Davidson said the ACT government was working as hard as it could.

"We're doing something that's new, not just for the ACT, but you know, for Australia," Ms Davidson said.

The Wandi Nerada, a private facility operated by the Butterfly Foundation, offers equine-assisted and permaculture therapy at a retreat-like location in Queensland.

The ACT centre will provide a home-like environment for people with eating disorders alongside support for families and carers.

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No facility currently exists for people requiring in-patient treatment for an eating disorder outside a hospital setting in the ACT.

The wait for out-patient treatment has typically blown out to more than six months, despite all research indicating early intervention provides the best hope of recovery.

Canberra lawyer Kate Steen was diagnosed with an anorexia nervosa as a 34-year-old.

The frustration she experienced accessing help in Canberra pushed her to start a petition calling on the ACT government to better communicate their progress and increase funding for treatment.

Ms Steen said when suffering from an eating disorder the moments of clarity when it feels necessary to get help are few and far between.

"An eating disorder is a time-critical issue," Ms Steen said. "The system has to be positioned to take people in as soon as they reach out for help."

One in four people are estimated to suffer from an eating disorder in Australia, with hospitals and doctors reporting a surge in presentations since the onset of the pandemic.

The ACT government allocated an additional $200,000 to combat the growing problem in September.

Part of the funding went to Eating Disorders Families Australia to provide free membership for ACT families and carers seeking online support.

The annual membership typically costs $25 a year.

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