Frequently asked questions

Created by the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH), HAES emphasizes the principles that health and well-being are not determined by body size, shape or weight. In a nutshell, HAES discredits the over-emphasis on a diet mentality that is rampant within our society.

HAES is based on the research of Lindo Bacon, PhD. Their research challenges the myth that you can tell someone has an eating disorder by the way that they look. An eating disorder cannot be diagnosed by appearance alone. For many, this is a difficult concept to grasp, and our program works toward helping you and your support system change your thinking. The most effective way to truly sustain and maintain recovery from disordered eating is by not seeing your appearance as a reflection of your body's health.

We believe that you cannot put an exact time frame on how long it takes to complete eating disorder treatment. Many factors can influence how long you stay in treatment. Your treatment plan is designed just for you and cannot be compared to others. While insurance companies will authorize several days, our team will work with your provider to advocate for the right length of treatment for you.

When you arrive, our registered dietitian (RD) will meet with you and set your initial goals for meals and snacks. Your goals are tailored to you and your needs and will be different than other patients' goals. Our RDs attend individual and group therapy to discuss meal planning and nutritional needs.

As you make progress in treatment, you will gain more control over your meal and snack choices. You can choose from different options on our full menu which changes on a daily basis, along with day-to-day staple foods.

As an inpatient or partial hospitalization (daytime) patient, you participate in breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. Only inpatients participate in an evening snack on campus. If you are in our partial hospitalization program (PHP), you practice completing your evening snack at home. We will support you in your recovery, and we understand it will take time to get used to this new way of eating.

When you first arrive, you will complete paperwork and then be escorted to our secure unit. Our nurse will give you information about our program, take your vitals and gather your medical and emotional history. Next, a member of our team will help you with your personal belongings. Any restricted items will be secured behind the nursing station, or you can send restricted items home with a family member.

If you are staying for inpatient treatment, we will show you to your room and allow you to settle in. Finally, you will meet with your assigned physician and RD for your initial assessments.

Since peer support is essential, you will join your peers for the next group activity as soon as your assessments are completed. Everyone has their first day in treatment, and your peers can support you as you settle into the program.

Our treatment program includes education and therapy sessions with family or support persons. For children and adolescents, this typically includes parents, siblings or other close family members. For adults, this may be a partner/spouse, sibling, close friend or coworker.

Your support team will receive education and resources in family sessions with an assigned therapist. They will also meet with our doctor, RD and nursing staff. Support from our staff and peers is crucial during treatment, so it is important to have a support group once you finish. Including them in your treatment better prepares everyone for your return home.

Your family may also call for updates during your treatment. Our nursing station phone is available 24 hours a day to answer day-to-day questions or concerns or relay a message to your treatment team.

Depending on how many inpatients we have at the time, you may have your own room or you may share a room. Each of our rooms has two or three beds. The rooms are quite large and include a sitting area, dressers and a private bathroom. All linens, comforters and towels are provided for you.

Each inpatient room has its own bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower. You can bring your own toiletry items such as shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste and deodorant, or you can use the ones provided on the unit.

If you are participating in our inpatient program, we encourage you to complete your school assignments at your comfort level. Children and teens have an hour dedicated to school each day. Our school liaison will help with your academic needs, provide treatment recommendations and submit the paperwork required for accommodations if needed.

Parents can sign a release of information to allow us to contact the school on your behalf. This release form does not allow specific clinical information to be released, only information regarding your required school work.

If you are in inpatient treatment, we ask that you only bring one week’s worth of clothing. Staff will assist you with laundry onsite on a regular basis. Clothing should include pajamas and a robe.

If attending the PHP, you will be given a bag to bring your belongings in each day. You will have a cubby in which you can keep personal items (e.g.: fidget toys, notebooks, reading material, etc.). Items such as keys, phones, and wallets are kept in your program bag and locked in the unit closet during program hours. For safety reasons, staff will look through your belongings each day to ensure any prohibited items are kept locked up during the day.

In terms of clothing, we want you to be as comfortable as possible. This typically means casual attire such as t-shirts, active wear or leisure wear pants that fit the body, but are not too tight or too baggy. Please do not bring or wear clothes with holes or rips, tops extremely short or tops with a low-cut neckline (this can include V-neck t-shirts). Tank tops, sleeveless shirts and form-fitting clothing are not allowed. The temperature can change on the unit, so we suggest having a sweater or sweatshirt and socks. An admissions team member will give you a packing list with specific dos and don’ts.

We have our own washer and dryer so that you can do your laundry.

We can accommodate a vegetarian diet. We are unable to accommodate vegan diets. We will ask you about allergies during the intake process.