Eating Disorder Treatment Levels of Care

Center for Discovery is an adolescent eating disorder program helping teens with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and other related complex disordered eating in both residential and partial hospitalization settings. We understand that treating eating disorders involves several mental and physical health challenges and there may come a time in the treatment process when a higher level of care is needed. Below are the different levels of care offered for eating disorder treatment.

  • Outpatient
    • Treatment team of Eating Disorder specialists
    • Pediatrician/ Primary Care Physician, Psychiatrist, Dietician, Therapist, Family Therapist (other professionals may be included in the treatment team)
  • Intensive Outpatient (IOP)
    • 9 hours/week
    • Individual, group and family therapy
    • Psychiatric and nutritional consultations
    • Often used as a step down from residential or PHP level of care
    • When to Refer: generally > 80% of ideal body weight, medically stable, lower level of care failed
  • Partial Hospitalization (PHP)/Day Program
    • 5 days/week; 8 hours/day
    • Individual, group, family therapy
    • Psychiatric, medical and nutritional consultations
    • When to Refer: generally <80% of ideal body weight, inability to control compulsive behaviors without supervision (i.e. purging, over-exercising), medically stable, lower level of care failed
    • Center for Discovery offers Partial Hospitialization
  • Residential
    • 24 hours/day
    • Longer-term treatment program than hospital stabilization
    • When to Refer: generally between 70% and 85% ideal body weight, medically stable, lower level of care failed, as a step down program to hospital stabilization
    • Center for Discovery offers Residential Treatment
  • Hospital
    • Inpatient
    • Short term, crisis stabilization
    • When to Refer: <70% ideal body weight, irregular vitals/nutrient levels (tube feeding/intravenous fluids required), not medically stable