The Michigan Medicine Comprehensive Eating Disorders program offers multiple levels of treatment to best meet the needs of each individual patient. We also coordinate and provide referrals to families in need of other services such as residential treatment or outpatient treatment in the community.
- Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
- Outpatient Program
- Inpatient Medical Hospitalization
- Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitalization
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
Our PHP is built upon a family-based treatment model widely considered the most effective treatment for young people with anorexia nervosa and also demonstrated to have benefit for young adults and patients with other eating disordered behaviors. Our interdisciplinary team includes adolescent medicine physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists clinical social workers, dietitians, and a certified teacher/education specialist, as well as support staff.
Patients spend five days a week in the program and return home each evening and on weekends. By combining in-program and at-home experiences, patients, their families, and the treatment team work together to create healthier lifestyles in a structured setting with opportunities to practice these important skills at home rather than in the isolation of an inpatient or residential program.
Within our program, family involvement is an important part of recovery. Family members provide mealtime support by joining the patient for at least one of their daily therapeutic meals. Program staff will support and troubleshoot mealtime behavior and encourage mealtime interactions that promote recovery. Throughout the day, all patients participate in group sessions with our staff. Patient family members also participate in groups together.
School-aged patients spend time each day with our certified teacher/education specialist to keep up with their schoolwork. Together, they work as a collaborative team to stay connected to their teachers or instructors and remain engaged with classroom assignments. Our education specialist maintains contact with the patient’s school team to coordinate successful transitions back to the school setting.
Learn how to enroll in the Michigan Medicine Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
The IOP is a step-down level of care intended to help families transition from PHP to traditional outpatient services. Patients and families attend fewer days per week with fewer hours per day. Therapeutic meals and family and group psychotherapy sessions continue to be the main components of our IOP.
Learn how to enroll in the Michigan Medicine Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program.
Outpatient Program
Patients who are confirmed to be medically stable and not in need of a higher level of care may be best served by outpatient treatment. Individuals who receive outpatient care in our clinic are treated using a team approach, which typically includes a psychologist or clinical social worker, an adolescent medicine provider, and a psychiatrist (when needed). Outpatient family and/or individual therapy services with one of our psychologists or clinical social workers may also be available for those who have completed the PHP and IOP levels of care and are ready for step-down support.
When outpatient treatment is indicated and openings are available, the patient and family will complete an assessment with one of our providers to develop the therapeutic treatment plan. Medical management will continue with our adolescent medicine physicians, and referral to our program psychiatrist is available when needed. Outpatient therapy typically involves weekly visits with patients and their families for family-based treatment or cognitive behavioral therapy for eating disorders.
As an alternate to outpatient services with the Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program, we can provide referrals for follow-up appointments with many excellent community psychotherapists, physicians, psychiatrists, and registered dietitians who are experienced in the treatment of eating disorders.
Learn how to enroll in the Michigan Medicine Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program.
Inpatient Medical Hospitalization
Michigan Medicine offers both medical and psychiatric inpatient units devoted to medical and behavioral safety and stabilization. For patients who require medical stabilization, the Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program can coordinate inpatient medical hospitalization at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital for patients up to 18 years of age, and patients aged 18 – 22 that are cared for by our adolescent medicine providers. At the inpatient level of care, the pediatric/adolescent medicine and child and adolescent psychiatry team collaboratively work with the patient and family, following best practice guidelines. Patients’ vital signs and bloodwork are monitored frequently, 24-hour nursing supervision is provided, nutritional needs are assessed and managed by a registered dietitian, meal and bathroom breaks are monitored, and the patient is seen by physician(s) every day. Occasionally, intravenous fluid or nasogastric tube feeding is needed for medical stabilization and to prevent further deterioration of the patient's condition. Length of hospitalization may last one week or more, with discharge according to improvements in the patient’s status and establishment of a plan for further treatment.
Medical hospitalization for young adults hospitalized at University Hospital (rather than C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital) is not managed by Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program providers.
Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitalization
Patients with significant behavioral or mental health concerns who are medically stable may be admitted to the Nyman Family Unit for Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Wellness (for patients under age 18). Lengths of hospitalization on the psychiatric unit may last one week or more, with discharge according to improvements in the patient’s status and establishment of a plan for the next step in treatment. A clinical social worker will coordinate transition to less intensive services prior to discharge.
Psychiatric inpatient services for patients age 18 and up are not managed by the Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program providers.
To learn more about the inpatient child and adult psychiatric units, call 734-764-9190 or 1-800-525-5188.
Take the Next Step
To schedule an evaluation or learn more about the Michigan Medicine Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program, call 877-475-MOTT (877-475-6688) and ask to be directed to the Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program.