On Thursday, March 14, the Senate Education Policy Committee heard legislation, authored by Senator Julia Coleman (R-Waconia), to educate Minnesota coaches on eating disorders. SF 3771 would require the Minnesota State High School League to provide school coaches with education and resources on eating disorder prevention. This training would align with current medical research and include training on the risk factors, mitigation strategies, effects, and risks of undiagnosed and untreated eating disorders.

“Unfortunately, 95% of the time, eating disorders start between the ages of 12 and 25 years old,” Sen. Coleman said. “They are more common than all of us think, and they are deadly. This legislation would do a lot for Minnesota’s young athletes. It would help coaches to be more informed and more aware of common practices for what they are recommending their athletes to do or not do.”

NAMI Minnesota wrote a letter in support of Sen. Coleman’s legislation and highlighted how, “Early detection of eating disorders is one of the best predictors of full recovery. Since most people will develop an eating disorder in their teen and young adult years, interventions in high schools would have an outsized impact in preventing the most serious harm and supporting healthy coping skills to last lifetimes.”

SF 3771 was recently incorporated into the education policy omnibus bill, which was heard in the Senate Education Policy Committee on Monday, March 18.