Sanford Health‘s eating disorder treatment program is located Fargo, North Dakota. It was previously called EDI MeritCare.
Sanford offers multiple levels of care, including hospital stabilization. The inpatient eating disorders unit and partial hospitalization program are located at Sanford Broadway Medical Center in order to give patients with medical complications more access to hospital medical care.
- The IP eating disorder unit takes up to 8 clients at a time. They treat all genders, aged 12 and older.
- PHP takes up to 10 clients at a time. They treat all genders, aged 12 and older.
Sanford’s intensive outpatient (IOP) and outpatient programs occur at their main building, Sanford Eating Disorders & Weight Management Center.
The Center is also home to a Pediatric Feeding Disorders Program, the only intensive feeding disorders program in the Fargo region.
Any current reviews? Please post in comments below. You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions. Thank you!
I want to provide some additional information on the SEED program here in particular, since I know that has received a LOT of curiosity, and the reviews in this page were massive for helping me know what to expect before I went!
When were you there?November of 2024
What level(s) of care did you do (e.g., inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP)? Inpatient, SEED track
If applicable: Is it wheelchair accessible? Very much so, it’s in a hospital
How many patients are there on average? 8 in inpatient, and it’s basically always full with a waitlist. About the same in PHP.
What genders does it treat?If applicable: Do they support the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary people? All genders are welcomed and respected here.
How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, nurse, etc?
Doctor/psychiatrist: daily
Therapist: 2-5 times a week
Dietician: daily
Nurse: At least 2 check-ins a day, often more
What is the staff-to-patient ratio? Usually 2-3 nurses and 1 tech per 8 patients. The bare minimum is 2 nurses at a time. They really worked hard to staff the unit adequately.
What sort of therapies are used (e.g., DBT, CBT, EMDR, ACT, exposure therapy, somatic experiencing, etc.)? DBT, CBT, and ACT are the main modalities used, with some art therapy.
Describe the average day:What were meals like? Patients sit together in a dining room, with inpatient and PHP combined. SEED track patients have their own table, and at that table you don’t get redirected for table behaviors, you can use whatever condiments you want (so long as you wrote it on your menu), and they generally give you space. The goal at SEED table is that you’re getting nutrition; they don’t nitpick how.
What sorts of food were available or served? Pretty standard hospital food. I found the food to be quite bland, but there ARE a lot of options: salads, soups, sandwiches, omelets, fresh fruits, veggies, etc. I have celiac, and they were incredibly intentional about supporting me in that. It’s the first time I’ve ever been in treatment and not had an issue with that.
Did they supplement? How did that system work? They do, using boost. It’s exchange for exchange, measured very fairly. One thing that I thought was cool is that you can literally write boost into your meal plan if you know the volume is going to be too much for you. I had a stretch of time when I was just writing several exchanges of boost into each meal to help me with completing.
What is the policy of not complying with meals? Supplement, and the expectation is very much that you’ll finish it (with 5 minutes given). The SEED track is so self-directed, I think that they would very quickly be asking if it’s the right fit for you if you started refusing supplement.
Are you able to eat vegetarian? Vegan? Vegetarian yes, I’m not sure about vegan. To eat gluten free, you have to have a medical diagnosis.
What privileges are allowed? A lot of room time, and the rooms stay unlocked at all times. Adults have their electronics all the time. On SEED track, so long as you’re medically pretty much safe, you get to start incorporating walks and yoga pretty much immediately.
Does it work on a level system? Only at the tables; SEED patients stay at orange table, there is never the expectation that they’d level up to participate in outings or family style meal.
How do you earn privileges? This doesn’t really apply to SEED patients, as they don’t penalize them for anything (as far as I saw). The adolescents in the program can lose/earn electronics privileges.
What sort of groups do they have? They have a bunch of really skills-focused groups, using DBT, CBT, and ACT. They also have a couple of process groups a week and several creative groups. Then they have yoga (1x a week) and fitness groups (2x a week).
What was your favorite group? In ACT group, there was a strong focus on values work, which I always really loved. But aside from that, they do a great job with making creative groups fun.
If applicable: Is the program trauma-informed? I’d say trauma-informed but not trauma-specialized. The point of the SEED program isn’t to do any deep therapeutic work; it’s to keep you stable enough that you can do therapeutic work outpatient with a longterm team. My primary diagnosis is C-PTSD, and they were really good about asking when I came in what triggers might be and how they could help soften them.
What did you like the most? It’s SO individualized. They literally let you set your own goals. I think there’s a stigma with the SEED program that it lets people stay sick, etc. But they very much see the SEED program as being congruent with recovery, buying people enough time and keeping them in their lives enough that they can build a life worth fighting for. Sanford knows that SEED recovery, if it happens at all, is slow. They envision their SEED program as a “rolling admission” where someone might admit for 2-3 week stays a few times a year, instead of expecting them to come once for a long period of time. In this way, their plan is to accompany patients for the long haul. I told them how much weight I was comfortable restoring, and we worked on that together. If/when I’m ready to do more, I can go back and do that.
I also loved how non-critical they were. I didn’t feel like I was constantly on the brink of getting in trouble. As long as you are moving towards your goals, they’re not going to unfairly call you out or punish you. If they notice you struggling with a behavior, they absolutely compassionately talk to you about it. But that doesn’t come with shame or punishment.
I also loved that they had an exercise physiologist who pretty much immediately starts working with anyone who wants their support. I worked with her to develop a PT plan to rebuild some of my muscle atrophy and functional strength challenges. I was also allowed to walk on a treadmill almost immediately, with the idea being that they don’t want to demonize or stigmatize movement as being *only* a disordered thing. They use movement as medicine, which is a powerful reframe (though all fitness and yoga is totally optional, and only for clients who want it and for whom it’s appropriate).
What did you like the least? The lack of outside time was really, really tough for me. You’re only allowed outside if it’s between 60-90 degrees, and even then, only 3 times a week. That made it easy to feel kind of trapped. They do let you walk around the hospital inside, but it’s not the same.
The other thing that was difficult was just interfacing between SEED cases, adults on full recovery tracks, and adolescents. Sometimes the conversations in groups just felt like they didn’t apply at all to me as a SEED case. You can’t really split up the unit when it’s so small, but I did wish there were some SEED-specific groups. They just don’t have the resources to do that right now.
Would you recommend this program? Not for everyone; I think that for people who need a lot of structure and to be told exactly what to do, this program wouldn’t be a good fit. I also think that if you feel ready for full recovery right now, probably more longterm programs make more sense. But for anyone who truly wants harm reduction, who is desperate for a more realistic approach to managing a longterm eating disorder, who just needs short term stabilization so they can stay in their life: I couldn’t recommend this enough.
What level of activity or exercise was allowed? There is some chance for activity every day: yoga on Monday, fitness on Tuesday, a walk on Wednesday, fitness on Thursday, a walk on Friday, stretching on Saturday, a walk on Sunday. For patients on the full recovery track, they might be more limited in participation based on what they’re working on therapeutically. But SEED patients can start participating as soon as it’s medically appropriate (and they do monitor heart rate to make sure things stay safe).
What did people do on weekends? Watch movies, make jewelry, diamond dots, read. If you know someone in the area, they can also take you off the unit for passes. I was allowed to go on passes at any time during my stay.
Do you get to know your weight? If you want to, yes. They ask you when you come in if it would be helpful. For me, I feel empowered when I know my weight and get to choose my goals, so that’s the approach we took.
If applicable: How fast is the weight gain process? Totally individualized, but they believe the standard 2-3 pounds a week to be realistic.
What was the average length of stay? For SEED patients, your first stay can vary in length, but tends to be 2-4 weeks. Subsequent stays are always 1-3 weeks; they intentionally keep them short to prevent patients from getting stuck in the revolving door of treatment.
What was the average age range? I saw everything from 13-60s.
How do visits/phone calls work? Visiting hours happen every single evening, and during most of the day on weekends. They just can’t interfere with meals and snacks.
What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)? Adults have electronics at all times.
For adolescents: Did they provide time to do schoolwork or offer academic support? They do; adolescents have school time with a tutor every day.
For inpatient/residential: Are you able to go on outings/passes? On the SEED track, you don’t participate in unit outings, but you can go on individual passes that you get approved with your team.
What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team? They have a social worker who will help you find resources in your area and round out your team if you don’t have one. They also send a discharge summary to your whole team. After discharge, they don’t reach out unless you initiate contact; they want SEED stays in particular to be self-initiated and directed.
Are there any resources for people who come from out of state/country? They gave me a discount on the hotel I stayed in the night before, and there was a free shuttle to the hospital. They also paid for my taxi to the airport when I left.
Other? If you’re an adult, there are chances to participate in paid research studies. Sanford is actually doing a massive amount of research in eating disorder treatment, especially of SEED cases. They are being consulted by hospitals literally globally. I earned $400 while there just through being part of their current study. I also spent a lot of time talking to their research team and the director of the program about how much evidence they have for their clinical approach. They are constantly innovating based on new findings.
I know the waitlist can be a big challenge. What they told me is that 5 beds are reserved for adolescents, 1 bed is reserved for SEED patients, and the other two are given out based on demand. But adolescents are always given precedence on the waitlist, so if there’s demand, they will jump ahead of the adults on the list. This is part of why it can take so long.
That said, they told me that Aug-Oct tend to be the most adolescent-heavy months where the waitlist is tough. Winter months get better, then things get a little worse again Feb-April, then things improve again. If you’ve been before, they do try to prioritize your admission. They also try to keep you with the same team on subsequent visits, unless you request a change.
The program director told me that this program operates in a deficit financially, every year, because of its not-for-profit model. This is part of why they don’t try to keep patients for crazy long stays too: they don’t benefit from siphoning money off us that way. Sanford is so committed to eating disorders that they have just accepted that it will never be profitable for them to offer treatment, but they want to do so anyway.
Other random things: you’re allowed 8 ounces of caffeinated coffee in the morning, and decaf the rest of the day at any meal you want. I was on a pretty high caffeine intake when I came in, so they tapered me down, which felt so kind.
They also tapered the meal plan up, giving me a few days when I arrived where they kept me eating basically what I had been at home. They tapered it up to a weight restoration meal plan, then back down to what I felt would be a manageable meal plan for outpatient. They very closely monitored some refeeding symptoms I had in the process.
They are not technically a no-sharps unit; there are scissors for crafting available, for example, though no patients could have those in their room. However, they will work with you to support self-harm urges and have safety plans. I came in with some pretty bad self-harm wounds that they tended to without judgment.
The nursing staff were some of the most compassionate I have ever encountered, and many of them have been there for 10+ years, which is WILD given how most treatment units have such high turnover. A lot of the nurses truly just love working there. I appreciated that the nurses bore the brunt of moment-by-moment patient care; the techs are mostly college students, and they really just helped with practical things like opening bathrooms, etc.
Patients are allowed to shower once per day, either at night or in the morning. If you struggle with purging, your team will strongly encourage you to take morning showers. Otherwise, you can choose. As others have said, the bathroom is dorm-style, with 4 stalls and 4 shower stalls. I found that to be quite adequate for the number of patients.
I am happy to answer any other specific questions! Overall, I feel like this is a fantastic safety net for those of us who are on a much slower road toward healing. I walked away with the most hope I’ve had in ages.
Thank you so, so much for this! I’m going soon for the SEED track. The main question I have is what determines length of stay for your first SEED visit? You mentioned that it can vary, but admissions told me specifically that it is 2-3 weeks. And thank you again!
Mostly it’s 3 weeks the first time unless you have a really intense medical reason to stay, or specifically ask to stay longer. But they’ll strongly encourage that 3 week timeframe. 🙂
oh gotcha…unfortunately I just couldn’t do it. I canceled my flight.
FI – I’m going to post my email address here just in case you are open to communicating that way with some case-specific questions. Rachel- you can redact when they get it. Thank you!
[redacted]
Hi FI! Thanks for your amazing review — I’m actively looking at the SEED track as an alternative to returning to Acute following a recent court order and was wondering if I could ask you some case-specific questions (mostly medical/accommodation-related)? If so, you can email me at [redacted].
I have my intake this coming Monday and plan to be thorough with them about my needs as well.
@Rachel (@admin), please redact once we’ve connected!
Go go go!! is my opinion at least! You’ve been kicked into and then trapped in an especially unfair rut. The things you have to deal with on top of everything else are too much for you to have to handle alone. The very fact that other places turn you away due to the accommodations you need, etc, is evidence that you were never meant to go it alone. No one with an eating disorder is meant to go it alone. You have an eating disorder plus so many other things – your were DEFINITELY not meant to go it alone. If Sanford accepts you, go go go! Honestly though what’s the worst that could happen? If you don’t like it and get absolutely nothing out of it and it doesn’t help and even if it is a trial, you’ll only have wasted three weeks of your time. Would you be really have otherwise been spending those three weeks on something that would have been any different than those things, albeit in a different way?
You deserve this opportunity. If someone else in this community was in the same position as you (including all of the case specific things), what would you tell them?
Thanks @Rachel! I’m still heavily considering Acute, so I’ll definitely be going somewhere. It’s more a question of where, and I’m not sure how medically-equipped Sanford is for comorbidities and more of a medical case than a psychiatric eating disorder. Thanks for the encouragement, though! That’s very kind of you 🙂
Emailed you!
Did you end up going for the SEED track? Would you be open to answering a few questions?
No, unfortunately I never did.
I can answer these for you!
Thank you so much! One last question if you don’t mind (and if you happen to know!)… How long has the waitlist been looking?
Right now it’s been at around 2-4 weeks!
I just now called Sanford to get some information on the admission process and they told me the waitlist is now 10-12 weeks!!!
Thank you thank you! Can I have your email to connect?
Can you post your questions here so that everyone can benefit from the answers? Thank you!
? RECENT FULL REVIEW (SEED* TRACK)
When were you there?June 2023
What level(s) of care did you do (e.g., inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP)?inpatient
If applicable: Is it wheelchair accessible? yes
How many patients are there on average? 8 total and usually full
Does it treat both males and females? If so, is treatment separate or combined? treatment is combined
If applicable: Do they support the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary people?yes, if you have a name or pronoun preference , they will respect it, try their best
How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, etc?phsyc- everyday.
therapist- 3 times a week
dietician- whenever they need to pull you- always available in the mornings usually
md- daily
What is the staff-to-patient ratio? 2 nurses and one tech to 8 patients
Describe the average day:What were meals like? 3 meals 3 snacks a day. There are three table levels with different rules, with one specifically for SEED. 30 minute meals, 15 minute snacks- they are VERY strict about the time.
What sorts of food were available or served? Lots of different things available anytime of day but some general examples
Breakfast items: cold/hot cereal, toast, all types of eggs, pancakes, french toast, muffins, caramel rolls
Did they supplement? How did that system work? 40 ml boost plus exchange for exchange- they are fair with supplementing but no partial exchanges count. Not complying with supplement if on the SEED track would probably quickly lead to conversations about discharge.
Are you able to eat vegetarian? Yes not vegan probably though
What privileges are allowed? pretty liberal exercise once cleared.
Does it work on a level system? no- table levels yes but that doesn’t necessarily change unless you are not on SEED track
What sort of groups do they have? CBT, process, nutrition, psycho-ed, fitness
What did you like the most? The program is very individualized and meeting with doctors everyday.
What did you like the least? The rigidity around meals/bathroom times.
Would you recommend this program? meh- I feel like Sanford really allowed me to stay sick. You have to have some basic level of motivation to make the program work
What level of activity or exercise was allowed? Once you are cleared (after 24 hours) there is something almost daily: fitness group, walk, yoga, or stretching.
What did people do on weekends?- same as the week- less groups
Do you get to know your weight? They will tell you
How fast is the weight gain process? on SEED individual if at all, not sure for adolescents
What was the average length of stay? 2-3 weeks for SEED. Adolescents can be up to like 2 months.
What was the average age range?for adults I think I saw 18-60
and kids 12-17
How do visits/phone calls work?What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)?
Adults have unlimited access, kids get it at certain times
For inpatient/residential: Are you able to go out on passes?yes – weekends and depends on the person. Someone has to go with you.
For PHP/IOP: What support do they provide outside of programming hours? The PHP is separate but eats with inpatient. Most people in PHP are from ND
What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team? yes but not extensive dc planning
*admin note: SEED stands for Severe and Enduring Eating Disorder, a term increasingly used to describe a subtype of people with eating disorders who have been chronically ill for many years without remission and who have low motivation for recovery – specialized SEED treatment typically focuses on stabilizing, harm reduction and increased quality of life rather than recovery.
Jenn, THANK YOU so much for taking time to write this up! It’s extremely helpful and I know it can be difficult and take time to think through this stuff and I just wanted you to know how helpful this is. I spoke with admissions yesterday and we still have a few things up in the air, but I haven’t been outright denied (yet), so I’m really hoping it works out.
Hi Jenn!
Thank you for your detailed review; there have been so many questions regarding Sanford’s more current/SEED program(s) for a long time.
You said you wish there was less rigidity around meals/bathroom schedule. Can you add a few more details about these aspects? I think it’s very important to many of us here. 🙂
I hope you were able to find some level of healing, and are in a more neutral, if not better position now. <3
Riley
They count the meal time to the second and will not allow you to go over time. There are specific bathroom times and they are reluctant to allow you to go outside of those times.
Thank you! Those are both incredibly important details for me! I truly appreciate your help.
Jenn, I think we need to come up with some kind of EDTR medal so that I can give it to you! Thank you SO much! I almost started crying with gratitude when I saw you had posted a review. I definitely leapt up with joy and shouted!
I have a couple more questions, if you’re up for it – but no pressure!! One is, do they give you the choice whether or not you want to do the SEED track if you meet their criteria, or are you required to do it if you meet their criteria? I believe last I heard it related primarily to how long you had had an eating disorder, like an over/under for years. In a past review the community member said they had been required to do SEED track and made to leave after 3 weeks even though they wanted full recovery and to stay longer – if they hadn’t been on the SEED track they would have been able to stay longer and do the traditional program. Does it still work like this, or can you choose whether you wish to pursue full recovery or SEED harm reduction? Then my other question, after the SEED table, how are the other two tables divided, is one less support and one more support?
Essentially most adults are on the SEED program and there isn’t much choice. I would say if your aim is full recovery and you’ve had your eating disorder over five years go elsewhere. The other two tables are divided by privileges essentially. At the blue table you aren’t allowed to reheat/toast food or get your own water. At the purple table you can reheat/toast, get your own water, portion things yourself and go on restaurant outings.
Hi Rachel:
When I was there in September 2020 (so it’s been some time) I was given the choice.
Jenn, do you have any feedback as far as things you wish you had lacked or are glad you took with you? Do the patient rooms have clocks? Is there anything you ended up needing that you didn’t think to bring? I’ve been inpatient a few times, but it’s been years, and they only gave me their fairly short list of things not to bring. Also, do you know if they have shower chairs or the equivalent available in the shower area?
Patient rooms had clocks. I would bring a blanket that you are comfortable bringing to the day area as that area tends to be cold. They tape all pockets during meals so be prepared for that. One shower has a bench.
Thank you again, I really appreciate it! They did mention the taping pockets and tying strings during meals, but I appreciate you sharing it just in case they hadn’t. Thanks for the tip on the blanket; I was initially wondering if I should take one or both of my go-to blankets, and I may need to take one to leave in the room and one to use in the day area (thanks for that tip, and I’m glad to hear they allow it when a lot of programs don’t!).
I am so sorry for so many questions, I’m just on the waitlist now and they quoted me 2-4 weeks estimated wait, so I’m trying to prepare as best I can. They told me there’s really no restrictions on electronics I can bring (obviously within reason, I’m not being every single thing I own), but I’m wondering, what’s their policy with charging? Do they do the charging at the nurse’s station?
Nope you can have chargers
Just want to add my sincere THANK YOU, Jenn. I’ve been trying to assess if this is a good option for me for future short-term stabilization needs, as a SEED case. Having more insight into how it works (and what they don’t offer) makes a world of difference.
One more question: do they tube?
yes
Are you able to give me some tips or advice on how to get accepted into the program
Does the food taste ok?!
the food isn’t bad! It’s standard hospital food but they have a decent variety and you get to choose exactly what you want. There are very limited vegetarian options, though, and you can’t be vegan at all. As for how to get accepted, I think they take anyone with a diagnosis? I didn’t ever get a sense there were restrictions on that.
Ok thank you! I have arfid and am in the asd spectrum so am not vegetarian but a lot of meat textures are weird for me. I don’t mind supplements though if they are flexible with that at first!
I was there with a woman with severe autism and arfid and they were so great with her!
Are you allowed to just hang out in your room all day? Are groups required?
Also, is there someone in your rooms all night while you are in there?
Sometimes, I did. Also not everyone chooses their food .
they have cameras in rooms. Some of the reviews on here talk about this
I can deal with cameras. I just hate having somebody in there all day and all night like you do at acute. What do you mean that you can’t choose your meals?
Just got off the phone with them and sounds like immediate openings. Doing intake soon so fingers crossed
Do you have an email for the admissions department?
Not sure if this needs to be redacted or is allowed, but I was talking to them by phone mainly. The number I called was 701-234-4458. The email I got back was from a Tracey.Curley@SanfordHealth.org
Contact info is allowed for Sanford! We have a standing exception to the “no contact info” rule for them. The Sanford Health website is designed terribly and not regularly updated (not the ED program’s fault), and it makes it hard to get/stay in touch.
Can someone provide the email for this program I really need to reach out thanks
Rachel- if it’s allowed, here is the admission coordinator’s email: Emily.Schwengler@SanfordHealth.org
I was going to admit to Sanford’s but admission has been a pain. They don’t respond fast and I am coming from California and they told me you have to be 100% compliant with food or it’s immediate discharge no working with you and told me strait up that “if you can’t find a ride home coming from out of state there’s a women’s homeless shelter down the street” like I’m not going to spend hundreds to fly and then be afraid to get kicked out and scramble to find a last minute flight and be threatened with a homeless shelter if I can’t get a fast enough way home. I can afford a hotel but the way they told me this was very off putting. I’m going for help and because I’m struggling and understand there’s guidelines but if I could be *** on day one I wouldn’t be needing this level of care nor flying so far to get it. It’s awful how they acted toward me and a population that is struggling, Ed’s are not an overnight cure it takes time and compassion which they lack
Does anyone have any advice regarding how to reach out to get more information/talk to admissions? Is there an email or just the phone number on their site?
This is the email address for the main admissions person: [redacted after 30 days]
(Rachel, you can redact if this isn’t allowed)
I’m an adult who previously struggled with bulimia and was “morbidly obese” but now am diagnosed with atypical anorexia. I’m at a “normal” BMI now. My provider is recommending hospitalization due to the medical concerns associated with rapid weight change. I read some research that says weight restoration is necessary for atypical anorexia. Does anyone know if they will require that?
this is a very specific question and case and I’m pretty sure only Sanford can answer it
Does anyone have a review for this year?
I was there in June, but my review from a year ago is all still accurate. 🙂
Has anyone had a hard getting ahold of someone to do an assessment over phone?? I’ve left several messages and Noone gets back to me !
Hi! I am currently on the waitlist for Sanford and will be entering the program as a new patient. I am interested in exploring the SEED model but understand that you are not eligible for the SEED program during your first stay. Does anyone have recent experience at Sanford and/or additional insights on what the first stay typically entails? Thank you!
You are eligible for the SEED program your first stay. They just have to evaluate you when you get there to make sure it’s appropriate for you. Did they tell you differently?
Thank you Eliz! When I called, they informed me that the first stay is an evaluation, but that you won’t be on the SEED track until the second stay. I might have misunderstood, so thank you!
You can do SEED on your first stay there! At least, I did a few years ago, and I don’t think they’d change that.
That you so much A! If you don’t mind sharing, how was your experience at Sanford? I’ve been to several treatment facilities in the past (both good and horrible) and am a bit nervous about having another negative experience. However, from everything I’ve heard about Sanford, I am feeling more optimistic that than usual!
I am also worried about the same.
My bad–it sounds like they have changed the protocol from what I encountered and maybe you don’t do the normal SEED program on your first stay. I stand corrected.
As for my experience, it was in early 2021, so keep in mind things might have changed, although Sanford seems to be pretty consistent and not modify much about their protocol.
I’ve been in 20 treatment facilities, from inpatient to IOP, private, small places and hospitals. Sanford is the only place I would return to, anymore. They are the only place I felt valued and seen and like things were actually individualized. It’s not a cozy place, but they let you speak for yourself as an individual in a way I haven’t been able to elsewhere.
Granted, I am an older lady and have different needs than many, but if you are someone with a long history of an ED and understand how invalidating a seemingly luxurious ED residential can be, I highly recommend Sanford, especially if you’re at a place where you can advocate for yourself.
Be hopeful! That is the one thing we can’t ever afford to lose!
A- are you sure they changed that? When I was talking with admissions, I told her I thought I would be doing the SEED track and heard it was 2-4 week. She said, “Since this is your first time coming it is an evaluation stay for seed which is closer to the 4 week mark.” I took that to mean you’re on the SEED track, but they’re evaluating to see if you should continue it after discharge (as far as doing follow up stays, etc).
I don’t know anything about the current program policies, so please defer to others! I can say, I find that they individualize things, so they will likely do what works for you, regardless of what they call it 🙂
This is accurate to my experience in the last year. The first time is an evaluation stay for SEED, technically, but they start you on all the SEED track protocols immediately.
Thank you so much, A! That is all super helpful, and I am glad you had such a positive experience!
How long did they say the waiting list is?
The waitlist is at least till December
Hi Kk,
I’ve been on the waiting list since early August and at that point it was about 10-12 weeks. I think I still have 6 weeks or so, but I’m going to try to get an update in the next few weeks
I contacted someone last week, and the waitlist isn’t moving much. I was told 10-12 weeks in August, and now it’s still 10-12 weeks, so it seems like there is a high demand right now
Yes, I was told the same when I called back in August–it was about 10-12 weeks at that point.
Happy to answer any more questions you might have if you’re still on the waitlist!
Does Sanford accept people in larger bodies who struggle with Bulimia? Or is it only a program for people with AN-R who are underweight? Obviously, I’m not looking to do their SEED program, but their regular non-SEED program. Does their normal non SEED program accept people in larger bodies who struggle with Bulimia? I am having difficulty finding a treatment center willing to admit me due to some serious medical conditions I have, and I know Sanford has more medical capabilities than most programs, but it sounds like they’re mostly geared towards patients with restrictive ED’s who need to weight restore? Does their non SEED program accept patients who are in larger bodies who struggle with Bulimia? I’ve heard their treatment program is very individualized, so that makes me think they might be able to help someone with a different type of ED and individualize treatment for me? Or is it only individualized for people with restrictive ED’s who need to weight restore, and they don’t really treat people with Bulimia who are in larger bodies? Thanks!
I can say that while they admit people with all EDs, during my stay it was almost all AN-R patients, most of whom were quite underweight. As a bulimic I felt out of place in a way I haven’t normally in programs since usually places are a mix. There is also a lot of focus on weight restoration so people talk about it and if you don’t need it or are uncomfortable with that, it might be hard for you. I think Sanford is a wonderful place but it’s of niche and if you’re not in a very small body I think it might honestly be triggering. Just my honest thoughts. Perhaps the milieu is different now and it wouldn’t be that way.
Thanks!
Hi! Has anyone been to Sanford for the SEED program? Any information would be beneficial!
I might be admitting next week I’m in California and afraid of flying and struggling and them kicking me out. I don’t plan on being noncompliant but just worried because sometimes in new environments I struggle so they discharge fast or will they work with me
Nat:
Did you end up going to Sanford? If so, did you find it helpful? I’m in California as well.
I ended up backing out and going back to work and doing outpatient
Dose anyone know if they’d consider a younger adult for the SEED program? I got my ed has a young child and have been in and out of every level of care and completed all the levels of care multiple times I just didn’t know if age alone with just completely make them not even consider?
Last I heard younger adults could definitely qualify for the SEED program, although there may be an age minimum. SEED in general has to do with how long you’ve had your ED rather than how old you are. You’d have to call to see what their specific requirements currently are for duration of ED and current age!
I was 26 and did not quite The SEED Program™ but individualized harm reduction. If I’m remembering correctly I think they said they wouldn’t do much younger than that but I’m not 100% sure about that.
Does anyone know how long the current waitlist is?
I don’t know the current waitlist, but you can email [redacted] in admissions for up-to-date info (Rachel, feel free to remove this after to adhere to the rules).
*admin note: this email will be removed after it is seen
thank you so much! do you know what the typical availability is?
Because they prioritize adolescents, it tends to depend a lot on semesters. The first two months of each semester (so Sept/Oct, Jan/Feb) tend to have a backed-up waitlist that can be 8+ weeks long for adults. But around right now, around Nov/Dec, and in the summer, it’s more like 2-5 weeks. But it really is variable, especially because a lot of times people will back out of going once their spot on the waitlist comes up!
You can also get on their waitlist and pass up a spot 3 times, being moved back to the end of the waitlist, if an opening happens faster than you’re ready (sometimes they come up really suddenly because of people in front of you dropping out).
Thanks so so much!
How does menu planning work and do they allow tea/coffee outside of meals?
Menu planning happens the day before, and you review it individually with your dietician. If you are an adult, they let you choose basically anything from the entire hospital menu, so long as you’re meeting exchanges. So everyone’s plate can look super different. Tea and coffee are not allowed outside of meals and snacks, but they are really generous with beverages at meals and snacks.
thanks so much! do you feel like they helped you mentally? I have been to ACUTE several times but i feel like things have gotten much more one size fits all and I didn’t get much help with the exercise mentality or long term support.
For my needs specifically, I feel that Sanford is the most helpful of the 6 programs I have been through. They are VERY individualized in their approach, focused on helping you determine values-based goals and then bending over backwards to help you meet those goals. They also are really, really great with exercise. They have an exercise physiologist who comes by a few times a week to walk through exercise groups with cleared patients, even including gentle treadmill use or biking. She also put together a whole set of physical therapy exercises for me to regain muscle that had atrophied. They really view movement as something that can potentially be medicinal, not JUST a behavior.
The one caveat is that they don’t go super deep into trauma; their goal is to get your ED stable enough that you can do trauma work outpatient.
Do they accept transfers from ACUTE at *trigger warning* low bmi’s? i literally just admitted to ACUTE and am not pleased with the level of peer support.
To my understanding, yes! I didn’t see it happen while I was there, but I heard that they had done so in the past, and the director of the program told me he was in regular contact with the team at ACUTE.
thank you so so much… hoping they can!
when it comes to physical therapy, do they give you stretches to do for chronic pain or rehab and are patients in wheel chairs/on bed rest frequently? and similar to Acute, do you get laps around the unit?
Im completely mobile and am cleared for things here at acute (i use the standing desk a lot for pelvic pain and nerve damage but it would be a concern of mine that any program would see that as a behavior.
thank you❤️
They absolutely work with chronic pain/injury recovery; because the milieu is so small, they are able to make individual accommodations around just about everything. They only place patients in wheel chairs or on bed rest if it’s absolutely medically necessary, or if someone is consistently not completing for a prolonged duration of time. I can’t say with 100% certainty of course, but I don’t think they would perceive needs for standing/stretching as a behavior at all.
And yes, you get to take walks around the unit three times a week last I knew! And when the weather is nice enough, you get to walk outside on the hospital grounds.
thank you endlessly for all your answers. it’s helping so much! would you be willing to connect via email?
Rachel I know you prefer open convos but i think it would be helpful to touch base a bit more if Fl is comfortable!
I appreciate this. <3 That’s fine with me, since you’ve already asked a few questions on here and have added a lot of great info to the knowledge base! Fl, you are welcome to request to keep the discussion on EDTR or to move to email. Thank you SO MUCH for these incredible answers, you’re wonderful.
I am so glad I can help! I know I had a hard time finding answers about this program before I went, and others being open to share their experience was so incredibly helpful. Yes, please feel free to email me at [redacted]. Rachel, you can redact once Anon has seen this. <3
I saw and and emailed you!! ❤️❤️❤️
I’m in need of Sanford’s email as I’m non verbal please only clinics email
Fyi to all – please share any email addresses or ideas! Why has been working so hard to find treatment for years.
Hi Why, their admissions social worker is [redacted]. I hope that helps!
Wondering if they triage the waitlist here? I’ve heard both and couldn’t get a straight answer. Seems like I need other ideas if they do.
thanks
They don’t exactly triage it, but they do have separate waitlists for adolescents and adults. Out of their 8 beds, 5 are reserved for adolescents, 1 for SEED cases, and the other two go to whoever needs them in the moment. If there are not 5 adolescents needing beds, some of those may go to adults as well.
They also do place a slight priority on patients who have been there before.
I am headed here as my name on the waitlist gets to the top! Anyone been here recently/currently? I am encouraged because it seems to have pretty good reviews. I’m currently getting medically stabilized and this will be my step-down.
I was there in August if you have any questions
I was there for 3 months earlier this year (I have a pretty significantly detailed review on this page) and am on the waitlist (currently second from the top of the adult waitlist) after COVID really send me spiraling backwards a few months ago. 10/10 will always recommend this program for saving my life, and while I’m not excited to need a HLOC again, I am not actively dreading it simply because I hold Sanford in such high regard. I know the adult waitlist is moving slowly right now, but if you’re still waiting, I hope you’re able to get there soon! And if you’re there, I hope you’re able to receive the care I know they’re able to provide.
Does anyone know how to find contact info for the inpatient program? I’m probably missing it, but I don’t see much about IP even on the medical center’s website.
The social worker who manages admissions has recently changed. Her email is [redacted] (Rachel, feel free to remove the email after Anon has it!).
*admin note – thank you! will redact after Anon gets it
Got it, thank you FI!
Does anyone know if they take out of state Medicaid or have ever been known to do single case agreements? Specifically for the SEED program
I had perfect luck doing a SCA with Medicaid! I’m in NYS, which is wildly difficult. 🙂
Best wishes in your recovery ??
Wow ! I called them and they immediately shut me down and suggested renfrew in PA how frustrating. I’m so glad they were able to work with you ! I feel I’m a lost cause at this point.
for an SCA with Medicaid? Renfrew in PA doesn’t offer that.
I’m so sorry they shut you down immediately. I should’ve prefaced my comment by saying this was two years ago, so things can change at truly any moment. I hope you’re able to find a program that works with you, and your insurance.
I don’t know much about them, but according to their website, Cambridge in MA is in network with NY Medicaid. It may be worth giving them a call. I attached the link where they say that they are in network. https://www.eatingdisordercenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/5.-CEDC-Health-Insurance-LATEST.pdf
I’ve known multiple people able to get an sca with Medicaid from around the country. One definitely qualified for seed,(she was 50 and struggled with AN her whole adult life) not sure if she got admitted specifically for the seed program, but I do know that they individualize treatment very well.
curious if they’re a fully voluntary program and allow you to leave when you’d like (possibly AMA) or if they would court order/cert?
They are fully voluntary. They only treat patients who want to receive treatment! (There may be involuntary adolescents but that’s the case anywhere since minors have fewer rights in the US and parents/guardians are fully responsible for their welfare.)
Rachel already answered, but just to reiterate that she’s right: there may be some teens there involuntarily, but if you’re an adult who’s agreed to go there, they absolutely will let you leave AMA. There were multiple times in the first half of my 3 months there where I told them I didn’t think I could handle XYZ (a very specific-to-me medical thing that was going on alongside treatment), and while they didn’t say it flippantly, the staff made sure I knew it was an option to go home if I decided that’s what I wanted. (I’m really freaking glad I didn’t)
I am so sorry it’s taken me this long to post this review. I’ve been home just over 7 weeks as of finally finishing it here, and I wanted to do this so much sooner. I’m just still very much in the wanting-to-be-back-at-Sanford place and it’s hard to live in the real world and think about anything outside of all the treatment stuff I have to navigate.
March-June 2024 (3 months)
IP 2.5 months, PHP a couple weeks
Yes, at least on the IP side, because it’s a hospital and there is often a need for wheelchair usage or walkers, other aids, etc. PHP is wheelchair accessible at the hospital, but things like weekly outings may not be quite as possible.
Max of 8 on IP (and it’s almost always full unless it’s a transition period where someone discharges later in the week and they don’t want to do a new admit right before the weekend. There were always between 6-8 when I was there, though)
Max of 10-12 in PHP (but in my practice, and from what a staff member said once, I don’t think they’d really have more than 16 patients total at a time, simply because the meal room would be way too crowded with all patients and staff, since most meals/snacks are together with IP and PHP.
All. Also ages from like 12+. There were people there from age 13-early 70s when I was there.
To the best of my knowledge, yeah. I wasn’t there with any trans or nonbinary individuals, and it IS in North Dakota, which is one of the most conservative states in the nation, but I don’t ever recall anything but kindness or different from all staff toward patients when it came to things like sexual orientation, or even some stereotypically “liberal” things, etc. They’re good at treating human patients and I truly believe they all care.
IP: You see your assigned doctor (psychiatrist/MD) every day, M-F. Sometimes you may see the other main program doctor, but that’s if yours happens to be taking any day/week off, for whatever reason.
You also very briefly check-in with a rotating hospital on-call MD on the weekends, but it’s more of a required checklist thing (though if there’s an emergent need, or if you need something like a pass granted on the weekend, they can do that) instead of a full-blown appointment.
Ideally, 2 nurses and 1 tech for 8 patients on the IP side. Usually just 1 nurse for PHP, but when I was there, there were never more than 6 in PHP at a time, often 4, so I don’t know if the nurse situation would change if they had 8-10 patients. No techs for PHP.
That said, techs weren’t always available or there, and on the weekends, especially, if there’s no tech the nurses can be really overworked with just two of them there (during the week the PHP nurse can also go to IP if needed for something, but there’s no PHP on the weekends).
They are really good at doing their job, and they will go above and beyond to help patients in any way they can, but when you have 8 patients, all work very individualized needs, and 2 nurses with no tech to help with the non-emergent, non-medical things (like opening the bathroom, or filling water, helping with something in the day area, engaging with patients to help them feel like human participants, etc.), it’s a lot of the nurses to have to keep up with.
I have a lot of atypical medical needs, and while it took a while to get things into a rhythm, they kept trying, and as a result, so did I.
By the time I left, I was always telling them to go take care of everyone else’s meds and stuff first, especially on the weekend nights, and come to me last before bed, because I was used to how things can take a while if unexpected issues arise, and after being there a while, I knew it was often a possibility, and knew it was anxiety-provoking for others who weren’t used to the way things can happen.
My point being: they work with you as long as you’re not actively working against them and against yourself. If you’re a teen, they will probably work to keep you there harder if your ED causes you to break rules, but for adults, since you’re (usually) choosing to be there, they don’t have a whole lot of tolerance for just not following the rules.
However, they ALSO have a SEED track, so sometimes it’s a little bit of a mindF* if you’re not on the SEED track, and others are, and they’re able to go to exercise group or do other things that non-SEED patients can’t.
That part can be hella triggering at times, depending on if anyone is on the SEED track, and/or how the patients on the SEED track manage their disorder around others. I’m really thankful they have a SEED track, because while they didn’t force me to go that route, and let me stay for 3 months, they made it clear they’re always there if I’m ever in need of a “tune up,” which is nice to know, since I’ve been dealing with this stuff for over 2 decades, and have no idea if I’ll ever be able to fully recover (not saying it’s impossible, just saying I also can’t say it’s 100% going to happen for me at this point), so the fact that they were open about not being a closed door was super comforting to me. Especially since I have a lot of previous treatment abandonment trauma at all levels of care.
CBT, DBT (my fave), ACT, Process group, Emotions group, Occupational therapy, Rec Therapy, Relapse Prevention (mostly PHP), Exposure therapy, Mindfulness)
Specific details in following answers, but the general timeline is:
Inpatient:
PHP:
The timing of meals was always the same, and pretty much always on schedule.
Breakfast 7:45am
AM snack 9:45am
Lunch: 12 noon
PM snack: 3pm
Supper: 5pm
HS Snack: 8pm (IP only, PHP is on their own for HS)
Meals were 30 minutes on the dot, snacks were 15 minutes. No leeway with timing. After each meal, there is one hour of observation, so if there are no groups or appointments, you have to stay in the day area until Obs is over. After snacks it’s 30 minutes.
They will open the bathroom after Obs is over and you can use one of the 4 stalls available. You can shut the stall door (but not lock it), and staff has to flush for you. If you have an emergency and have to go during Obs, they can open it, but will have to keep your stall door open).
They will also open the bathroom shortly before every meal or snack as long as there’s not a group running right up against it, because they want you to be able to go if you need to.
There’s a bathroom schedule posted on the wall in the day area, and they pretty much stick to it, though sometimes they may open it additional times, or very rarely have to delay one due to programming. But if you ask, they’ll always try to make it happen.
This one is a little harder for me to answer, simply because I had a lot of different accommodations due to my health issues. I will give some examples, though please know that my knowledge of their entrées/meals is limited because my selection was very limited, moreso than most. It’s honestly not all that outside the norm as far as hospital options go, though.
Snacks included things like (taking a selection from their snack list, which is in alphabetical order):
Meals Examples:
(Again, I had basically the same menu most days I was there, once I got past the initial feeding stages. This was not typical, nor was it an ED thing, it was due to underlying medical reasons. But that’s the example I have, so anything else that I share is based on what I saw others have)
Example breakfast options
Example lunch/supper options:
Yes. There are tubes there, and they will use them, but most of the people who had them when I was there came in with them. Sanford only really placed a couple for people while I was there, and usually teens, because if they refuse to eat they can’t kick them out for not complying like they technically could for adults who refuse. But they definitely use them if needed.
That said, there were many times where I couldn’t finish a meal for whatever reason, and a few times I couldn’t eat at all, and they gave me the opportunity to drink it. I also had a surgical feeding tube which we used every night for the first 7 weeks I was there.
But it was always supplementary at night, and they don’t like running them during the day (unless someone has a medical condition that necessitates it), so any supplement I was given for meals was given to me to drink in the few minutes after a meal, not added to my tube feeds.
For supplementing meals/snacks (whether not finishing them, or if you need added supplementary I take at meals during restoration), they usually use Boost. If you have a legit medical reason and doctor’s explanation saying you need to use a more hypoallergenic and/or plant-based formula, it’s possible they’ll use Compleat (for tube feeds and drinkable supplementing–I had it for both). They also have the ability (I think) to use Boost Breeze, Magic Cup, and another alternative supplement products, (maybe Carnation Instant Breakfast?), and those are also available to select on your menu once you’re doing your own menus.
They supplement based on percentage/number of exchanges completed and measure it pretty specifically.
Get supplemented. Possible tube, but if you don’t already have one, it’s probably not as likely for them to initiate tubing an adult opposed to an adolescent. Though it definitely did happen a couple times whole I was there. You get 5 minutes to drink a supplement for the whole meal.
Lose privileges (movement, technology). No walks, on-unit or off. Having to use a wheelchair. Being on bed rest. Being kicked out (if a voluntary adult admit).
Vegetarian, yes. Vegan, no. They just don’t have enough options on the hospital menu to cover your needs completely vegan.
Adults have access to technology basically all the time, as long as it’s not active programming/group/meal/snack times. Obviously they don’t want people to stay up all night on their devices, but they’re pretty lenient with adult electronics as long as you’re following the program and doing what you need to do. You’re also allowed to have chargers in your room, though I can imagine if it is a safety issue for someone, it might be different on a case by case basis.
(I repeat some of this in the question about electronics policy, but didn’t realize I repeated it until after I typed it, because I’ve been working on this review for nearly 2 months, my apologies)
You can’t take pictures or videos while you’re there, but if you are in your own room, alone (which you always will be, as far as other patients go. Obviously staff will be in your room, but patients are not allowed to go into each other‘s rooms, and I actually think that’s a really helpful thing that they implement.
You’re able to go on passes, whether on the hospital grounds, or longer passes if there’s someone you can go out with on the weekend, etc. It’s not always super common, because most people aren’t necessarily on the inpatient side long enough to get to a point where they’re able to do passes, but it does happen.
Re: Passes:
I will say, there were a lot of things I had to do while I was there that were very outside their norm, as far as logistical things go, due to my extremely varied medical conditions and accommodations they require.
Since I was there for three months, I also learned that the more I showed them I could be trusted to be safe and not try to break program rules or engage in behaviors in my room, the more trust they gave me as far as things I was allowed to have in my room, etc.
I don’t really want to talk about specifics, simply because it is a very individualized program and that would also be on a case by case basis, But it spoke a lot how individualized treatment, when, at the end of my three months there, some of the things they were letting me have access to in my room results of me showing up and showing them I could be responsible and trusted. That meant a lot to me.
Yes, sort of. It’s not a level system like some places use, where you have to do XYZ worksheets and move up numbered levels, but they do have a level systems sort of based on the tables in the dining room. They do this based on colors, and it confused me at first because the actual tables don’t have anything on them that is colored, so this is more just the descriptors that they use.
However, it is common to have people who are at the same level sits at the same tables, unless the patient population is in balanced as far as the spread of patience across levels, in which case there can be some mixing and matching. It’s not a big dining room, so I don’t really think it makes that much of a difference.
They also have levels for Activity and Electronics, which I’ll describe after the Dietary/table levels.
The table levels are: Orange table, Blue table, Purple table, Magenta table
Orange table
Blue table
Purple table
Magenta table:
Assorted dining room rules:
Activity levels:
Electronics levels (inpatient only):
They say all patients will start at level E1 upon admission. At a lessons will remain at E1. Adults can change levels per team discussion. Adolescents can have access to the unit phone at any time to call parents, and can receive calls from parents on unit phone at any time (outside of meals/snack/groups). If you’re an adult who used cordless phones growing up, you may be asked by the teens for assistance in using a cordless phone, in our current cell phone era. It honestly made me smile.
Dietary levels outside of table colors (D0-DF):
Level DO (D-Zero):
Level D1:
Level D2:
Level D3:
Level DF
Your treatment team will decide about when you should move to a new level according to your needs and progress.
Complete all meals/snacks. Go to groups and engage in programming.
CBT, DBT, ACT, Emotions (a general emotions group), Processing/Skills Integration group, Group Fitness/Goga group (if cleared), Creativity group, Relaxation/Mindfulness group, Patient-led weekly group on Friday, Goals group, Nutrition Education/Meal Planning, “Book Club” (which often I cocked things like blog posts or TED talks and activities that channeled creativity and discussion around a particular topic), Self-Acceptance, Life/Communicarion Skills, Body Image (mostly for PHP), Cognitive Skills, Balanced Living, Relapse Prevention (mostly for PHP).
You are expected to attend all scheduled activities and groups.
You are expected to complete any assignments given to you in group (these are very doable and it’s low-stress, it’s not like you’re getting graded, they just want to make sure you’re engaging and getting benefit from programming, I really loved the assignments, myself).
There’s Family Style lunch on Tuesdays. PHP is involved with prep and purple table eat separately. All other tables eat in Group Room 2, where groups are often held, for a change of scenery and communal atmosphere once a week. Exposure, man.
DBT, Creativity, Life Skills, Patient-led, Skills Integration/Processing, Goals
I’d wager to say they’re fairly trauma informed, but it’s not a selling point and not their speciality, so I wouldn’t necessarily go here if you are looking for very specific trauma care, unless you need medical stabilization, which I firmly believe they can do better than anywhere in the country. Don’t quote me on that, though, just my impression. I have CPTSD and didn’t have any issues, but I can’t speak for others.
The individual nature of programming. Everyone has some things they have to do a across the board, but they also really tailor your treatment for YOU and what YOU need to meet YOUR goals (and their goals for you, as you collaborate, especially if an adult), so it’s a very personal, non-cookie-cutter approach.
Also, the staff. They all care. They’re amazing at their job. Some may enforce rules more consistently, or others may not always come across in the exact “right” way, but I never doubted their heart or motive/desire to help.
While I didn’t start off on a great foot with a few staff members, I was on great terms with most in a matter of a couple of week. The other few, it was a matter of circumstance and them not really knowing me yet (and vice versa), and by the time I left, I was on good terms with even those with whom I started off in the wrong foot.
They can seem hardline sometimes, but as they will tell you, it’s because it’s not their job to be your friend. Many of them ARE very friendly in general, but even they will tell you it’s their job to fight back against your ED, and sometimes that can feel like they’re against YOU (but that’s not the case).
The nurses, therapists, doctors, dietitians. techs, exercise physiologist, hospital PT…they all really care and want to help people break free.
The social dynamics that could sometimes happen. I was there for 3 months, and saw a lot of people come and go in that time, as well as experienced many different “environments” in the day area. My first month was really rough because there were some legit mean girl, middle school bully social dynamics going on, and I was the one targeted.
The nurses and other staff actually witnessed it happening, and they tried to find ways to mitigate it, but it didn’t really happen until some of the people who were instigating it transitioned from IP to PHP, so I wasn’t around them much, outside of being in the meal room and for 2 groups each week.
I then was with a great group of people for about a month, and it felt like a totally different place. The vibe was good, we all encouraged each other, we all genuinely wanted to heal, we had a real sense of community and everyone could feel it.
Then most of that group ended up leaving, and my last month or so (2 weeks IP, 2 PHP), while there were some genuinely wonderful souls there with me, the environment became a little more toxic and triggering and there were some issues of just general vibe that were coming up, but honestly, stay was on top of it, and it’s nothing unexpected. Stuff like group dynamics is always in flux in any treatment setting.
Absolutely, yes. Beyond a shadow of a doubt. I will say it might be best if you’re determined to stay focused on you and not others, because sometimes the triggers can be difficult to manage (especially with a SEED track, if you’re not on it), but I believe it’s the best place in the country someone could get help, ESPECIALLY if they have considerable medical issues that need stabilizing or are too complex to be treated elsewhere.
(More detail on this above in the section about exercise levels)
Once you completed all meals/snacks for 24 hours, they’d have you meet with the exercise therapist. She would determine if you were cleared for movement, and determine what that meant. I was in a wheelchair most of my time there, due to underlying physical illnesses.
But this could vary from being allowed to do a weekly stretching or yoga group, to being able to go on the 3x/weekly leisure walks, whether outside in nice weather, through the hospital, or just up and down the unit hall, to being able to start some strength training or use the treadmill lightly (these usually only came after a long time and/or for PHP patients who were 100% medically stable).
If you’ve been there a little while, you might have a pass to go on-grounds somewhere, or outside hospital grounds for a few hours. As far as being there on the weekends, it was pretty lowkey since there wasn’t any of the weekly programming, groups, etc. Shows and movies were able to be watched on the weekend in the day area.
Saturday PM snack was always in the day area instead of meal room, during a movie, as a snack exposure. Sunday AM snack also meant we were allowed to have a second cup of coffee and take it into the day area. Very occasionally a tech would go get it from Starbucks and we’d order via our phones, but usually they just made it on the unit (with add-ins optional).
Lots of time-passing stuff on the weekends. Puzzles, coloring, bracelet making, diamond art, listening to music, playing games (board games, cards), collaging, laundry (based on the weekly unit schedule), playing on your own electronics like a Switch, free time in rooms to talk to family or nap during non-observation times, just trying to pass the time between meals and snacks. The type of activity and general vibe on weekends changes based on the patient population.
Teens, I don’t think so. Adults, they will offer to tell you the number, or tell you the trend (and show you a graph without numbers) in your weekly Team meeting (meeting all together with doctor, therapist, dietitian, social worker, nurse), but not more often than that.
I chose not to know my number, but made the mistake of logging onto MyChart a month into my stay, and saw every single number from the first month, had a major panic attack, had a nurse help me call my husband to have him change the password, and I never asked to know numbers again. However, as a result, this did end up in me knowing just about exactly of where they were shooting to get me restored before discharge, and I’m still not handling that well. But it’s not even an unreasonable amount.
They’re not trying to just pile weight on your forever and ever, they just want you to at least be restored to a minimally healthy weight for your body and physical functioning. But my brain still hates it, of course. As we all probably understand.
IP: 3-4 pounds per week if doing active restoration. PHP doesn’t necessarily always have people on weight restoration, but they do sometimes. I’d assume in PHP it’s closer to 2 pounds a week, but that’s a pure guess based on nothing concrete.
Regardless, once someone is IP or PHP and they’re at the restores goal, they’ll taper down your exchanges to maintenance level. But they will not hesitate to increase your exchanges if you’re restoring and you stay to plateau or can’t keep the forward momentum going. They also won’t keep increasing so that you exceed the 3-4 pounds per week rate, they very much stick to that plan when restoration is needed.
It really varied. For the SEED track, it’s about 3 weeks. For non-SEED, depends on situation, age, etc. I was there 3 months, and don’t recall anyone else who was there with me being there quite as long, but some were there for 2-3 weeks, some for 4-5 weeks, one for a little over 2 months, and it just varies depending on individual needs.
Teens ages 12+. When I was there, patients ranged from 13-70s, but I’d say a majority of of patients were between early/mid-20s to early mid-40/early 50s, but it really varied. At one point, most of us were above 30. At another point, there were only 2-3 of us over 30 and the rest were teens or very early-20s. At one point, no teens. At another point, 5 under 17. It really just varies.
You can call whenever you have time that’s not programming, and if you have electronics privileges. Everyone starts with some degree of access (see below). To my knowledge, you don’t lose phone privileges outside of maybe losing your own electronics and having to use the unit phone.
This was very rare. As long as you’re not actively in programming or supposed to be doing something specific, you can probably use your phone for calls. Visiting hours on M-F are from 5-9, and on the weekends from 1-9, I think. Maybe 1-8.
Visitors can be in your room, or you can get an off-unit pass to go somewhere in the hospital to visit, or even an off-grounds pass on the weekends, if you have someone wanting to take you somewhere (see answer about passes). If visitors are there throughout a lunch/meal time and it’s not a pass for you, they will temporarily have to of off the unit while you eat in the meal room, then can come back to your room.
Adults can basically have electronics at all times as long as it’s not in the meal room, during programming, or being used in inappropriate ways (no pictures/video, no FaceTime in the day area, etc.)
Adolescents have phones/tablets locked up until (I think) 4:30 M-F and either 11:30 or 1:30 on the weekend (I’ll have to double check), and have to turn them in before bed (9/9:30). You can have chargers in your room, and there are outlets in the day area if needed. I had my phone, iPad, laptop, kindle, Switch, AirPods, and Beats headphones, all of which require charging)
If you get to a certain level (purple table) while inpatient, yeah, but you usually do this in PHP instead. As far as visitors taking you on pass, it’s possible to get on-grounds, and maybe off-grounds passes on the weekends for limited times.
Not a whole lot, honestly. They give you the hospital number, ER info, a hotline to a hospital all-purpose nurse resource to tell you where to go for XYZ if it happens on the weekend (ER, urgent care, etc).
They help you find a team to work with. They have a lot of resources and connections, but since there was no one in my area able to work with me, they helped me get set up with Equip, who started offering their telehealth OP care to adults just earlier this year.
They have me with a team of a therapist, RD, PA, peer mentor, a family mentor for my husband, and several group offerings each week, which has helped a little with the transition from constant care and programming. I wouldn’t have sought out their help again if not for Sanford helping me figure something out as far as aftercare goes.
Some hotels in the area have a discounted rate for hospital patients, whether it’s staying there before or after you’ve been admitted, or staying somewhere during PHP, but it’s not super affordable even with that.
They have a lot of connections and may know of resources they share on an individual basis based on what would apply to any one person. Also basic stuff like hotlines, etc.
Not currently applicable.
I will not hesitate to recommend this program, and I firmly believe it’s very likely the best place in the country anyone could get help. Especially if you’ve got other medical issues going on, or have been denied from places like ACUTE due to being on government assistance/disability. I really feel like they’re the most comprehensive program, and as long as you are willing to work to make things happen, they will try to work with you to make it possible for your treatment to be successful.
Obviously, treatment is never a “fun “experience, though I did end up having fun by the time I left there. I’ve been home for seven weeks as of the time I’m finally finishing this review, and I’m still very much in the place of post-treatment surrealist limbo, where my real life feels like a performance, and the hospital in Fargo feels like my real life, where I should be.
I know this is a common thing that ca happen with treatment, but the fact that it happened to me this time around surprised me, with all the obstacles we had to navigate the first two months I was there. It’s a major testament to how awesome this program is. I owe them my life, and I’m really grateful that they assured me before I left, the door is not closed if I ever need help there again.
I didn’t do the SEED track this time, if I ever go back, that’s what I’ll be doing, and I think it’s amazing that that’s something they offer for those of us who have been previously labeled as treatment resistant, noncompliant, recalcitrant, etc.
NOTE: As others have mentioned, there are cameras in each patient room. As well as in the common areas. This is done for patient safety, and I never once felt like it was being used in appropriately. I do suggest, if this is worry of yours, just be aware that you can do things like changing clothes behind the door of your closet, which can be right out of the view of the camera. I was a little worried about this at first, but I ended up being grateful that they had the surveillance, because they were a couple times scary things happened where I wasn’t able to press my call button, but the nurses were still able to get to me ASAP.
i’m also the community member here who was going to be giving this review from an autism perspective, and while they don’t necessarily specialize in treating autism or divergency, they’re extremely eager to do all they can to figure out what is best on a patient patient basis, so I was able to utilize my noise canceling headphones, wear sunglasses, ear plugs, or use some other accommodations that were specific to me and my needs. I’m so freaking grateful this program does things on an individualized basis. They saved my life.
I truly cannot thank you enough. This is the most helpful review I’ve seen for Sanford; I am currently on their (long!) waiting list. I would be curious what your experience was like in individual therapy? Given that they’re in a larger hospital context, are their therapists ED-specialized?
You’re so welcome! I know Jenn’s review posted several months ago was a HUGE help for me, and being able to leave a super comprehensive review once I discharged and got home was really important to me.
To answer your question, YES, the unit is in the larger hospital system, but it’s VERY much its own self-contained program and all staff are specialized. The therapists have extensive training, and they’re honestly really freaking good. And they also take time each week to work with nursing and help them learn certain skills so nurses and techs can even help you in moments of distress if you’re not in-session with a therapist.
And their therapeutic approaches are also super comprehensive and while you have to go to all the groups, your individual therapist will do whatever they can to find the things they can do to individualize your care and utilize modalities and strategies/skills that help you, specifically. Obviously it’s not perfect, but I’ve been a handful of other places, and I really do think this is the best place you could go and get pretty darn comprehensive care.
I will also say the waitlist can seem daunting, but it often moves faster than they initially quote. Hang in there, I’m glad to hear you took the leap of faith and got on the list!
I could cry with gratitude. Thank you, thank you. <3 I’m so grateful to hear that the therapeutic approaches are strong. I love that they work with the nurses too.
You talked a little about outdoor walks— did those happen pretty regularly? I have trauma around feeling trapped indoors, and being outdoors can be so grounding for me.
Not in the winter
I am so sorry I’m just now seeing this. There are actually guidelines for when they’re allowed to do the walks outdoors. If I remember correctly (I could be off, since I didn’t ever actually go), the temperature (“feels like”/wind chill is what they go by) has to be above 60 and below (I think) 80 if actually walking outside. I think between 80-85, or maybe 85-90, they’ll literally let you stick your head outside for a quick second, but that’s all. Sometimes if it’s on the border of too warm (and depending on the patient population), they’ll err on the side of caution and take patients to sit on blankets instead of walking while outdoors.
If it’s under 60, it’s not likely to be walking outside. Same for bad weather, of course.
Thank you so much for this review! I probably am misunderstanding something, but what exactly is the electronics policy for adult IP? I thought that in one part you said it’s pretty much unlimited but in another you said it’s based on levels?
I’m sorry I’m so late getting back to this comment, I realize this section about electronics for adults can be confusing, and that’s on me for lack of effective proofreading. I typed up all of this from memory, and then I also went back in there, find out information that they give patients and added details, and forgot to delete anything that would’ve added confusion or crossover.
in general, for adults, as long as it’s not active programming or meal time, electronics are unlimited. I think the only exception, for this would be if an adult was actively refusing to engage with programming, though I’m not sure I ever saw any adult to have their access limited, because since it’s a voluntary program as far as adults go, they’re more likely to just discharge someone who is not following the program rules.
But the levels I mentioned are from the literature in their binder, even though for the three month period I was there, I never saw any of the adults lose access to electronics. I can also see them maybe putting limits on timing, like in bed at night, if you’re staying up all night on your phone, for example, and falling asleep during groups and stuff.
That’s purely a speculation, because I know at least one adult who was there with me, used her computer on many nights when she couldn’t sleep, and never had it restricted, but as with so many things that they do well, it’s on an individual basis.
The levels definitely apply to teens, who have a restricted window of time they can use it each day, and who aren’t necessarily discharged if they’re resistant to the programming and treatment process, because they can be there due to their parents, instead of their own decision, which is the main difference with adults.
With adults, I think their main concern is making sure your phone is not keeping you from being able to engage in programming and progressing treatment, and not disruptive to anyone else in anyway. Other than that, they’re pretty liberal with their electronics policy for adult adults.
Hello how do rooms work? Does everyone have their own or is it shared? If shared how do you get your own?
Hi I wanted to thank you for your review and had some questions regarding the program, how can I apply to be a part of this program as I am interested in getting help for the first time ever after reading your review, it sounds like a great place for me and I think the SEED program would be very helpful. My second question is do you know if they take any insurance? I have a PPO specifically BC/BS and probably cannot afford it otherwise. Also, it sounds like they do after reading your review, but do they take people over the age of 20 as I am 28.
You are so welcome. I’ll try to answer as much as I can. I’m super proud of you for thinking about seeking care and getting help! That’s a big deal and I really believe this is possibly the best place in this country.
As far as insurance, of course everyone’s plans are different, so what plane will cover will vary, but what I can tell you is that they take a lot of different insurance. I’m on SSDI, so I have Medicare part A as my secondary (that’s inpatient hospital coverage, not outpatient medical care of any kind), but have an Anthem PPO as primary through my husband, and once I met my deductible and OOP for the year, it was covered.
I’ve been back on the waitlist for 2 months now, after getting stuck in a bad spiral due to some unexpected acute physical health issues, and at least for the rest of 2024, it should be covered 100%. Come Jan 1, we’ll have to pay our deductible and OPP because they reset, but as long as it’s deemed medically necessary, and you’re making progress and following programming, Sanford is typically really good as advocating for you to get insurance to approve your stay. I should be getting up there in early December, so we’ll see.
We didn’t even have to worry about trying Medicare because Anthem covered it without problem. But I know many people who had either SSDI or SSI, and one of the reasons they were at Sanford is because places like ACUTE refuse to even talk to someone on SSDI or SSI. Even though my Anthem plan would’ve covered me there, they refused to talk to me since I technically have Medicare since I have SSDI, despite literally never using it. But Sanford doesn’t have that policy, so they tend to be able to help people who can’t get accepted elsewhere.
Yes, they take all ages from 12+. I’m 36, and in the 3 months I was there, I was there with other patients ranging from 13-70. At one point, there were only a few of us over 25, and then several teens. At other times, there were 2-3 teens and a majority of 20s-60s. It really stays in flux, but they absolutely take people from 12+.
(Hey Rachel–As far as the contact info goes, I’m gonna add this note at the end of my comment so hopefully you see it–how should I got about sharing this? I have the phone number for the intake coordinator but want to follow site rules)
You can post it and I’ll approve it, and then once Kenzie replies and confirms they have received it I’ll redact it. 🙂
Thanks, Rachel! The intake coordinator’s phone number is [redacted]
Hi @Exhausted!
Thank you SO much for your amazingly thorough and comprehensive review earlier this year as well as your detailed answers to everyone’s questions — I have been in and out of medical stabilization and deal with multiple unique chronic medical conditions as well, so I understand how much energy it takes to do these things while working on yourself too, whatever that may mean for you.
I’m sorry to hear that things are difficult for you again but hope that you are able to admit soon and get the care you need. Your review was extremely heartening, especially hearing how much Sanford was able to customize things for you and how safe and secure you felt while being able to be the ultimate decision-maker in your own care and maintain some level of autonomy.
I have offered support multiple times on this site, usually about ACUTE, where I have been and had good prior experiences multiple times. However, I’m looking into a SEED approach and was on Sanford’s waitlist earlier this year — due to extenuating circumstances and grave medical issues that required immediate attention, I could not admit to them initially but am considering them again.
I had a few specific questions regarding their medical care — medical accommodations, diagnoses they deal with, how they handle medications, and dietary customization — that I was wondering if you could answer? Because I need to share some details regarding my specific health conditions and dietary needs, I was wondering if I could email you instead of posting publicly as I’m not comfortable sharing intricacies of my current medical complications on this forum.
Please let me know here — or, you can email me at [redacted*]. I would really appreciate if I could ask you a few questions, if you feel up to it!
Thank you again for all the work you’re doing on this site to support others.
*email redacted because they have gotten in touch! <3 – admin
Thank you so much I screen shotted it to get in contact asap
Thank you so much for all of the info, Exhausted. I’m going next week. If you are open to emailing regarding a few more questions, I’ll post my email address and Rachel can redact it as needed ([redacted])
Do they treat patients in larger bodies who struggle with Bulimia? Or is Sanford really solely a weight restoration program? I’ve really been struggling to find a program that is willing to admit me due to lots of serious medical conditions I struggle with and a physical disability that I use a wheelchair for, and it sounds like Sanford can deal with more medical issues than most programs, and you said the program is extremely individualized. Does that mean individualized for different types of ED’s including people with struggle primarily with B/P issues? Or is this program really only for people with AN-R who need to weight restore? Do they admit people who are in larger bodies, or is it really a program primarily for weight restoration? (I obviously would not do the SEED track, and am interested in their normal longer program) It’s totally okay if you don’t know the answer!
Is there anyone who might be open to answering some questions about their SEED program? I’m on the waiting list right now, and feeling uncertain and scared.
That feeling sucks! (And that’s the understatement of the century.) I think it’s nearly impossible to go to treatment without experiencing fear and feeling uncertain, especially when a waitlist is involved. But hopefully we can help ease some of it! Can you post your questions here? For some of them I may be able to share previous responses/details provided by community members – the info is somewhat dispersed across the site unfortunately and many answers and posts about Sanford are on other pages.
Seconding Rachel: The seed program is very individualized, so if you have questions please just post them so everyone can share the information!
So thankful for the considerate care and solidarity here. <3 Some of my questions:
What would goals be for behavior interruption for a SEED patient? For example, how militant are they on correcting table behaviors versus just focusing on the big picture?
In general, how quick are they to resort to punitive measures if someone is struggling (and I mean legitimately struggling, not just breaking program rules because they don’t like them)?
How is it handled when a SEED patient might be behaving in a way that is triggering around other patients? What is the process like if there is a patient who is causing harm to the milieu or another patient?
Unrelated to SEED, but how well is celiac disease handled?
Are they equipped to treat refeeding syndrome?
do they draw labs? If so, how often?
do they do IVs if necessary?
are they able to monitor and treat refeeding on the unit or are you sent to another area of the hospital to stabilize?
These are great questions for your individual case. Do you have the admissions number?
I agree with avery; these are such specific questions that you likely need to talk to the facility to get answers. I’ve been to Sanford and I think my answer to all of these would be “sometimes”
how often can repeat the seed track? or move between php and inpatient
I’m currently on the waitlist (which is 6-7 weeks long). Does anyone know if they allow coffee?
Yes, they allow coffee. You can have one caffeinated drink per day (most people have coffee in the morning, but you could also have caffeinated pop/soda another time of day). They may let you order decaf coffee outside of breakfast, but I never cared about that, so I could be totally wrong.
The one exception is on Sundays, when the nurses on the unit make coffee on the unit and use any of the creamers, sugar, and flavorings they have (sometimes sugar can run low since this isn’t on the menu, so asking nurses to stockpile extra sugar packets if they ever come up can be helpful). That’s the only day it’s caffeine x 2. Very occasionally, if staffed with a tech on Sundays, it may be possible to have the nurses pickup coffee from local Starbucks (which you’ll order and pay for on the Starbucks app, individually).
UPDATE COMING!
Hey all, it’s been quite a while. I ended up being at Sanford for 3 months, and as promised, I will be doing an in-depth review as soon as I can think through it. The transition home has been hard but I haven’t forgotten about you!
I would love a full review, once you have the energy! Sending you care for the transition time.
Does anyone know how Sanford is with active SH? I need short-term medical stabilization, but have very active SH right now.
Have you looked into Ascension Alexian Brothers in Illinois (previously AMITA Alexian)? They have a combined ED/SH inpatient unit.
Hi I was just admitted and am going this week. I am very afraid and was wondering if the staff is nice over all and how they supplement? Like can you choose that for a snack? Also how is the outdoors time and programing? Does it feel overly surveiled Thank you
Rachel, can you change in the tags description remove Single Case Agreement? I unfortunately can confirm that they do not do these.
Any reviews for PHP?
Hi I am on the wait list and pretty scared as I am coming from Minnesota.
I am wondering about how often you are let outside? This is one of my biggest concerns, also I heard you have video cameras in your room is this weird?
Lastly I am also on the waitlist for Princeton and do not know if anyone has had experiences with both places and can compare?
Also curious as a comparison between the 2!
I’m on their waitlist, and asked about being let outside. It’s a 4th floor ward with no outdoor area, unfortunately. They said that walks happen 1-2 times a week, and additional outside time might be granted for therapeutic outings.
You can also get passes! I don’t know if you need to have someone local/in town (friend/family/etc) to accompany you though…
From inpatient you need someone with you. Some people had family or friends close but not many. I was also there in a blizzard. There is a temp range that they won’t take a group outside. We walked around the hospital – extremely slow.
hi I was wondering if the waitlist moves quicker than they say? I was out on it and they said 6-8 weeks do you think it will go faster? Also if any one has been there is the quality and taste of the food ok?
I am really scared I have ARFID and hoping they can help!
Please note this was my experience (3) times during winter 2022-2023 (December-beginning of March): all (3) times I was given the same 6-8 weeks wait time, and they called me within 2-4 weeks with an opening.
When I “ applied” for admissions on my own, I did wait longer, than when Veritas requested a transfer. The transfer was set for an (almost) immediate move. (I did not end up admitting/transferring, so I don’t have firsthand experience there.)
Thank you so much! did you have a good experience at Veritas? And why did you end up not going? Sorry I am trying to find help sooner but have has some really awful experiences at locations in Minnesota
Veritas was quite a ride for me to say the least! I had many moments where I did find their support very positive, and comforting, but sadly, in the end, I just did not find any true healing there.
Their team worked incredibly hard to get something, anything to stick. There were a very small few who truly changed my life.
If you hop onto the Veritas NC page, you’ll find a lot of my comments! If you’d like to get in touch, let Rachel know and we’ll connect!
And of course, IF YOU feel comfortable, you can post any Q’s you have right here, so others can see.
Wow thank you so much for replying its my first time utilizing this community and well am really scared to go back to treatment because I have had some really awful experiences at some locations. I have ARFID and am autistic so a lot was misunderstood for a while. I am on the waitlist at Sanford now but its long and I am scared haha I hope you are doing well. I was wondering if you knew if they let you outside at Sanford?
Can you get medically stabilised here?
Yes. That is pretty much what this program is for 🙂
Thank you so much for letting me know! That means a great deal. It’s so hard to find now a days quality care with getting medically stabilised.
Could not agree more! If you need help w/Sanford, I can help you through the admissions process. I think the info I have is very much still relevant. They were so kind to me, even though I backed out of treatment three times.
Hi i was wondering about the admission process and how to get started
It actually is more than just stabilization. This is a major resource for lots of states. There are no other inpatient or residential treatment centers in many neighboring states. And the ones in Minnesota often aren’t covered or people who are in Minnesota have exhausted their resources. Along with this the only center lots of local insurance companies will cover.
I know so many people see this as a “seed” program or stabilization. That’s why this program has gotten a lot of attention on here.
They also help adolescents in the area who are probably far enough away from their parents. Along with a php program. Any resource in a treatment desert can help provide referrals, suggestions and offer help.
Thank you Avery, I really appreciate you sharing this perspective and information. Most people who aren’t from the Midwest don’t know this about Sanford – and being from the Midwest myself, I often forget that people don’t know it and so don’t do a good job of sharing it with others. Especially with the closing of University of Iowa’s EDU (which was the only inpatient ED unit in all of Iowa), there are very few inpatient ED programs remaining in the upper Midwest.
Thanks, Avery! Lots of wonderful details. I have only ever spoken with their ED-specific unit, and of course, only about my case; specifically medical stabilization for a couple of weeks/their SEED protocol(s).
I haven’t actually been, and because I live in New York, I can’t speak firsthand about their other offerings. Even with the info on their site, things could be outdated, I wouldn’t ever know.
Thank you for elaborating.
I am speaking about their eating disorder specific program. I feel like this unit is a major asset to the area .
Absolutely.
Do they only accept people with medical complications and/or who are underweight?
nope! just anyone with an ed 🙂
Does anyone have recent detailed review/experience of the adult inpatient eating disorder program?
I’m here right now, and plan on doing a full review when I end up going home, but it may not be for a few more weeks. I can say this: I’m super freaking impressed with this program all around, and I have a feeling my review will be a very positive one, I just can’t think through doing it while I’m still here.
Waiting with bated breath! (Of course, NO pressure! Share anything, and only share when YOU are ready…if ever at all! This lil snippet is beyond helpful, already!)
Sending ❤️? to you
Thank you so much! I’ll look forward to your review. I am so glad you are having a positive experience because I am currently on the waitlist. One question though, how are the meals? Do you get to pick your own food?
Looking forward to your full review! I’m continuing to really sit on the fence about it.
Hi! I am considering this program to help me with ARFID, a lot of places have turned me down due to low bmi for residential so have been told to go to inpatient. I am really scared and hoping they understand ARFID and Autism. I want to restore weight and be respected. I was also wondering if there are groups and if they let you outdoors? And if people are nice?
There is a community member there right now who has autism! As of their last update they are having a good experience. If you scroll down you can see some of their posts, under the name “Exhausted.”
Thanks for mentioning this, Rachel! I am still here, and probably will be for a few more weeks (today marks 6 weeks for me, and I’ve got another 3-4 total to go, they said yesterday), but I am continually impressed by how comprehensive and helpful and supportive this entire program is. I owe this forum a lot for helping me decide to reach out to them, too. I WILL be doing a full review when I’m out, I just don’t have the brain power to do it while still here.
Thank you! I would love to hear more about the experience when you have the space to! I am glad you are finding it helpful! I really hope the waitlist moves faster than they said ha I am too afraid of some other places that haven’t really understood autism and ARFID. Have they been helpful in those areas? I know everyone is different.
Just wanted to share the latest update: I got the call today after being on the waitlist 2 weeks, and there’s an IP bed that will be open for me on Wednesday 3/27. I’ve been having one long extended panic attack ever since getting the call (and being dropped by my entire outpatient team: therapist, recovery coach, dietitian, leaving me feeling lost and abandoned), but I’m glad to not be in total limbo. I really hope this is doable, I’m so terrified. And it’s also the only option I have, so I need it to work.
I’m so glad you have an admission date. It can be scary, but far less scary than dying from ED.
I hope it is a good fit for you and you get the help you need.
Hey L, somehow missed this to another day but wanted to say thank you!!
Thinking of you! If you are up for it — AND if/when you have the energy, brainspace, and are feeling like you have the capacity to do this without it taking away from your ability to focus on treatment or triggering you, let us know how your first few days have been. And whether or not that point comes while you are there, know that your EDTR community is proud of you and rooting for you every step of the way!
Thank you, Rachel! Today is day 5 (I guess 4.5, I started programming halfway through Wednesday). I have a LOT of chronic illnesses that require some uncommon accommodations, and while they’re not able to do all I need, they have been great at trying to do everything they can since both the staff and I want to make sure this is a success. Some trial and error, and of course I’m freaking out over body/weight/food, etc. but that’s all to be expected.
I’m honestly really impressed with the program as a whole, they seem to be super comprehensive and interdisciplined and I have no doubt this is where I need to be right now, even with the issues (and accompanying 4-hour autistic meltdowns) that have come up. Very grateful to have this chance.
i will 100% do a full review once I’m out so others can see more info. I appreciate you checking in, and your encouragement means the world!
Does anyone have any more recent and/or comprehensive reviews for Sanford IP? Keeping this as concise as I can, I have a lot of complex chronic health issues and the only place truly equipped to handle them is ACUTE, but those very same illnesses forced me on SSDI years ago, so they won’t even talk to me due to the Medicare thing, even though I have private insurance through my spouse that covers them completely.
I’ve been stuck trying to do this outpatient for 2.5 years, and just this week got dropped by my team and given an ultimatum to find an inpatient program, even though none exists that can accommodate all my needs. I’m therefore trying to find the one they might be able to at least help with some of them.
I’ve read that they have private rooms here, is that right?
is the care fairly individualized?
do they do any worthwhile mental work, or is it mainly “gain weight and you’re out”?
How long would you estimate is the average length of stay IP?
What is the electronics policy now?
did I read that they have a SEED track? I might be wrong, I’ve contacted so many places this week. But if so, if someone is in that category (I’ve been dealing with this for 20+ years), but doesn’t want to settle for SEED, do you think they could apply the knowledge to regular treatment tracks? (Ignore this if I’m totally off base)
Any of the other questions on the review template would also be extremely appreciated.
Another major issue for me is, with my assorted complex chronic illnesses, I often have to spend a majority of my time in bed just to function. There is no way I could physically be upright all day, every day, in groups and in the day room. I’m not saying I wouldn’t do any of it, but what do you think is the likelihood of being able to use my room as needed to recover?
I also have a lot of different meds and supplements and don’t know what their policy will be for letting me continue those.
I know I’ll have to stop cannabis usage (I don’t consider that a supplement, but I use it daily to manage symptoms), so do you know if they’re equipped to offer any level of pain relief/management? I know that’s a super niche question, no worries if you don’t feel it can be answered, I get it.
I have so many non-ED related food restrictions, again due to underlying issues (MCAS being only one of many), and I don’t know how accommodating they’ll be. I’m okay with dealing with horrible reactions to some things if I try to reintroduce them, but there are 1-2 things that my body cannot tolerate.
Due to MCAS, I also have allergic reactions to smells–all of them. Fragrances, hot food, soaps, gas/electric heating, and so much more.
Does the unit have anything like fake “air fresheners” which really just spray the room with strong synthetic fragrance and chemicals?
Is it fairly neutral smelling?
Do you think there is any possibility of them letting me have meals in my room (obviously supervised) until I’ve stabilized enough where my MCAS symptoms are controlled enough to be around hot food in the dining area?
(MCAS and restriction is a vicious cycle, but if they can, say, let me use my GJ tube and some oral intake and essentially have room-based treatment for parts of the program until the initial nutritional rehabilitation has gotten underway, that would be a freaking life saver. With the goal, of course, being to integrate fully in the program as soon as I’m able.)
Have you talked to admissions? These are all questions that they could help you with. I don’t feel knowledgeable about what they are able to do.
it is individual. It is a small unit so having a 1 on 1 in your room all day might not be the place for you.
there are private rooms. Shared bathroom like a small locker room bathroom part.
no electronics at meals otherwise it was fine. I spent most the time in my room because I couldn’t sit.
you have lots of say in your treatment, I went in with specific goals to get to. Didn’t seem like anyone was on the same “track”
I am not writing a review, this is triggering to get into reviews because i
i am still struggling lots. I guess I just wanted to help some sorry.
They also have PHP people stayed at various places.
take care
Avery, thank you. I appreciate you taking time to type this out even when I know it can be triggering to talk about. I have spoken with admissions; I’m currently waiting for them to call me back once they have my records from my doctor. I’m really hoping she calls today.
Just wanted to update my comment thread here and say I have an intake assessment call with Sanford tomorrow early afternoon. Man, I hope this works out. I’m so desperate for it to.
If it does, and I’m able to go, I will 100% write a review in coming weeks/months, whenever able.
Ears are still open if anyone else has anything they can share about their experience there.
Sending you lots of love and healing from afar! My fingers are crossed for you ❤️
**UPDATE**
After a 95-minute call with admissions and multiple back-and-forths getting them more information from my doctor, I heard back tonight that if I can agree to a list of things they sent back as far as accommodations I’d requested, they’d put me on the waitlist.
While it’s still nowhere near what I actually need to manage my many other health issues while there, they’re the only place willing to work with ANY of it. They’re also my last remaining option and I am desperately in need of IP care, so I’m really taking a huge leap of faith and praying it works out. They seem to really want to help me make it work, and they’re also the only place that has done that.
Well done!!! I’ve had to do the accommodations negotiations dance a few times before entering treatment in the past, and it is really tiresome/difficult, especially when you just want/need to get the actual admissions and treatment process rolling. It has always been worth it though, which I learned the hard way from when I didn’t do it. Keep us updated!
Thanks, Rachel! So sorry you understand this all too well. I know for a fact some of the things I had to request are so outside the realm of things they’ve ever been asked to do before (they told me as much), and it’s still nowhere near what I need for my chronic physical illnesses to be managed or have any symptomatic control, but their willingness to work with me has been amazing, and I’m so grateful, especially since everywhere else was a hard no, pretty darn quickly.
If they can bend as much as they are on some things specific to me, then I owe it to myself and my family to try to bend as much as I can, and hope they can help manage the things that will inevitably arise as a result of some of the things they can’t make happen.
It’s my only option, and honestly, probably the best option I have in this country with all the other chronic health stuff I have going on, so I’m glad I advocated for myself with the accommodations and will do my best to make it work. Bottom line is, they’re the only option, and I really, really need that level of care.
I’ll definitely update here as able, and of course, once finished, I’ll leave a full review.
Hey I’m currently trying to get an assessment so that I can be put in the waitlist. Which I’ve heard is 3 months currently, but was told it could fluctuate.
I’m trying to find someone who can give me a recent review on this EDunit.
Here are some questions:
•When were you there? What levels of care did you do?
•On average what was the length of stay?
•Was there step down support offered for after your stay?
•How many patients are there on average? What age groups?
•What is the rooming situation like? Do you get your own room?
•Do they support transgender/nonbinary patients?
•What is the daily schedule like?
•What therapies are offered?
•Do you eat by yourself or with other people? What were meals like?
•Did they have vegetarian options?
•Did they suppliement? How did that system work?
•What’s the policy if you don’t finish meals or are unable/willing to eat?
•is there a level system?
•Are there privileges to earn?
•Did you get electronics like cellphones all day? Or what was that like?
Denver ACUTE denied me. I’m really scared. They told me to contact Sanford and River Oaks and I don’t know if they’re capable. Does anyone have a recent review. Thank you.
I don’t have a recent review, but I’m so sorry for the denial. Can I ask why? You clearly need and deserve the support.
is it true theres an age limit
nope, def all ages!
any recent reviews with all the basic questions answered?
I don’t see anything recent on Sanford, so I wondered if anyone could offer anything? My dietician suggested it today as an alternative to longer-term residential, just for some medical stabilization.
I can answer some questions
Thank you. Do you mind sharing when you were there/for how long?
I can answer questions but would prefer to do them over email. I can give Rachel my contact info if anyone wants a recent review on Sanford.
That would be great. Rachel, is that ok with you?
I’m definitely interested if Rachel can please connect us?
thank you!
racheal can u connect us
Anonymous, can you send your contact info to admin@edtreatmentreview.com?
Got it! Thank you. ? For all interested in connecting with this community member to receive the review, please send me your email address. My email is admin@edtreatmentreview.com . If I don’t get to it that day, I will connect you within a couple days of when you email me – but if it is urgent feel free to follow up the next day to bump your email! I won’t take it personally, I promise. ?❤️
Hello! I just emailed you about wanting this review as well! Just wanted to let you know!
Emailed you to connect us!
FYI this community member who offered to email people their review isn’t actually following through. I’m not sure if they ever did. So if you never heard back, you aren’t alone. 🙁 Unfortunately I never received their review either, so I can’t even email it to anyone on their behalf. I’m so sorry to everyone who bravely reached out (and continue to do so) and never heard back, and to anyone who felt a glimmer of hope at this post and then were left hanging. I can take down this post so it doesn’t continue taking up so much screenspace on this feed and causing hurt/confusion/wasted time, if people would like me to do so.
For the record, this is one of the reasons why we prefer people post their reviews/experiences on EDTR rather than try to email them out.
Got your email! Thank you. ? For all interested in connecting with this community member to receive the review, please send me your email address. My email is admin@edtreatmentreview.com. If I don’t get to it that day, I will connect you within a couple days of when you email me – but if it is urgent feel free to follow up the next day to bump your email! I won’t take it personally, I promise. ?❤️
Hi, is it possible if I get their info as well? I’m curious about this too..
Hey Rachel, I would like to see this review as well if possible. Thanks!
Would you be up for doing one of the outlined reviews, please?
Would love to see a review, too. It’s the only option available to me, and I have possibly outdated information.
RileyyJ. If you are not yet on the waitlist and are wanting to go, I would get on it. I was told around 6 weeks about 2 weeks ago and there has not been much movement so it is still 6 more weeks.
Thank you for the info, SD!
Today I was approved to be on the waitlist for inpatient. Currently it’s a 3 month estimated wait time for inpatient, and 6 weeks estimated for PHP. Just wanted to give some updated info.
Did you happen to get any more information on the program. I sent an email to “L” but did not hear back. Thank you!
I’m still on the waiting list, estimated admit date is around late February.
But I do want to say that the phone number on their website is wrong, which makes it difficult to contact them.
This is the number for admissions for the inpatient program:
701-234-4458
The admissions person is very kind, if you call she will gladly tell you all about the program and answer any questions.
I also have the email address for the admissions person, but I think it’s against the rules to post that here since it’s someone’s personal email. If you want her email, or mine for that matter, just let me know and maybe Rachel can connect us.
Thank you so much. I am on the WL as well. I have spoken with the admissions person. She is so very kind and informative. I was just hoping to get information from someone who has been there. I do not want to pressure anyone though, only if someone is comfortable.
Just to give a little peace of mind—while I was in a different program last year, I spoke with a patient who had been to Sanford before.
They told me the program was wonderfully helpful, and that their team is very informed. She said they took a more gentle approach, and focused on the individual, rather than traditional cookie-cutter, one size fits all protocols.
It was very helpful to hear.
Keep in mind the program is very small, only 8 patients, and I do believe you will interact with them. They are based in a hospital, so they are very well equipped to provide a lot of support.
In my experience, they don’t seem to deep dive into any medical concerns on the unit besides the basic stabilization. I was told to follow up with specialists at home.
That’s really interesting! Like I said, I haven’t admitted into the actual program, but I was told a much different story.
I WAS set to transfer directly from another program, and the teams at both had lengthy discussions about my level of health/acuity, and spoke with my parents at length about how much more supportive Sanford could be, medically.
Again, just my personal experience with Sanford info.
Same thing for me.
Are you on the WL as well? My name came up the day before christmas and I had to decline and now I am at the bottom again 🙁
Hi SD,
I am currently not on the waitlist. I was on it two different times last year, and I will say, back then, both of those wait times were much earlier than predicted. I ended up deferring once for both of those admission requests, which didn’t impact my place in line. I ultimately declined admitting.
Hope that helps a little. Things could of course be different now.
Can you email me at [redacted] so I can ask a few questions?
Rachel—I emailed this user, you can probably redact 🙂
I would love to ask some updated questions, as well. Totally respect your anonymity, of course.
Has anyone been to both Princeton and Sanford?
I think I’m considering the two as options. I was at Princeton 6 years ago so I’m not sure what has changed since.
Is there anyone who would be willing to speak with me regarding their experience with this program?
I’m trying to get in touch with admissions here and having a really difficult time. No one’s around when I call, and they did respond to my first message but not since then. Is this normal? Does anyone know how to get a hold of them?
Call and ask specifically for [redacted], she is the Director of Admissions.* She will help you. 🙂 Keep trying, don’t let them blow you off. It’s a small program, so they’re most likely at capacity, and very busy. But, that’s no excuse to ignore anyone.
* admin note: normally staff names cannot be posted on EDTR, but we’ve made an exception here. we can occasionally make exceptions to this policy when a name is necessary to facilitate access treatment.
I did end up getting a call back! I figure they were just really busy. But thank you so much!
Hope you are managing, please reach out with anything further regarding admissions. Happy to help where I can! ?
Did you end up going? If so, can I speak with you?
Thank you, Rachel! I figured you’d let this one slip through, since the admissions process can be so daunting, with, or without help.
This is really not good for my health to be on here, but I just came across this. I strongly believe [redacted] name should be posted, especially if that’s the rule for other programs. Maybe the unit contact information instead.
Id love to write a review because some of the information is different but I almost didn’t go because of things said on here by here say. It’s very individual so hard to write one review. I come on and am just really triggered and feel less than when I come on.
I know my opinion on this or I don’t matter.
best
Thank you Avery. To clarify, unless otherwise stated, exceptions made to the no-name policy only happen after much deliberation and are always temporary. This name was only approved to stay up for a week, and it has been a week now, so I can redact it. I will also redact it now from your reply here.
By the way, I know I’ve said this before, but your opinion is extremely important and valued, and whenever you are up for it, I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts and review about Sanford. I am so proud of you for going, and it made me so happy to find out. Your strength and fortitude are dazzling! But please don’t put your recovery/health in jeopardy to write a review. You aren’t alone in finding it triggering to come on EDTR after going to treatment, it’s such a double edged sword. Some people are more comfortable emailing me their review directly so that they don’t have to actually visit the site, and then I post it on their behalf. That might be the safest option for you! And you have my email 🙂
Thanks for your kindness
I’m still nowhere near recovery, only look like it ? and definitely not stable
w
It was what I needed. Although it’s definitely not a place many would like. It’s very individual so I don’t even feel like you can categorize it into anything. I see it called the seed model and lots of hype over that. I’ve had people ask me some questions regarding that.
ill think about a review but I would hope people would use it if there were already committed and not just lurking for Ed information and obsessing.
sorry if that’s harsh. I’ve had an Ed forever and have probably over obsessed where its not helpful.
sorry Rachel… I feel like the more I say the more stupid I sound
and the more I regret saying
best
Avery,
I don’t think you sound stupid at all. I feel similarly to how you sound, which is conflicted around the role of this site in your life. I have been in treatment many times and want to help people but sometimes I see people obsessing about places in a way that feels disordered and it frustrates me and I have to set it aside. Especially as I get older I find myself having less patience with things. In any case, I feel like I didn’t say anything useful, but I want to let you know you’re not alone and that it can be hard to be here and it’s okay to feel confused about things. I personally have a hard time writing reviews anymore because there are already a lot and when people say they need reviews I feel like it’s often because they just don’t like the info that’s already here, and then I feel annoyed. Anyway! Avery, you are loved. Rachel, so are you.
This! This is how I feel. Yes as I get older it really gets more exhausting. I obviously am still drawn to some of it but honestly I find myself more tired and stepping away from it.
thank you so much for relating. It really made me feel better and understood. I have a hard time explaining myself.
You are loved ❤️ thank you for your patience and understanding
Ok thanks. I’m glad it’s off. I care about the staff
Awee Avery, I’m so sorry this isn’t always a safe space for you, but I’m glad you mentioned it, because sometimes I struggle here, too, and I bet the same for many others.
Your voice is just as valid as anyone else here, and we’d love to hear your nuanced experience. Every person has a different experience, and we need to hear them all! No matter how different.
Wishing you the very best. I hope you remain in a safe place. ?
How ? It’s all support for you? Which is great for you.
I’m sorry you struggle and struggle to see that.
(*TW*)I am no where near as sick as most and now struggling with that. So I’m not d en close to a safe place ( maybe physically but no one sees the pain then)(*end TW*)
this was my only option for any help. It’s not jus one “seed” model. I believe individual treatment would be a better understanding.
Hi Avery, I’m sorry if my comment wasn’t as supportive, or as positive as I intended. I didn’t mean to diminish, or question your feelings.
Although I do receive immense support here, I can guarantee you, you would, as well, if you shared a bit more about your journey! There is enough love for everyone here, and then some!
You have my full support, and I will encourage you, always, even if you feel like you can’t take it. I am so sad you feel this lost, and again, I wish with every fiber of my being, you find full recovery in the end.
Truly here for you, friend. We all are. ?
I’m glad you have the support on different platforms and with friends ❤️
don’t apologize I’m sorry I shouldn’t say stuff!
I’m ok I’m not looking for full recovery and that’s ok too. I hope you find what you’re looking for .
best always!
I see and understand the pain of being physically restored enough that people don’t think you are in danger, but mentally feeling even more crazy/scared/ unsure in a body that you aren’t comfortable in (yet). I wish more people realized how difficult this phase of recovery is. In a way it’s the hardest time because you are no longer numb from starvation, are facing huge fears of being on a weight restored body, and have all kinds of hormonal changes wreaking havoc with your emotions.
I always hated that many centers treat someone who is weight restored with less concern than someone who is very under/overweight. It’s relatively easy to get physically healthier, but so much harder to change mentally and emotionally.
One thing most treatment centers fail to tell clients, is that it can take several years after weight restoration for the mind to adjust to being at a healthy weight.
I wish there was more understanding and support for people in this stage of recovery. That support is crucial and often the difference between staying recovered or relapsing.
I value your insight and experience and am glad you are here.
This! The center is only there long enough to physically restore me and get me behavior free under tons of supervision, then I’m too healthy yet the mental pain is worse than when I was physically ill. I believe this is why I cannot stay well because there is no support or concern from therapist or physician the moment I reach physically stability even if it means living with my parent for 16 months under 24/7 supervision for the 1st half minus my parent leaving for 2 hours 2x a week. No doctor or therapist seems to understand that nothing mentally changed and I wasn’t capable of physically recovering with any amount of independence. Deciding that I no longer have an ED because I mostly physically recovered under a temporary artificial living situation with a time limit is the providers being in denial. My parent steps away and I am no different. I still have a less physically severe AN and am at least for a while medically stable thanks to my parents supervision. AN says great, the doctor’s removed the diagnosis, so no one will ever know. If anyone questions anything, it’s GI related since that’s still on record.
maybe I’m wrong, but it almost seems like undiagnosising someone the minute they are near physical stability is a set up for failure and repeated relapse. (*TW*) My mentality is still AN, and I technically still fit the mild criteria, but I guess it’s so much improvement to go from severe to mild in 2 years 9 months…makes me feel even worse like I overdid it and my horrific FEELINGS of fatness are validated by medical professionals. Like they are saying I’ve grown too much without saying it. I know I have a perceptual disturbance and I still think these people are dishonest with me. (*END TW*) Recovery does feel shaky and like it hangs by a weak thread by the hour. I don’t consider myself recovered, why could my doctor decide that I was before I stopped meeting the criteria? Why doesn’t a doctor discuss it with you and get feedback about how you think your recovery is going?
Just wanted to update to say I tried the whole admission process with Sanford all the way up to receiving an admission date. However, I then discovered that Sanford does not confirm your insurance until you arrive on the unit. As someone coming from a very far distance out of state, this just doesn’t work! I can’t chance insurance saying no when I get there and then getting a bill for $6,000 per day (the actual amount they quoted me). I have been to inpatient programs many times and NEVER had this issue. It’s very disappointing to go through the whole admission process only to find out it won’t work…
I was told by admissions they would check my insurance beforehand, and they did. I’m sorry that happened. You may try contacting your insurance, I have Medicare. And tbh that quote was incorrect. I stayed three weeks and without any insurance it would have been $87,000. I kid you not. It was an amazing program though.
Patricia, can you please write a review for the program?? I was admitted three times, but my fears have kept me from going, mainly because it’s such a small program, and the fact I am in New York.
Sharing your experience would be so wildly helpful, because they have a much better SEED approach than other programs.
Riley, I’ve followed from afar for awhile, both here and on Reddit. I truly appreciate your openness and vulnerability. Begging you now not to give up and to admit somewhere (Sanford? Maybe Cfc?) one last time. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Thank you so much for your words of encouragement ? Messages like these keep me going. I hope you are in a safe place, yourself, and please, keep fighting if you are not. Best wishes, my friend!
Seconding the above anon. I’m glad you’re still here, Riley, as exhausting as it can be sometimes.
Thank you so much, my friend ?
Sending love. Not okay rn but still trying.
???
Riley
please don’t give up on recovery. I was in treatment/more than 40 times in 30 years and started to think I would never recover. I fought to go to res one last time, and have managed to live ED free for 9 years, now. You deserve to have a life outside of the eating disorder. Don’t settle. You are worth it .
Feel free to email me with questions!
Does anyone have a recent review for inpatient?
We have a community member who was there recently! She goes by Avery. I think she’s going to write a review at some point, but I know she’ll check this page and can answer specific questions!
I have been there if you want a review!
I would like one
I would love one!
I would really love a recent review as well!
Wondering if you are allowed to have coffee and/or sodas?
Two beverages per meal, snack. One caffeinated a day. Diet Coke, diet sprite, coffee , tea , water are options.
Spoke wrong. Think it’s 2 and one is water .
Hi all—
I am currently at Veritas in NC, but will be stepping up to Sanford for med. stabilization/more support, overall.
Does anyone have a recent review, or any info to share??
Yes what would you like to know?
Thank you!
What was your length of stay, and do you feel like the program helped you, overall?
Is the program very strict, from your experience?
Did you feel like your treatment team made an individualized plan specific to you?
Did you like your team?
Was there ever a time where you felt trapped and like they wouldn’t let you leave?
How did they approach aftercare/possible step-down to lower LOC?
How willing were they to meet you where you were/are at?
How was the food?
Is there much down time to rest?
What is the current bathroom monitoring protocol?
Sorry for such an onslaught of questions; I’ve gotten very comfortable where I’m at and I’m second-guessing transferring to Sanford. Any info you can share is greatly appreciated ?
I found it very individual. They worked with me on different things.
Lots of those questions are different for everyone. I thought there was lots of downtime. I didn’t have observation but there was a day room for after meals. Small unit. Everyone went to the bathroom together. The bathroom has stalls… like in a gym. It was locked and you needed to have a nurse open it.
think they would let anyone leave at anytime. I left at an odd time.
The food is hospital food and the staff are very nice and all try and work with you
I am looking into treatment centers, and my primary insurance is Medicare, so my options are limited.
I would love to hear from someone who has recently been to SANFORD in North Dakota…..
Do they accept medical assistance insurance, and from out of state?
I heard that there are cameras everywhere on the unit including bedrooms. That makes me very anxious to know I’m being “watched” ……Did that effect how you felt being there?
Are bedrooms locked all day? Or can you go in your bedroom anytime, of corse outside of meals and groups and appts.
Do they have levels? How does that work?
What is their meal plans like? Are you allowed to have dislikes? For example, I hate tomatoes. If there is one tomato in my salad that I don’t eat, I do not think it is fair at all to get a whole supplement for not eating one tiny tomato……
What happens if you cannot / do not complete your meal 100%? Do they supplement with ensure/boost…..how does that work…..
What is the average length of stay?
Would you recommend this program? Why or why not?
Thank you so much in advance!!! I really appreciate all the info I can get, to make a really difficult decision in my life….
Is there anyone here who has done the SEED protocol approach they have at Sanford and would be able to share their experience? I have initiated the intake process and while it isn’t known if they will allow me to do this approach, the social worker felt like it would be appropriate (with the caveat that the team decides that).