Center for Discovery offers residential (RES), partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), virtual treatment, and outpatient (OP) in multiple states across the United States. They are known for residential programs that are smaller and more intimate, located in actual houses with usually no more than 6 patients. Generally the PHP/IOP/OP programs are in separate buildings from the residential. They treat children, adolescents, young adults, and adults.
This page is for reviews and discussion about their California locations. For reviews/questions about CFD’s Connecticut locations, please go to this page: Center for Discovery – Connecticut. For reviews/questions about all other locations, please go to this page: Center for Discovery – Multiple Locations.
Any current reviews of CFD’s California locations? Please post in comments below. You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions. Updates and information from the community about locations closing, opening, moving, or changing the age range they treat are also especially appreciated! You can post those in the comments as well. Thank you!
REVIEW
LOCATION: DEl MAR (ages ~15-25)
When were you there?
July-september 2025
What level(s) of care did you do (e.g., inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP)?
Residential at Del Mar
If applicable: Is it wheelchair accessible?
yes
How many patients are there on average?
There were six beds and they were always full. Usually got a new admit the same day one left
What genders does it treat?
Nonbinary and female identifying
If applicable: Do they support the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary people?
Yes, the staff and company are gender affirming, however there were issues with transphobia among the clients while I was there. Almost everyone was accepting but unfortunately sometimes there’s people who aren’t. But i wouldn’t let this dissuade you from here alone, that was just the one client and most of the time people are going to be accepting. There is a gender therapist you can meet with virtually and they were pretty cool and helpful.
How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, nurse, etc?
Doctor and psych once a week. There’s a nurse on the clock 24 hrs. Therapist was twice a week, dietician was once a week I believe. You could check in as needed of course.
What is the staff-to-patient ratio?
On weekends it was usually 1:6. Weekdays it depended; usually 2:6 on the floor with therapists and manager not up front. I found they were very short staffed and it caused issues. At least there was always a nurse who could help out if needed.
What sort of therapies are used (e.g., DBT, CBT, EMDR, ACT, exposure therapy, somatic experiencing, etc.)?
It was supposed to be DBT, CBT, exposures, maybe ACT as well but honestly the groups were really bad and I got nothing out of them. Half the time we would just do “self compassion” word searches. There were daily process groups but no one really processed, the only group that was truly helpful was the weekly dietary group lead by the dietician where we learned about food groups, impacts on your body, stuff like that. I really liked that one but the rest were really not helpful and sometimes we didn’t even do them.
Describe the average day:
Might be a bit off but a weekday is more or less like this:
6:00-7:00: wake up, hygiene. You can split the hour with your roommate as needed, usually you just do 30 minutes each. Prep breakfast or sit around until breakfast is ready.
8:00: breakfast and morning check in
9:00-10:00: some sort of morning group
10:40: am snack
Some sort of group or just sit around, maybe go for a walk
12:30: lunch
2-3: Process group, downtime
3:20 : pm Snack
some more groups dinner at six and hs snack at around 8. most go to bed between 9 and ten. i dont feel like writing the rest out but you get the gist.
What were meals like?
Everyone sits at the table and one or two staff eats with you for three meals, three snacks a day. We played table games and there were lots of distractions, which I liked. Some staff weren’t great about redirecting but overall the environment was pretty nice. You get 30 minutes for meals, 20 for snacks, and I think it was 10 for supplement.
What sorts of food were available or served?
The food wasn’t bad. They changed breakfast to a cycle menu the week before I left (things like oatmeal, bagels, waffles, toast, etc). You build your own breakfast and lunch during meal planning a few times a week based off of the menu. Dinner, everyone got the same thing (if someone had a dislike, the dietician would substitute the dislike with something else). Some dinners were chicken curry with rice, burritos, breakfast for dinner (waffles and eggs or something like that).
They also had a lot of snack foods to choose from and are open to ordering foods for you if you request them, especially for exposures.
Did they supplement? How did that system work?
They supplement with vanilla kate farms only. If you want, they can mix chocolate or strawberry syrup into it. You have ten minutes to complete and they supplement you for the amount of the meal you missed. It was not seen as a punishment.
What is the policy of not complying with meals? Do most people complete their meals/snacks?
You’re supposed to fill out a behavioral chain analysis worksheet if you don’t complete the supplement, but they didn’t really enforce that. They do tube there if you need it, and they’ll consider it if you’re refusing supplement a lot.
When I first got there, almost everyone was completing to some degree or attempting to. The general vibe was recovery oriented, but they had been there a little longer at that point. Later in my stay it was about half and half with people who were completing almost 100% and people who were refusing a lot.
What privileges are allowed?
Electronics after a three day hold (minus your phone), daily walk, phone at the second level, daily walk, outings with your visitors, prepping your own meals/snacks.
Does it work on a level system?
Yes, you start on a three day hold where you’re not allowed to leave the facility, use personal electronics, make phone calls or have visitors. After those three days you’re on the first phase where you can make phone calls using the facility phone and you can use personal electronics. In phase two you get your phone, and as you move up you generally gain more independence.
How do you earn privileges?
Moving up in phases. It can take a long time for some people, it’s mostly based on the level of support/challenging you need. Doing assignments and completing meals helps, but they base it off a lot more than that.
There’s also movement levels but those are mostly just medical. On level two you can go for the daily walk.
What was your favorite group?
The weekly group led by the dietician. Most were educational and some were set up like process groups, overall this was the only group that I felt like I was walking away with something more.
What was your least favorite group?
Relapse prevention. We just filled out this worksheet every week that isn’t helpful, and they would always play this STUPID ASS video advertising their app which I found to be kind of disgusting and corporate-feeling. Like why is there a commercial break during a group?
If applicable: Is the program trauma-informed?
Yes
What did you like the most?
Weekends were pretty chill. The backyard is nice. Dietician is great.
I also think they do a good job setting you up for the “real world” by having you plate your own food at some point, and exposing you to other fearful foods and situations.
What did you like the least?
The place was pretty short staffed and the people they hired seem really inexperienced.
Would you recommend this program?
Yes, but I would also encourage looking into some other places. I’ve seen this place help a lot of people, but it also felt disorganized while I was there. Overall if you’re motivated I’d say Del Mar is a good choice.
What level of activity or exercise was allowed?
There’s five movement levels, most people only get to three or possibly four while they’re there. Level one is pretty much nothing, level two you get to join the daily walk. I’m not sure what comes after that but I do remember some people leveling up enough to use hula hoops and things like that. We also did just dance but we had to be seated for the most part. They have a pool but no one is allowed to swim (we put our feet in it sometimes).
What did people do on weekends?
Weekends were really chill. They let you go on your electronics and watch TV all day. We didn’t usually have groups. I liked to do crafts.
Do you get to know your weight?
No
What was the average length of stay?
Minimum 45 days. I’d say most people were there for about 8 weeks.
What was the average age range?
I think they admit 15-25. It was mostly older teens while I was there, about 16-19? It really depends.
How do visits/phone calls work?
Visitation was on Sunday for a three hour period. You have 20 minutes on the facility phone after dinner if you do not have access to your phone yet. If there wasn’t a lot of people waiting for phones some staff would give you more time (I’ve had phone calls there last at least an hour).
What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)?
Once you’re off the three day hold, there are designated times for electronic use. Technically this is “education time” but they let anyone use their tech. When you’re on the second phase you get your phone after dinner until snack, and after that you can get it until bedtime.
For adolescents: Did they provide time to do schoolwork or offer academic support?
Yes, there is a good amount of time for schoolwork.
For inpatient/residential: Are you able to go on outings/passes?
When you’re on the second phase, you’re eligible for a three hour pass with your visitors on the weekend (can be saturday or sunday). Eventually you can get more time out (I think up to ten hours), but not everyone gets there. There are no outings as a house for whatever reason so if you don’t have passes or someone to take you, you’re basically stuck in the house the entire stay which I didn’t like. There is a drive on the weekends sometimes, where we drive by the beach and whatnot but half the time they were too short staffed and we couldn’t do it.
There are however dietary outings as exposures, usually to somewhere like taco bell. You have to be above movement level one. I didn’t go on any while I was there.
What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team?
CFD has multiple PHP and IOP locations. They highly encourage stepping down through the process. I didn’t find them to be very helpful but maybe that’s just me.
*TW: tubes*
Does Cfd Delmar do tubes? I’ve gotten mixed answers on this and I want to be prepared before I admit on Monday. Thanks!
*END TW*
(Any thoughts on Cfd Delmar?)
Del Mar tubes, it’s not forced if your an adult it’s ok there one of the better Cfd’s
*TW: tubes* Del Mar does tubes, i think they were pretty apt to tube if you’re marginally medically unstable and missing a lot of supplements (they tubed me twice while i was there). *END TW* overall i thought it was a good program. the groups weren’t very good and the staff were all very young, but i think that if you want recovery this place can be really helpful. the dietician is great and weekends are pretty chill. i’m thinking about going back here if that is a testament to anything.
*tw: tubes*
Did they remove the tube each time (drop and pull)?
*tw: tubes*
no, typically they’ll leave it until you’ve been 100% orally compliant for 48 hours (food or supplement). or they’ll work out another plan with you, but they do not drop and pull.
I’m going to the Del Mar location on Monday. Tv is was one of my coping mechanisms is there any time for that and for the phases how long are people on them.
they let you watch tv all day on weekends. length of time on each phase really depends, usually a few weeks for each phase but it can take a while to move up.
has anyone been to the center for discover residential in del mar? i might be going there and i would like to know how the program is overall. i went to one of their PHPs in temecula and it wasnt a great experience. the google reveiws for del mar are not the greatest, and someone ive met who went there said she left the program early and did that for a reason.
del mar isn’t bad, and i got a lot of help there. i wouldn’t say it’s the best program, but they can really help you. the staff were all pretty young and the groups weren’t great other than the dietician’s. they do a pretty good job preparing you for re-entering the “real world” imo.
Has anyone been to CFD San Diego PHP/IOP recently and have thoughts?
I’m interested in information about adult PHP/IOP in San Diego as well.
I was anon who originally posted 5 months ago. I did not like it at all. Adults and adolescents were combined and I found meal support not very supportive at all. Only lasted a week then I transferred.
Thank you for sharing that. Combined adults and adolescents would not be a good fit to promote recovery for me either. I had to AMA from a residential program in the past largely due to the combined milieu being mostly preteens and adolescents. Did you find a program in the San Diego area that was a better fit for you as an adult? I am looking for a PHP or IOP in San Diego only accepting adults. I will be new to the area from New England.
has anybody been to the Thousand Oaks location now that it’s become an adult house and have any thoughts?
They’re so understaffed and not trained well at all. Lots of inappropriate comments made. I transferred after 3 weeks. In that time span, they ran a total of 4 groups. The rest of the time was spent watching musicals and crafting in the living room.
Any recent reviews for their Granite Bay location? If anyone is there right now, I’d appreciate hearing what the vibe of the milieu is like currently. I might be admitting soon. I’m 26 and worried about it being a super young milieu, wondering if it’s recovery-oriented, etc. Also curious what the staffing situation is like.
hey did u end up going?
Nah, I ended up going to Monte Nido East Bay.
Hey I’m thinking about going to their PHP in Temecula but I have no clue what to expect from this center. Any help on how they organize the schedules and their policy ? And is it good ?
Hi! Any reviews, input for CFD PHP in Temecula? Thank you so much!
I recommend an update to the listed CFD locations in CA. I know a few locations are no longer active and others have changed their age ranges. The La Jolla and Del Mar RTC programs in San Diego merged at the Del Mar house (so La Jolla is not active) for ages 15-25.
This is true but the Del Mar house now is ages 16-26 just like La Jolla. They have the same doctor and psych so they are still able to do NG tubes. The dietitians and therapists from La Jolla have all left.
This is not true and they now accept ages 15-25. The age range was adjusted last year.
Center for Discovery is another eating disorder inhumane corporate treatment
Would you be able to provide more detail? Different centers can work for different people, so your review may help someone decide if it’s the right fit for them or not!
Has anyone attended the Center for Discovery in Menlo Park residential treatment? I’m considering options for my 17-year-old trans son, high-functioning on the autism specter. Thank you!
I think most of the folks on this platform are adults seeking treatment for themselves or in recovery. Maybe check yelp and google for more reviews from parents? I would recommend choosing whatever facility you as the parent can visit more consistently
i’ve been to the menlo park location in 2021. I am also on the spectrum, i personally don’t believe they were supportive with it. do you have any specific questions? i can do my best to answer!
This was the only Center for Discovery location I liked—definitely better than Granite Bay. When I went, the staff was wonderful, the nurses were amazing, and the manager truly did care what was best for the kids living there.
Any reviews for the La habra house?
i met my best friend there! definitely some triggering staff experiences but overall pretty chill depending on the patients
Can you do a full review
has anyone been to the menlo park location recently and has a review? and does anyone have any experience of cfd residential and arfid?
i was at cfd in menlo park in the end of 2021!!
i am diagnosed with arfid, but was not on the arfid protocol. Generally all cfd residential programs allow you to choose your food. i know breakfast, you can choose whatever. lunches generally have a theme, for example- sandwiches, wraps, bowls, etc. dinners are usually home cooked. snacks you get to choose. in my experience, they usually swap out foods if you choose them too often, or “too much”. i imagine you could talk to your dietician about this. hahaha i would choose the same foods a lot. it was nice having access to fancy foods lol.
i am not sure if there is a specific arfid protocol, but from what i have seen, they were pretty accommodating. every week, they asked if we wanted anything from the grocery store, or if we wanted a specific item.
CFD operates on an exchange system. i think 2-3 times a week we have menu planning, where there is a folder filled with foods, and their exchange associated with them. i think someone could probably chime in more on this.
please let me know if you have any questions!! i just tried to answer generally.
how was the menlo park house? or how was the program in general? did you like it? can you by chance answer the like formatted questions if you have time? i forgot where you can find them – rachel do you know where you can find them? if you don’t have time to answer all of those the main question i’m wondering is what they do about supplementing and compliance? if you don’t comply with a meal will they just mark you down and then kick you out eventually? thanks so much for your help! sorry i saw this so late btw
Here ya go!
Ideas of things to answer:
When were you there?
What level(s) of care did you do (e.g., inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP)?
If applicable: Is it wheelchair accessible?
How many patients are there on average?
What genders does it treat?
If applicable: Do they support the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary people?
How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, nurse, etc?
What is the staff-to-patient ratio?
What sort of therapies are used (e.g., DBT, CBT, EMDR, ACT, exposure therapy, somatic experiencing, etc.)?
Describe the average day:
What were meals like?
What sorts of food were available or served?
Did they supplement? How did that system work?
What is the policy of not complying with meals?
Are you able to eat vegetarian? Vegan?
What privileges are allowed?
Does it work on a level system?
How do you earn privileges?
What sort of groups do they have?
What was your favorite group?
If applicable: Is the program trauma-informed?
What did you like the most?
What did you like the least?
Would you recommend this program?
What level of activity or exercise was allowed?
What did people do on weekends?
Do you get to know your weight?
If applicable: How fast is the weight gain process?
What was the average length of stay?
What was the average age range?
How do visits/phone calls work?
What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)?
For inpatient/residential: Are you able to go on outings/passes?
For PHP/IOP: What support do they provide outside of programming hours?
What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team?
Are there any resources for people who come from out of state/country?
If applicable: How is the program responding to COVID? (Less patients, virtual programming, no visitors, masks, social distancing, etc)
Other?
They are not arfid friendly in my opinion
may i ask why ? ♀️
I was told the Thousand Oaks is 18+ with no upper age limit. This is as of yesterday
just so everyone knows la jolla and los alomitos have both closed down.
Wow. First Cielo House closes, now some Center for Discovery locations in California closed… And Alsana Santa Barbara is almost unstaffed right now. Care options for eating disorders in CA are dwindling fast. Does anyone to know which CA CFD locations are still open? Are there others closing too? I’ll update the page, so that people know they are no longer options.
Sacramento php, granite bay and menlo park are the only ones in NorCal now. Then all i know that the only adult residential locations open in SoCal are Del Mar and Thousand Oaks
Thank you! ❤️ Have you decided which location you’ll be going to by the way? If you are still waiting on more info about locations, we have a community member who helps out a lot with questions on this page. They usually hop on and reply to posts about NorCal locations every other week or so. I can email them and ask if they can hop on now to help ya out!
If they can thatd be great 🙂 thank you! Its so sad that so many are closing
https://bhbusiness.com/2024/01/05/discovery-behavioral-health-trims-residential-care-to-shift-business-strategy/
Looks like money is behind it all, of course
Granite bay and Thousand Oaks is 26 and under im not sure about Del Mar but like if your above 26 the options are slim for cfd they also stopped taking anthem blue cross
The Del Mar and La Jolla RTC programs merged. The program now operates out of the Del Mar RTC house for ages 15-25 and they’re still one of the few RTC programs equipped to place/maintain NG tubes.
Looking for info about any of the adult California residential locations, in the process of getting admitted but idk which location to chose/ which ones are being run properly
Still looking ?
There are quite a few reviews written in the past few months here on this page.
I went to Granite Bay res for 66 days last year (2023). My experience was a mixed bag. When I arrived, there were only two other girls. For about more than a month we were stuck at 3 girls. Max is 6 I believe. You would think with only 3 girls in the facility there would be a lot of individual attention paid to each patient but I didn’t really feel like that was the case.
My main frustration is that whenever I seemed to have any sort of problem, they would just throw meds at me. Instead of teaching me how to manage my anxiety (which, in my case isn’t super severe) they would just encourage me to take a PRN. I received my medical records recently and the staff wrote that I was hesitant to use skills, but the reality is that I was barely taught any skills that I could apply so of course I didn’t use them. Granted I’m biased.
Once we got more patients, problems started arising in the milieu which is expected but we were always told to use the confrontation model and it ended up just making things kinda worse. I remember one of the therapists encouraged one of the girls to call everyone out during process group and it made everyone really upset.
I was super frustrated with the fact that we were barely allowed to watch PG-13 movies. If anything had even the possibility of triggering anything in anyone, we could not watch it even if everyone said they were okay with watching it. If a gun was in a scene for a split second we would be told to take the movie off. I basically had to watch exclusively Disney movies for 66 days and this facility is up until 26yrs old. I was 19/20 at the time and just felt very infantilized because we couldn’t consume any media that wasn’t for children. I understand why certain shows weren’t allowed but come on… everyone was over the age of 16. We can allow for SOME form of nuanced media.
The program director was super biased and had favorite patients. I tried to call them out on it and they literally made me cry and said I was seeing a problem where there wasn’t one. I felt kinda gaslighted but I know that term gets thrown around a lot. One time, a restaurant exposure was moved to earlier in the day so that one patient could get taken to a job interview by staff but it was like 20 minutes after snack which made it almost impossible to eat because we had just had snack 20 minutes prior. When this happened they tried to convince me that I was the problem and the fact that I was forced to eat so close after snack wasn’t the reason I was feeling physically ill, when I was at a point in recovery where my hunger cues had come back and I knew that that was what was wrong. Very disappointing because we were told to listen to our bodies, but when I did they told me it was just my ED talking.
Staff were nice but not completely qualified. DBT/CBT/ACT groups were just them reading off the CFD binder and worksheets. I personally think that such groups should be given by qualified professionals that know what they’re talking about. Other than that though staff was very sweet.
I was told at one point that the fact that I was reading so much was a dissociative coping mechanism when the reality was that I was super bored. We couldn’t watch TV during the day so what else was I supposed to do? Look at the wall? Eventually I ended up convincing them to let me use my computer for writing, and that helped a bit since I also (secretly) messaged my friends while I was on my computer just to have something to do.
What really helped me was honestly the other girls at the program and talking to staff. I think CFDGB is okay but I encourage going somewhere else. I know that a lot of locations in NorCal closed, though. I also personally do not like the meal plan system that CFD uses but that is just personal preference because it didn’t personally help me.
I just found out from my insurance today cfd no longer is taking anthem blue cross
which locations take 26+?
Since Fremont is gone only SoCal locations
have You been?
I’ve been to Fremont 2x granite bay and Thousand Oaks but the ones I’ve been to that are open are for under 26
Looking for granite bay reviews too :
Any recent reviews on the Granite Bay location?
CFD just announced closure of many locations. CFD Fremont res is closed. I’m not sure the rest there were like 16 listed. Really a shame, I had a good experience with some of the staff there.
Where did you hear that
I had an assessment with them and yes, many locations have closed. Now only Granite bay location in NorCal takes ages 16-26.
That’s so sad Fremont was so good as well as cielo house they are the only place that take state insurance. But both closed there’s so limited options in Northern California especially for 26+
I feel the same way Nat! I have Medicare and I feel like there
are practically no options in California for me.
I was told that CFD in Wellington / Fairfield CT is also for 16-26!
They have another house that is 26+ in Fairfield.
Oh yes, you’re right. Sorry!! The one on Congress St does accept 18+ with no upper limit
Do you know what other CFD locations are being/have been closed? This is so unfortunate and disheartening. I had a good experience at Fremont that helped me make some lasting changes that I didn’t make at any other treatment center.
Has anyone recently done treatment at CFD and would be ok talking a little about how the meal plans are set up? I heard something about being able to choose the type of meal plan you would like to be on in PHP and IOP. Thank you!
You and your dietician will determine if/when you can add in more flexible options for each meal/snack. The most structured option is a certain number of each of: fats + proteins + starch + fruit/veg. You then gradually add in the option to use a more flexible plan. I started with the option to do 1 main + 2 sides (including different food groups) at lunch only. When checking in/plating for lunch, you could chose between the two depending on your headspace at the time. If distracted or overwhlemed, then you would pick the more structured plan. You would then add the option of the more flexible plan to more meals/snacks. I think there is a 3rd option that is even more flexible too.
Can anyone compare the Center for Discovery California locations? I am an adult and looking for the best location as well as one that allows phone use.
Virtual would be your best bet.
Any recent reviews on the Beverly Hills location for PHP? I’m debating between this and Alsana Westlake Village.
Did you end up going to Beverly Hills PHP? I’m thinking of transferring and want to hear of others experience
I went to Alsana Westlake Village. It wasn’t anything great.
Any recent reviews on the Fremont location?
https://edtreatmentreview.com/center-for-discovery-cfd-california/#comment-25140
https://edtreatmentreview.com/center-for-discovery-cfd-california/#comment-24614
https://edtreatmentreview.com/center-for-discovery-cfd-california/#comment-23885
i left CFD fremont in may 2023 and overall i have many more positive thank negative things to say. so many amazing staff members! when i was leaving though, they were making some financial cut backs and we didn’t have as much freedom food-wise.
Hello does anyone have and reviews from this year about the La habra program
Does anyone have a review for PHP or IOP for SACRAMENTO, CA OR UPDATED ONE FOR RANCHO PALOS VERDES?
CAN YOU SPECIFY LOCATION AND LET ME PLEASE LET ME KNOW:
1) DO STAFF WEAR MASKS AND CAN PATIENTS WEAR THEM? RE: COVID
2) IF A PATIENT HAS A REACTION TO A FOOD I.E. DIARRHEA, ETC. (I HAVE ARFID AND GI ISSUES) DO THEY HAVE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FOR IVS, BLOOD TEST, NAUSEA MEDS OR TAKEN YOU TO ER/STABILIZE YOU? IF UNWELL DO THEY ALLOW YOU TO REST AND RECOVER?
3) DO THEY CUSTOMIZE FOODS FOR PATIENTS FOR LUNCHES I.E ALLERGIES, ETC.?
4) HOW IS THE STAFF AND WHO DID YOU LIKE?
5) HOW LONG IS THE PROGRAM MAX?
Hi, just letting people know that when my php team at a different center wanted to step me up and was starting the process with CFD, they were told that CFD no longer accepts government funding. Previously I had gone to CFD through the county who had a contract with them, but it seemed that changed and the county was forced to make a SCA with my current treatment center for Rez
That’s sad to hear! I hate knowing how much profits are prioritized over patients. We all deserve better!
Does anyone know of any CFD locations that provide EMDR and other somatic therapy? Or another treatment center that offers these as well as has the same flexibility with food that CFD has and some access to electronics? I need to be in an ED treatment structure but also working on my trauma from a somatic based approach and have autonomy in my treatment with food and electronics. So far I’ve deduced that this doesn’t exist and though CFDs food structure (specifically Fremont, CA) works better than anywhere else for me, I haven’t been able to get the type of therapy I need and at this point I can’t just do one or the other, I need to do both at the same time. I’m just so lost and I don’t know what to do.
EMDR is offered by some therapists but not all. I would check ahead of time to see if the therapist you would be assigned is certified. As far as somatic therapy, there is yoga/ meditation a few times a week but thats really it.
Does anyone have a link/picture of the meals and snack lists? Thanks!
They don’t have lists you choose what you want for snacks. Anything you could imagine as long as it’s not diet food/or like something lowcal/ fat free ect the options are limited. Lunches sometimes have themes but pretty much it’s like a broad theme and you still have so much say (example byo-build your own, byo sandwiches, byo taco, frozen meal day, byo quesadillas, etc) dinners are in a cycle menu but you can sub for a soup and salad. I have the php lunch menu but there’s no sample menus for lunches it depends on the location and I don’t think clients have access to it they tell you in menu planning group. But out of any treatment center they have the most options to choose from because you just request what you want from the store (as long as it’s an appropriate item) and they get it
there is a cycle menu used for lunch and dinner but no snack lists. i do not have a copy of the cycle menu but i could tell you some of the meals i have had here if that would help.
Does anyone have any reviews of the Torrance adolescent PHP? Also, what food could be like as someone with Arfid? (*tw*) I really only like pbjs and snack foods. Lastly, does anyone know what their weight gain is like? How do they decide how much to gain and how fast?
i dont know specifically about the torrance PHP, but I have done php at newport and los alomitos. they are familiar with arfid, and you will be able to have PB&J’s and snack food as long as it fits your meal plan. pretty much every food can fit somehow.
[admin note: trigger warning for mention of target rate of weight restoration here, within site rules] the weight gain is about three lbs/week but may be different at a php level (three lbs is the residential standard). they go off of growth and bmi to establish target weight.
I’m 45 years old and I found the PHP very helpful. Unfortunately due to medical issues I had to admit to IP at Reasons in Rosemead, which was quite a disaster. A medical hospital would have been a better option…!
Can you tell me more about reasons? I am looking into it but kinda scared.
Has anyone recently been to the LA Jolla residential that could answer somea questions?
I too would really appreciate a full review or some answers to questions I have! This is important because this is the only location that takes ng tubes, which I have right now in inpatient and am looking to stepping down to residential as soon as I’m allowed which would be much faster at La Jolla than any other location where they don’t take tubes.
i am currently at la jolla and have been here 2 weeks. i can answer any questions you have. for now i will just say general things. they allow ng tubes and it isnt uncommon for people stepping down from inpatient to come in with them. we get to choose our food for the most part so that way it might be easier for you to eat and get the tube out. they offer kate farms as supplement for meals and snack, and for people with large meal plans sometimes they add benecal to snacks so the volume of food isnt overwhelming. there is 24/7 nursing, 2 primary therapists and a program director, counselors 24/7, dietitian and diet techs, level system for use of sharps and movements, level system for other privledges, coffee and tea allowed, nice patients, average stay 6 weeks, computer use for school, ages 16-26. let me know about any additional q’s. you can also email me ashleynradcliffe@gmail.com
*tw self harm*
Has anyone been to La Jolla, Thousand Oaks, or Fremont, and been dealing with fairly significant concurrent issues with SH? I’m at a point rn where my SH and other mental health issues are much more significant/impactful than my ED, but my ED is still prevalent enough that I’d need a treatment center that has at least some level of support around EDs. I’m curious about how CFD deals with SH urges & behaviors — are techs/nurses generally competent with responding to a client disclosing urges, or are they primarily ED-focused and not so informed with SH? If someone engages in SH while in the program, will they automatically be referred out or administratively discharged, or is it something they’d be willing to work with? Also, I’ve heard about some people being transferred from CFD to their mood/anxiety program when MH issues are more significant than the ED — if that’s happened to anyone, were they still able to support your ED at the general MH program, or did it feel very lacking in terms of ED support?
i am currently at la jolla. as far as SH precautions, there are sharp levels which are no sharps, with supervision, and full. if you are really struggling with SH you will likely be on no sharps or later on with supervision. they do a skin check when you arrive and im sure they will do more as needed. since ED facilities have 24/7 nursing they will be able to put on bandages and wraps or ointment or whatever else on wounds. at mental health facilities they dont have nursing usually but they have a medical office that has supplies that an experiences or designated staff can access. i havent been to a mental health focused facility in a couple of years so i dont know if that has changed.
at MH facilites they can support ED related things but it isnt the focus. i think if you need heavy structure around eating and stuff, ED res has way more rules about food and exercise and showering and whatnot so that would be the way to go. otherwise, you will be given support on eating at MH facilities but just not as rigid or food focused. if you are unable to eat at the MH facility they will likely refer u to an Ed house.
i think la jolla is pretty good in comparison to some. I dont know how old you are but la jolla is 16-26. if you are an adolescent i recommend the downey house for mental health which is up to 17.
Would you be willing to answer some questions about the la jolla location or do a full review? I’m looking to go here soon.
Hi Ashley, I saw you said you’re currently at La Jolla. Would you be willing to answer some questions about it so I can see whether it would be a good fit for me? I know all CFD locations are pretty different from reach other so I’m hesitant to try a new one without a fresh perspective. Anything you’re willing to share would be hugely appreciated!
yes i can! i am currently at la jolla and have been here 2 weeks. i can answer any questions you have. for now i will just say general things. they allow ng tubes from where you were previously or they can place one while here. they cannot restrain or force you though so if you refuse it and arent eating u will be sent to the hospital. we get to choose our food for the most part. dinner is the same for everyone minus accomodations for vegetarians/etc. they offer kate farms vanilla as supplement for meals and snack, and for people with large meal plans sometimes they add benecal to snacks so the volume of food isnt overwhelming. there is 24/7 nursing, 2 primary therapists and a program director, counselors 24/7, dietitian and diet techs, level system for use of sharps and movements, level system for other privledges, coffee and tea allowed, nice patients, average stay 6 weeks, computer use for school, ages 16-26. let me know about any additional q’s. you can also email me ashleynradcliffe@gmail.com
hi! as of right now CFD might be my top choice, but my parents have heard bad things so I’m not sure. I have a few questions
1) is the quality of food overall good?
2) how much access are you given to electronics?
3) what is their policy on exercise? and what options do they have?
4) are there fun activities and groups? (group outings, art, movie nights, cooking classes, etc)
5) how aggressive are they with weight restoration? I will be coming in at a healthy weight, but am below where I have been in the past, do you think they will make me weight restore? And if so, how fast is it?
6) What’s their policy on refusing food and supplements?
7) are staff supportive?
8) is it overall a positive environment?
9) what is the meal schedule and wake up/lights out time?
10) are there TVs?
11) is the atmosphere nice? is it more home like or more hospital like?
12) do you know if there is less freedom at this location than there is at 18+ locations?
13) overall, would you recommend?
thank you so so much
Thank you for the response! I have been to a handful of general mental health RTCs before so I know they can be a hit or miss in terms of ED support. You’re just referring to MH programs in general, yes? Not specifically a Discovery program? I was just curious about the CFD-affiliated general MH programs in particular (Discovery Mood and Anxiety), since I’ve heard of CFD transferring folks from a CFD location to a Discovery Mood and Anxiety program, which was what I was concerned about.
If you don’t mind me asking, what is the current age range at La Jolla (like, is is all adolescents, or a mix of adolescents & young adults)? I’m in my early 20s and wouldn’t want to be the only adult there aha
i was referring to discovery mood and anxiety for mental health facilities. there is a 21 year old and a 23 year old, 2 17 year olds and a 16 year old. most staff are 22-27 range. CFD also has a del mar facility close by that is only adult.
Thank you for the response, that’s very helpful! It’s good to know that they’re able to offer at least some level of support around eating at the mood/anxiety locations. And thank you for including the staff ages too — I didn’t even think about considering staff potentially being younger than me lmao
Does anyone have a review for La habra
i went there twice but only for a short time each time. also was in 2019 so im sure its different. its a lot of the same staff according to the website. one of the therapists named j******* has been there a long time and shes very nice. the dietitian is alright. nursing i remember being unorganized and rude. the house itself is kind of run down but its not that bad. its pretty small but there is a second building for groups/therapy. also, the patients at this facility tend to run younger. i never saw any patients above the age of 14. apparently they try to send younger patients to this facility rather than the others.
personally haven’t stayed there but i’ve had nurses from that location float over at ours and they say that it’s a bit more strict in terms of their schedule (meal/sleep times). i also know that they do administer ng tubes to patients that need it at that particular location. sorry i couldn’t be of more help!
Do they allow coffe tea and gum in residential in cali?
From when I was there in 2018, they allowed 8 oz of coffee and caffeinated tea at breakfast and AM snack. No gum is allowed ever
If you go to Fremont no coffee at breakfast or snack unless your 100% for that meal or snack they set a bunch of new tea rules too lol you use to be allowed tea all day but now it’s like only a limited amount of times and no cfd allows gum
Do they allow phones????
So typical in cfd no until you get to a certain level (at granite bay I didn’t see my phone for 5weeks) but the mileu person is super chill at Fremont california res, lol so we would get phones sooo much. They sometimes would push back on phones but you can get approval to get it at 5-6 for assignment time per day and ask to get it during visitation (which is every day and longer on weekends) from 7-8, there’s adulting 3x a week so you get an hour of phone time then, and we go to labs Mondays from 8:30is to snack and they will give phones and on weekends depending on the staff they will like give phones.
if you’re an adult, i think they give u times where u can use your phone (not totally sure tho); if ur an adolescent, most likely not. i was able to have a computer for school work but that was about it. some people snuck in their phones or asked their parents to bring it during visitation.
no gum; if you get coffee, it’ll be decaf (we did a starbucks exposure once where we were able to drink real coffee but that was about it); i think they probably have non-caffeinated tea
this was at the lakewood res btw
Hello…
Considering sending my 17 year old daughter here and just wondering what your overall thoughts were about the Lakewood house, especially what you thought of the staff and how long you were there.
Thank you!
Hi! I personally loved it there, however the staff has probably changed since I last left. I was there for almost 2 months. Most people leave around the 1.5-2month mark. It’s kind of an old house and has things that need to be fixed. In general, it was the only place I didn’t mind being at because of the staff and patients that I met. I literally bawled on my discharge day because I didn’t want to leave. The outings are fun & usually at cerritos mall or somewhere in Long beach. If you’re considering sending your daughter there I think it might be a good choice. I was glad that at CFD in general, they let us plan our meals and have hands on experience with plating them so we are more prepared when we discharge. If you are more interested in a family based treatment style (FBT) this might not be the best choice. I know for my family, FBT was the wrong choice which is why I enjoyed my time at Lakewood because my parents were not as in charge as other places I was sent to. All in all, lakewood is a great place but no treatment facility is going to help unless your daughter wants to be helped. Make sure you remember that & realize that punishing her for the things she does might not be the best course of action. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions!!!
*note I’m all for treatment and I like cfd but as someone who has been to a few of their locations. I’ve learned cfd is a hit or miss. Either is helpful or harmful because at the end of the day it’s a business. Cfd is a corporation center and sometimes care more about hiring the cheapest rather than putting more effort into their patients to benefit their recovery. So one location might be good and others horrible depending on who’s there. They under pay and hire anyone sometimes sometimes so their program is harmful and better if you have the privilege to go else where but it’s sad if it’s the only option because they need to do better for their clients. And it’s worth finding a good fit and research into the right cfd or right program to have success and actually benefit from treatment. Because everyone deserves the care they need and if angers me how some Ed centers that are put out their to help don’t
Location: EMERYVILLE , CA PHP
This place is literally a joke. I encourage treatment but anywhere else. I don’t know a single soul who has been there and has gotten one skill or succeeded in the program or hasn’t left. They can’t get a single soul to come to their php or stay because of how horrible it is.
I was in their program cycling from res to php since last year, because they don’t do anything to help long term recovery it’s basically daycare. I was a lot of the time the only adult because so many people would leave after a few days or they are HORRIBLE WITH INSURANCE so people would somehow get cut after a week or stay very short
1. The group leaders are horrible (only one leaders who are good) But anyone can work here even with no knowledge in anything and run groups. Groups consist of just staff reading off paper scripts word for word of what the paper tells them to say and they literally don’t know what the hell they are talking about or if you ask a question they can’t answer. So you don’t learn anything and the same content repeats over and over again. So you don’t learn anything that will help you take away something and actually succeed in recovery or prep you. And they just hire people who really should not be working here. After a while you can start to pick up the dbt stuff but the staff even after working here a few month literally don’t know what they are reading or talking about
2. They provide lunch and have “themes” (Hawaiian bowls, Capri sandwiches, harvest bowls, soup day, etc) which sound nice but they never have the stuff they need nor a stove only a microwave for those themes so they will pull the most random gross things throw it in a microwave and make us eat it. For example on Hawaiian bowl day they use microwave rice that is literally so hard and gross and bagged microwave chicken that your lucky if they cook it all the way or raw strait from the package tofu and mix it with mashed peanuts baby carrots and ranch which is “a Hawaiian bowl” or for ramen day they could just give us ramen packages but no they get random microwave noodles mix it with random chicken broth and soy sauce and weirdly seasoned frozen chicken, hard boiled eggs carrot peanuts etc. they never have any of the stuff and the fridge usually has no options nor do they have anything but a microwave but they still make you eat the stuff instead of just letting people bring in their own food like they do for dinner when they know they don’t have the tools to make food. So most people don’t eat lunches
2. People who don’t know much about dietary stuff check off our meals and are so unfamiliar with common sense stuff like one staff thought an avocado counted as a protein not a fat. And will take forever to check off meals flipping through the handbook one by one and call the dietitian or director during meal prep sweating because he doesn’t know what to do after working here for over 6 months. If a dietitian sits with use that meal they will fight with you and power trip over what you can and can’t have even if it’s for preference in the same amount of nutritional value you need or exchange and works( like if you wanted carrots instead of raw broccoli they would say no even if they had it or didn’t want ranch in your rice bowl). Just because. The dietians will also talk shit about other clients. And make meals insufferable and yell at you if you dare take a sip of water before the timer starts. and yell at you for the most random crap which make meals hard
They have to accompany you to the bathroom if you’re a minor which in a office building. So if there’s no a female staff male staff will have to take them to the bathroom and wait outside which has thrown off other people in the building (which the other offices have complained about one creepy male staff member) which is just so odd. They can’t have a female take them The dietitians like I said make fun of clients and talk bad about them. Like enough you could hear them. Like why. The dietitian also after a while of this client who was gluten free most of their life and being there for a while all of a sudden accused them of it not being legit and call their doctor multiple times to do new test or get proof. Which made that person leave php because it was was the last straw. Or I’m Jewish and I’m not strictly kosher for treatment and flexible I just ask no pork or shell fish, or mixing dairy with meat. But my dietitian would still try and force me to eat ham. Or if I was late for choosing restaurant would literally circle the pork option with cheese when there’s other options. And always give me a hard time about having ham and eating ham but I’m Jewish I can have so many other things.there has been many people who are transgender/non binary are they are absolutely not good with pronouns and will mis gender people even if the client has been there a while or just not even careful since some of the floor staff isn’t to familiar with Ed’s they say pretty outrageous things sometimes that shouldn’t be said nor talked about in treatment and (ex: pro diet culture talking about the food they eat their diets how certain foods are “bad”) which I’m surprised they don’t talk to staff before hiring what not to talk about or if they just don’t careSorry I’m advanced if there’s typos I’m dyslexic
theres so many other things wrong but I’ll save it at this
I definitely agree with this experience at Emeryville! I went there last year after stepping down from res at Granite Bay because it was the only location near me. I didn’t learn a single thing that would help me in recovery, I kept telling my dietitian that my current meal plan felt restrictive and didn’t allow me the freedom to eat a regular meal that didn’t feel off and they didn’t do anything about it. It is definitely just a daycare. The groups were awful, again I didn’t learn a single thing in them. In one of them we were shown a video which triggered the entire group and staff told us “well it’s approved by CFD curriculum” so they just didn’t listen to our feedback at all. I wanted to travel to go to my cousin’s wedding which was during a weekend, and definitely would have been a good exposure to get back into the real world and they refused to let me take two days off to do so. Basically I ended up missing an extremely important family event just because they didn’t care at all despite me telling them it would be really beneficial for my recovery. They wanted to keep me there for super long, clearly milking my insurance as much as possible but it wasn’t helping at all. I finally managed to get out of there by convincing them that I was going to start IOP at another program but it ended up falling through. Regardless I am SO glad I got out of there.
I am pescetarian because I simply do not like the taste of meat and it has nothing to do with my ED and they forced me to eat meat for an exposure meal despite the fact that it is just a food I have never liked. Honestly made me really mad, I ended up getting sick from eating it because my body isn’t used to eating red meat.
The staff can’t handle any level of complexity with their cases at all. One of the girls in my program was struggling and they just immediately sent her to res. Even though it wasn’t my experience, she was super frustrated. Apparently her therapist had an “eating disorder for dummies” book on their desk and wasn’t fully licensed. The experience made me mad and it didn’t even happen to me.
I do not recommend Emeryville to anyone. It was an awful experience that honestly set me back in my recovery. Half the staff knew nothing about EDs. Some of them said super triggering things. I was in the adult group and we were treated like literal children even though we were ADULTS. I also got shamed for bringing in pre-made meals instead of cooking myself and sometimes having to rely on facility food despite the fact that I told them many times that I didn’t have the time OR skill to cook a meal for myself every single day. I will say that my therapist was really helpful with getting me admitted back into my university after having to withdraw for treatment, but that’s the only positive thing I have to say about this place. Honestly, go anywhere else except here.
Yea they closed emeryville. Cfd can be really helpful. It all depends on the time you go if they have the right staff the northern California locations have the worst turn over rate for staff and they all have had to shut down for a few weeks when the staff all quits. However it can be really helpful when they are put together Fremont use to be the worst California location but then everyone quit and they got amazing staff and it was the most helpful Place I’ve been. Cfd is a hit or miss so I want to not deter people from coming to any Cfd because they can be helpful since it’s a small environment where they can individualize is I just recommend people do research before coming
La Jolla
Does anyone have reviews about the la jolla center? Also, how does school work? I’m in my last couple months of senior year so I want to know how i’m supposed to complete school. Thanks!
i am at la jolla rn!! i am also a senior. we can do work independently during the allotted time. there is also an education liaison here that can talk to your school. its a decent option if you are looking for treatment. i wouldnt say its the best ever but staff are nice and its better than a lot of places.
Can anyone review the thousand oaks versus freemont adult programs and compare? What California do you think is the best? Also how do they do meal plans…is it calories or exchanges and do you get to pick? Also does it work on levels and how does that work?
Yes I’ve been to both Fremont is so much better plus when I went I was the only adult in Thousand Oaks which was hard since they do school and are more stricter with kids. Fremont is all adults and out of all the cfds I’ve been too the least restrictive they allow more privileges, level up faster and more reasonable to make things not feel hard. They work with you more at Fremont so you can do the same things at home instead of never getting to meal or snack prep. They give you your phones too at Fremont more and they have extra outtings for everyone instead of only for level 2 which takes awhile to get to
its exchanges and you have a say in all snacks and most meals and you get to request anything from Safeway instead of most places that have very limited options or the same for everyone. I like Fremont out of all 4 cfd California locations I’ve been to. I don’t recommend granite bay
Has anyone been to any of the Center for Discovery locations in California adult programs and can review?
*thread moved here from general Q&A forum by admin
I’ve been to granite bay residential 2021
Thousand Oaks residential February 2022
fremont residential in 2022 from July-august
cfd Pleasanton California php augest-November
fremont again from November to late January 2023
and now at emeryville California php January to now
all adult res but granite bay and Thousand Oaks is 16-26 and can answer any questions
Awesome! What is the best location? How do they compare? How does food work there? General rules or program?
I really recommend Fremont, I would definitely not prefer granite bay with what I’ve heard recently of a bunch of people who have been there. It’s not as healing and I heard it’s not helpful. Cfd is a great program but with any program that could change instantly by staffing issues, program problems etc. but Fremont has its stuff together and has for a while and consistent staff. the staff will say they love their job and would do it for free, which helps because they truly care and it’s not just a job to them which is unheard of as someone who has been to many treatment centers.
The staff truly cared which helped me feel safe and they are different then other cfds and bend the typical rules (extra phone privileges, extra outtings for everyone even if your brand new and not on a certain level, and start people on meal prep faster then any cfd so you can actually learn rather then waiting until your last week or never getting meal prep) so for me I didn’t feel punished or I just felt safe there. So I felt I could actually give in and give up my Ed because I didn’t feel restricted like other places The dietitian was really helpful with working where your at and helping you actually succeed when you leave which no one has ever done really.
I like cfd because you just request what you want from Safeway and corporate it into your meal plan breakfast and lunch and all snacks it’s what ever you want as long as you meet exchanges and it’s like appropriate food for recovery.
Dinner is the same for everyone but you can do sub meals if you don’t like it, lunches have themes sometimes but still it will be ever you want from the theme. I’m picky but always could find something in that theme, because it’s build your own.
They truly prepared me for recovery after discharge and not just while I’m in treatment.
However cfds phps are absolute crap lol and don’t at all recommend it, but that’s too much to go on about lol (I would recommend finding a better php after if you have the privilege or opportunity) I’m currently transitioning to another php. But their res is pretty good and 10/10 recommend
hii could you answer a couple questions?
1) what is the exercise policy like at fremont? and what options do they have for exercise?
2) how do they deal with refusing food and supplements?
3) what’s the average length of stay?
4) what is the average age range? I’m 18, and don’t want to be the only young person because i want to be able to relate to the other patients and make friends
5) is the staff supportive?
6) how aggressive are they with weight gain? if you come in at a healthy weight is the maintenance meal plan actually maintenance?
7) what is the schedule like? i mostly only care about wake up, meals, and lights out
8) are there fun outings and groups?
thank you <3
1) what is the exercise policy like at fremont?
and what options do they have for exercise?
You have to be at level 2 and above. Requirements are being at a certain goal weight and medically stable and meal compliance, People can get walks any where from their first week to like their 6th week or never. It all depends on why you’re there and medically stability. If you have to weight restore or have medical issues you might not get walks for a while but it’s all in your best interest. And just they have walks 1-2 times daily. Usually they can start you off at three walks a week or every day it’s all individual. Or doing yoga in your room or allowing you to like do just dance or like some person got to do like their own exercise thing for like 30 minutes a day. They customize it, will allow what ever and incorporate it once you earn it.
2) how do they deal with refusing food and supplements?
Cfd Fremont doesnt really do anything for noncompliance.They had to make a new rule that if you didn’t finish you meals no coffee/tea ect. To motivate people. But to be honest a lot of people still finish and stay motivated. But if your noncompliant peoples insurance will cut them pretty short. So if you actually want recovery and a life or to get the time you need in treatment I recommend just complying. But those who just refused their stay was pretty short or they would get sent out.
3) what’s the average length of stay?
3weeks to 3months. It all depends on insurance.
4) what is the average age range? I’m 18, and don’t want to be the only young person because i want to be able to relate to the other patients and make friends
It depends I’ve been there a few times and sometimes it was literally all 18-24 year olds and others a mix of 18-65. Or sometimes half super young half older. But they usually have a lot of young people. I’ve been 18 and int that spot where I’m the youngest but everyone is like a family so you still get a long and make friends.
5) is the staff supportive?
Yea at Fremont they had the best staff at any place I’ve been. I’ve been to so many places where they are not supportive or power trippy and just not good experiences. But Fremont has staff that truly cares and all of them truly love their job and talk so highly of how much they love working there which shows in their work with clients. Which is rare especially for cfd because of turnover in treatment centers but fremont is unique, and staff is amazingly helpful so hopefully it stays that way.
6) how aggressive are they with weight gain? if you come in at a healthy weight is the maintenance meal plan actually maintenance?
The dietian is good at working with where you’re at. They want you to be able to sustain that after discharge so they will work with you with in reason. So it all depends. It’s also blind weights but if you have to gain you will inevitably have to gain, and if you just need to maintain they will work with you on maintaining but the weight gain will get you your life back and it’s super scary but honestly worth it for the life you will get. And will also play a part in insurance coverage since cfd sucks with insurance sometimes.
7) what is the schedule like? i mostly only care about wake up, meals, and lights out
Wake up you sign up for a time. Your first week or until contract group you will be waken up at 6. Then once your deemed safe and stuff you can wake up any where from 6-6:50. Breakfast is at 7:45, then vitals then group then snack at 10:30, then group, then group then snack at 3:30, then group then assignment time, then dinner at 6. Then free time and visiting until 8:30. Lights out is at 10.
8) are there fun outings and groups?
Yes! Fremont is unique where they have two outings one for everyone and the other for the higher levels. (Unless they changed it since January) since most Cfd’s only allow people to go out at level 2. But the milieu person made a rule if you went to all the groups you can got to “the second outing” or if someone is graduating they get a good bye outing of their choice. That everyone can go to regardless of level. Outing have been (color me mine, massages, nails, build a bear, parks, target, bowling, the movies, a kitten play place, book stores, tj maxx, etc) you all vote on where you want to go in contract so the options are unlimited within reason. The milue person would also sometimes just take us to Starbucks to get us out of the house.
Groups are pretty ok staff will try to make it fun but it’s the typical cfd groups lol that have handouts for staff to read off it but staff does their best to make it as fun as possible
thank you so much this was super helpful
Center for Discovery Del Mar reviews??
Pleasanton, California php
I was here from September 14th-November 21st 2022
a typical day is you get to program at 12, do meal prep, lunch from 12:30-1 group from 1-2, another group from 2-3, a short group from 3-3:30 snack prep, snack at 3:40-4, group from 4-5, last group from 5-5:45 dinner prep dinner from 6:15-6:45 then you go home
lurches are provided in a monthly circular menu and have different options to build your own.you add things depending on your meal plan (Sandwich day, capree sandwich day, fish taco day, pita pockets, hamburger, breakfast for lunch, pasta bowls, Hawaiian bowl, chicken tacos, ect I can’t remember) they don’t have a kitchen with an oven so the themes sound nice but the food was absolutely terrible since it was random make shift stuff they had in the fridge they made us know there was a limited budget so the food wasn’t the best so it was sad because they seemed like good themes. Wednesday’s was Restaurant day, Fridays were clients choice day to pick a theme. Snacks were limited options and dinner you brought your own but they had stuff there to make things but most likely you would want to bring your own
groups were basic and the staff was not well equipped to teach them a lot of staff admitted half way though they just got random handouts or videos ten minutes before group and had nothing to do to teach us how to recover. I like cfd but this php was really disappointing and not benifical. Many of us had to get stepped back up to residential including me and they shut down for a few weeks because of understaffing which has happened a few times this year
FREMONT RESDescribe the average day: it’s pretty structured What were meals like? You choose the foods you like and dinners are sorta the same but you sometimes get a say in the type or do a build your own. What sorts of food were available or served? Anything you want from Safeway/Ralys or Costco. It’s pretty unlimited in options breakfast you choose anything you want lunches have byo (build your own) or themes sometimes or is individual choice , tacos, entree salad, sandwich and side, frozen burritos, frozen meal. Dinner is byo quesadilla, byo tacos, byo baked potato bar, byo pasta bar, chicken dishes salmon dishes, stir fry’s, pizza ect Did they supplement? How did that system work? Yes with Kate farmsWhat is the policy of not complying with meals? Not moving up and couch restAre you able to eat vegetarian? YesWhat privileges are allowed? Nothing the first 72 hours, then 15 minutes phone calls on the house phone 24 hour obs, then 2 hours after meals obs and then 1 hour after meals obs then no obs.Does it work on a level system? YesHow do you earn privileges? Completion What sort of groups do they have? Dbt, act, cbt, process, food fun and feeling, health group, mindful movement, group cook, restaurant, exposure, labs, mindfulness What was your favorite group? ProcessWhat did you like the most? Freedom with choosing foods you likeWhat did you like the least? Idk to be honest Would you recommend this program? YesWhat level of activity or exercise was allowed? Mindful movement for everyone and then walks What did people do on weekends? There’s two outting so one for everyone and one for higher levels and groups and phone time and visitingDo you get to know your weight?noHow fast is the weight gain process? IdkWhat was the average length of stay? 5-8 weeks What was the average age range? 18-65How do visits/phone calls work? Here it’s pretty laid back with phones they give us phones sometimes the majority of the day which other cfds are super strict on phones. So anytime What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)? Laid back you get them almost all day except in groups For inpatient/residential: Are you able to go out on passes? YesFor PHP/IOP: What support do they provide outside of programming hours?What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team? YesAre there any resources for people who come from out of state/country? NoIf applicable: How is the program responding to COVID? (Less patients, virtual programming, no visitors, masks, social distancing, etc)
Thank you for this review!
Can you access your laptop daily?
Are there outings or passes?
If it’s ok for me to ask (you don’t have to share #s***), do they have a minimum BMI cutoff for admission?
Do they allow tea or soda?
Thank you!
***admin note: thank you for this tofutti! much appreciated. this is a total allowable question, as long as numbers aren’t posted. information like this is critical to access to care.
Can you access your laptop daily? yes with a note from your therapist (im using mine now) you get acess to it a few times a day if you have a valid reason like school or work
Are there outings or passes? yes two one on Saturday for higher levels and one on Sunday for everyone no matter your level or completion as long as you go to all the groups(only fremont does this because the milue manger is extremely lax with electornics and outtings)
Do they allow tea or soda? yes to teas and coffees we have like every flavor tea imaginable and k cup coffee. But they just made a new rule where you have to finish all of your breakfast to have coffee or tea (decaf or caffeinated ) after the meal and all of your am snackto have coffee or tea after snack caffeinated or decaf. and you can have tea with pm and Hs snack if its decaf
Im currently here now so I can answer any other questions
Hi Nat, I have a few more specific questions if you’re open to answering them. If not, that’s totally okay, just whatever you’re comfortable with.
1) For snacks, do they do specific exchanges or just (like 1 fat, 1 starch, 1 fruit or whatever combination) or do they just have a minimum of exchanges of choice (like 3+ servings of choice)? The latter was how the dietician did it at the Thousand Oaks location and I liked that much better than the specific exchanges.
2) Was the dietician flexible/willing to work with clients where they’re at and work with intolerances and preferences, or were they more strict and by the book?
3) Do you feel like the therapy and groups are good and productive/helpful (vs like cutting them short because the group leader couldn’t think of what to do, counselors not showing up for/cancelling groups, or just monotonously reading off of the worksheets/curriculum word for word and not actually leading the group, etc)?
4) How flexible are they with movement stuff? I know it’s a level system, but even to start are they pretty hypervigilant about things like standing or stretching (not like as a behavior but for pain management, stiffness, etc.) or are they kind of relaxed about little things like that?
5) Is there space to spread out in the house (like go to another room, go outside, or just enough space in the main milieu for everyone to be comfortable/not cramped and stuck in the same space all day)?
6) In general, what is the vibe/energy? Like are the staff compassionate and open and willing to work with you or are they more rule bound and strict (just in general–I know this may be difficult to answer since it can vary depending on the staff member)?
7) If applicable, do you feel like they have a good grasp on dealing with symptoms co-occurring disorders like anxiety and depression, using somatic and grounding techniques vs just cbt/dbt/thought based techninques?
8) Do you know if any therapists there do EMDR?
9) Do you feel like there is a good variety/lots of choices as far as food for meals and snacks (besides the pre-planned menu meals like lunch and dinner of course) and are they good about keeping stocked up on stuff throughout the week and getting requested items (approved of course)?
Okay that’s all I can think of. Sorry I know it’s a lot lol, no pressure in answering right away. And again, just whatever you’re comfortable with answering.
Thank you. 🙂
1) For snacks, do they do specific exchanges or just (like 1 fat, 1 starch, 1 fruit or whatever combination) or do they just have a minimum of exchanges of choice (like 3+ servings of choice)? The latter was how the dietician did it at the Thousand Oaks location and I liked that much better than the specific exchanges.
It depends on what your there for but everyone usually gets like 3+ servings and no set thing like 1s 1f it’s just a number of servings and not limited so it’s what ever you want but just you can usually have one fruit per snack. Most people get like 6 exchanges or if your not restoring 3-5 servings per snack
2) Was the dietician flexible/willing to work with clients where they’re at and work with intolerances and preferences, or were they more strict and by the book?
Extremely she is very good with meeting people where they are at to make sure people are comfortable and not push things to fast and wants you to be able to finish and do it on your own so she will work with you. Surprisingly we have had a lot of people in both my stays with dietary restrictions A lot of people are here that are lactose free/gluten free and kosher so she is very good and making sure that staff is accommodating to that. With accommodations other then intolerances or allergies she is usually by the book and not flexible. But will after a while she might become less strict and more flexible it depends on the person
3) Do you feel like the therapy and groups are good and productive/helpful (vs like cutting them short because the group leader couldn’t think of what to do, counselors not showing up for/cancelling groups, or just monotonously reading off of the worksheets/curriculum word for word and not actually leading the group, etc)?
Groups were always run and pretty productive compared to other places I’ve been
4) How flexible are they with movement stuff? I know it’s a level system, but even to start are they pretty hypervigilant about things like standing or stretching (not like as a behavior but for pain management, stiffness, etc.) or are they kind of relaxed about little things like that?
It depends if you obviously doing stuff in a disorder way no but for pain they are accommodating as long as your finishing meals and not doing it for Ed reasons
5) Is there space to spread out in the house (like go to another room, go outside, or just enough space in the main milieu for everyone to be comfortable/not cramped and stuck in the same space all day)?
Yes it’s huge so there’s multiple places to hang out if you need time to breath
6) In general, what is the vibe/energy? Like are the staff compassionate and open and willing to work with you or are they more rule bound and strict (just in general–I know this may be difficult to answer since it can vary depending on the staff member)?
The staff both my stays here have been absolutely kind and caring. This is the only place I’ve been that 100% of the staff loves their job and sees it more then just work and tells us how much they love their job and it shows through. They do follow the rules and in my opinion it’s not strict they are just the ones who have to enforce it but they don’t do it other then caring.
7) If applicable, do you feel like they have a good grasp on dealing with symptoms co-occurring disorders like anxiety and depression, using somatic and grounding techniques vs just cbt/dbt/thought based techninques?
Yes
8) Do you know if any therapists there do EMDR?
No
9) Do you feel like there is a good variety/lots of choices as far as food for meals and snacks (besides the pre-planned menu meals like lunch and dinner of course) and are they good about keeping stocked up on stuff throughout the week and getting requested items (approved of course)?
Yes
If you have more questions you can email me too.
I’ve been here for 10weeks and 6 weeks in July-September
Thank you so much for answering my questions, I really appreciate you taking the time. I’m probably admitting here in the next week or two so this is super helpful. If I can think of anything else I’ll definitely reach out! I hope you’re doing well! 🙂
No problem tell them Nathalie recommend you lol
has anyone been to thousand oaks residential? what was your experience like? how was weight restoration, average stay, counselors, etc
I was just at the Thousand Oaks location. I was only there for two weeks (not because of them, I just had non-ED related medical issues come up that I needed to go elsewhere to address–but I would definitely go back if the chance and need arose) so I can’t say for certain length of stay or restoration, but as with most places, I think it really varies depending on each client’s needs physically and psychologically. Everyone’s pace through recovery and treatment is going to be different. That being said, I can say with much confidence that every staff member there, from floor to clinical to medical, is absolutely there to help people get better and cares so much. Seriously I am incredibly grateful to have ended up in this location after having a lot of bad experiences in treatment. They are so compassionate and understanding and willing to meet you where you’re at. Obviously the milieu/clients will change the energy of any place but when I was there it was extremely recovery oriented and motivating. And not in a perfectionistic way either–you are expected and allowed to struggle and they will never punish you for it, they will just do whatever they can to support you through it. They make completion a thousand times more doable with that energy (vs compliance and punishment/reward based systems). There is also so much flexibility with the food. You can ask them to order just about anything and they’ll find a way to make it work. The diet techs cook lunches and dinners, which are on a 6 week rotating menu. They were very good (better than most places I’ve been) and always worked with each person on preferences and asked how they would like it, so you’re pretty involved in how your food is prepared even before portioning/prep and all that which is nice. It’s an exchange system, which I personally am against, but they are very flexible with it and try to make it as true to life as possible, so it wasn’t so rigid that way (which I believe can just create more behaviors). You plan meals 2-3 days at a time and eventually can get to meal prep and picking snacks and meals in the moment (I have a very difficult time with meal planning so I was looking forward to this privilege and as long as you’re completing and doing your best they seemed to give those privileges pretty quickly). The dietician is amazing, her name is [redacted] and she is pretty much always there. She cares more than any treatment professional I’ve ever seen (and that’s saying something, trust me) and is always so willing to work with people on preferences and challenging behaviors/fears at a pace that works for them. She is also all about grounding and sensory/somatic therapies to help calm anxiety and is always bringing in essential oils, stress toys, books, affirmation cards, etc. She’s actually also trained as a therapist so a lot of sessions end up kind of being therapy sessions as she’s so open and easy to talk to. She’s truly a blessing to the ED treatment field, it needs more people like her. Anyway, as for the rest of the staff, like I said, very compassionate, a lot of them have gone through their own mental health struggles and totally understand what it’s like and are willing to just be there with you. There’s exceptions of course, no place is perfect. When the therapists led groups they were very deep and productive which I loved, though I know not everyone is ready to dive into that stuff yet, which is totally valid. Both of the therapists are very good at what they do and are very down to earth. There’s no “fluffy” stuff, if you know what I mean. They are real and truly show up for their clients in every way which is amazing. The counselor run groups (counselors or ED techs were what they called the people that hang out with us all day and take notes) were more basic, kind of just reading off a hand out, so that could be annoying, but sometimes they would bring their own flair to it and make it more engaging. It just depends on the person. But all the counselors were very kind and were able to connect with clients on the same level while also holding professional boundaries which I thought was great. In other words, there’s no client/staff “hierarchy”. Overall the vibe is pretty chill (again, that can change depending on milieu/clients, this was just my experience) and they were very open to working with everyone as individuals. I know that was a lot of info haha so sorry if I overwhelmed you but I hope it gave some useful insight. And I know there’s probably things I’m forgetting so if you have any other specific questions don’t hesitate to ask, I’m open! 🙂
tw: ng tube
Does anyone have any information or experience at CFD at La Jolla? I am hoping to transfer there eventually after inpatient and would love a full review or any information I can get. Is it possible to transfer in on a ng tube from inpatient and continue while there working on decreasing dependence on it and resuming an all-oral diet? I have previously been to CFD in Chicago and there were aspects of the program that I found to be super helpful and others that were not, so if anyone knows how similarly the different locations are run, that’d be great. Any info would be much appreciated!
La Jolla is good but cfd doesn’t allow ng tubes and require you to be “medically stable” enough to not need a tube before coming to the facility. I don’t know about other locations but cfd is not as medically equipped as some residentials. I heard some adolescent have mcs tubes but not most cfds
TW: ng tube
I do know that La Jolla is the one CFD location that offers ng tubes as a part of meal plan support and had verified this with their admissions people. I completely understand needing to be medically stable (hence why I’m at inpatient before) but was wondering if anyone knew how “reliant” on the tube you could still be vs. needing to be super close to getting rid of it before transferring to their La Jolla residential?
Besides the oral intake/tube situation, I’d still really like to hear what people’s experiences were at this location and if they’d recommend it or not! Do they use the exchange system there where you can plan out your meals/exchanges, what kind of groups do they have, what do people do during downtime that isn’t scheduled in the day, etc.?
Hello, has anyone had any experience with PHP programs at CFD (Woodland Hills) for ARFID? Or any recent updates to share about this location? Looking for a treatment center to try for the first time and this is the closest location to me. I’m also considering treatment with Alsana but I’ve heard a lot of bad reviews for a lot of their locations. Thanks!
Has anyone recently been to the Thousand Oaks residential that could answer some questions or leave a review? Any information would be hugely appreciated.
Are there any California locations that anyone would specifically recommend? I’m finding it difficult to navigate the positive and negative reviews since it varies so much from place to place. Anything would be helpful. Thanks!
Anywhere but Fremont or granite bay the SoCal ones are good
Thank you for the reply. Yeah I was set to admit to Granite Bay on Monday but the doctor there is already making things difficult so we’re looking at other locations. Do you know anything about/have experience with the Thousand Oaks location by chance?
I was there for a brief time last year but it’s pretty good. I just was the only adult out of 6 people since it’s mixed with kids
Has anyone recently been to the Granite Bay location that could answer some questions?
Has anyone recently been to the Del Mar location? If so, are you able to provide a review? Thank you!