UCSF (University of California San Francisco) Eating Disorders Program has inpatient medical stabilization, 5-day intensive family, and outpatient treatment for children, adolescents, and young adults up to age 25.
Inpatient medical stabilization is offered at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.
Any reviews? Please post in comments below. You can check out the FAQ and Guidelines for suggested questions. Thank you!
Can someone please do a full recent review including age cap and bathroom policies and what insurance they take
Anybody have any reviews for their outpatient services?
Hi! They have amazing outpatient services! The adolescent medicine team specialize in eating disorders and are honestly all great:)
did they move the inpatient program to the mission bay hospital instead of mt zion? and are the rooms nicer at mission bay?
hi, i was admitted there and yea it was at mission bay hospital not mt zion. honestly, never been to mt zion so im not sure about which one has nicer rooms but the rooms were rlly nice at mission bay hospital
hi i have two questions about the ucsf eating disorders program if anyone knows the answer to either or both 🙂
if you have digestive issues or other medical issues that are unrelated to your ed, will they be flexible with that? if you cannot digest food properly or have like gastroparesis, will they be mindful of that? like if you cannot tolerate your food or feeds [due to legitimate GI issues], will they place an nj instead of an ng** or like if you medically need to follow a certain diet like for example you are celiac, and lactose intolerant, and allergic to like 10 other things, will they comply with that?
how does ucsf deal with arfid? do they treat it in the eating disorders program or if you were malnourished and needed treatment, you could be treated at the normal hospital?
thank you so much if you see these and answer these. i hope you all are doing well and have a wonderful day/night 🙂
i have the same problems! and the same questions ill let you know when i find an answer
Everybody is admitted to the general med-surg unit at UCSF, so no matter what type of ED you have, you will be in a general hospital. They will most definitely treat you for malnutrition. The other concerns I’m not sure… Celiac they take into consideration for sure, lactose intolerance is iffy… depending on when/where you received your diagnosis most likely!
I might have to be admitted but I had questions before I agreed to being admitted. I’m an adult and I’m pretty medically stable but my bp just runs low sometimes. But all my other numbers are normal. I was wondering if you’re an adult can you sign yourself out? I’m medically stable but my vitals run a little low. Or do they work with you before they tube you or could you refuse getting a tube. I’m just nervous because I have trauma of being held places just knowing your being held makes it hard to get help
If your bp tuns low but are asymptomatic they won’t just admit you because of that. You have to [*TW*]be under a certain weight [*END TW*] and have lab abnormalities. Especially if you aren’t an established patient.
I am an established patient….
You can AMA at any point while in the hospital if you are an adult. In terms of refusing tubes, I’m not sure…
When were you there?
march 2023
How many patients are there on average?
not sure; it’s just a children’s med/surg unit & you don’t really interact w/ other patients on the unit; it’s primarily room-based treatment
How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, etc?
I saw the medical doctors every day. I never saw a psychiatrist. dietitian, social worker, & psychologist were all a handful of times.
What is the staff-to-patient ratio?
you get one nurse & one na/pca per shift. the na/pca sits with you during meals and snacks and for a half hour after.
What sort of therapies are used (e.g., DBT, CBT, EMDR, etc.)?
not really much other than check-ins w the psychologist & a virtual teen art group 1x/week. child life specialists could also bring you fidgets, games, art supplies, etc.
Describe the average day:
vitals 4x/day, orthostatic vitals 2x/day
3 meals, 3 snacks
doctors usually did rounds after breakfast
What were meals like?
30 min for meals and 20 min for snack.
15 min for supplement
30 min observation after
Did they supplement? How did that system work?
supplement 0.7 ml boost/cal incompleted
What is the policy of not complying with meals?
ng tube
Are you able to eat vegetarian?
yes
What privileges are allowed?
three 10 min walks per day, one 5 min shower, & 30 min on the patio (all earned through medical stabilization)
What sort of groups do they have?
none
What did you like the most?
the treatment team & nurses; how willing they are to work w/ you & be compassionate
What did you like the least?
having to use a commode, being hooked up to a heart monitor 24/7, night vitals, having to be stuck in one hospital room
Would you recommend this program?
for medical stabilization, yes
What level of activity or exercise was allowed?
none except the up to three 10 minute walks
Do you get to know your weight?
I was an adult so I asked to know
How fast is the weight gain process?
fairly fast
What was the average length of stay?
not sure; I was there two weeks but didn’t entirely meet discharge criteria when I left so I technically could have stayed longer
What was the average age range?
not sure; I didn’t get to really interact w/ any other patients
What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)?
full access to all your belongings, including electronics all the time. they also have a big tv w/ an xbox in the rooms.
What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team?
they were good about updating my outpatient treatment team upon my request & referred me to their outpatient clinic after
Although the cutoff for UCSF is the 26th birthday (oldest being 25), they will not admit non-established patients, meaning not in their outpatient ED program to the inpatient unit at Benioff Children’s if they are older than age 21. So anyone older than 21 has to be an adult established patient in their outpatient program if they want to be admitted to the inpatient unit there.
Hi! I had a few questions about the program:
1: do you have to have an iv? like will they automatically have an iv in and will draw your blood out of it?
2: do you get any no’s for food, or will they give you whatever? like stanford lets you have 3 things that they won’t give you. is ucsf like that too?
3: if you get tubed, do they not take it out? like if you skip one snack or meal, they will put the tube in and keep it in?
thank you for answering my questions 🙂 i hope you have a good day
Hi I was treated there from 2015-2021 until I aged out and am now treated at their other location in parnassus. I am happy to answer questions although I was known there very well because I was admitted so many times so rules were a little different for me since they trusted me more and I was an adult.
1. Yes, you automatically get an IV for emergency purposes only. If you need fluids they will put you in the TCU (transitional care unit) meaning your more critical and need a bit more care before you can go to the med/surg floor. Or in my case the ICU or PICU if you have really bad labs/ issues with your heart etc.
2. In my experience the dietician was amazing and always listened to me. However, again I am an adult and she knew me very well by the end of my stay. I was allowed to be vegetarian and get a vegan supplement since I cannot handle boost for replacement. I did have dislikes but they weren’t always granted.
3. If you refuse to eat it’s already a standing order for immediate tube placement and if you continue ti refuse they will keep it in. But if it’s just one time they will pull it back out.
I highly recommend this program it saved my life.
thank you so much for answering! do they draw your blood out of the IV that is automatically placed? also if the IV is automatically placed, they don’t take it out right?
Of course 🙂 they do at first yes but sometimes the IV can stop drawing back and then they will just poke you to get labs. Yes, if you are on the unit you must have an IV at all times even if it’s not being used for “emergency purposes” so if you ever needed emergency medications, fluids, etc.
Can you tell me, as an adult… how is it at the Parnassus location? What interaction do you have with the nutritionists? Is there a 1:1 sitter? What is the plan for aftercare? Were you required to go to an inpatient program after discharge? Any other thoughts would be very helpful!!
It’s not as nice and you can’t go outside but you have a choice of either a camera at all times or a sitter at all times. I chose the camera and the sitter would only come in when [***]. I was on night feeds for awhile so I didn’t have one then but they also know me very well. So I feel like I kind of got special treatment. Aftercare is go home or to inpatient or res. They do gradually start refeeding well at least for me because [***] I couldn’t eat lot at first due to refeeding syndrome but everyone there is amazing and they saved my life
***a couple potentially triggering phrases redacted – no site rules were broken by La, but just want to be safe! – admin
thanks for the info! what did you choose for aftercare? I would like to go home afterward, but I have Med-cal insurance and have had trouble finding a nutritionist and therapist who specialize in ED. Just wondering if you have a team back home/where you found them!! Also, do you know what floor you were on at Parnassus. I’ve been there as an adult a while back, so I was wondering if it was still the same! When you were on night feeds did you also have meals during the day, or was it a total replacement? And what were the criteria for discharge?
If you’re an adult can they really force a tube for noncompliance
Absolutely. If you’re medically unstable they will put you on a hold so you cannot leave and force feed you until you meet their criteria for discharge
Hi La,
Thanks for this review. Do you know up until what age they take at the Parnassus location?
Hey Aj! Once you are an adult, there is no age limit for the Parnassus location. But they don’t really have a program for adults at all. I aged out of the adolescent program and then went to Parnassus as an adult too. At Parnassus, it’s kind of like, they will treat you, and the doctors there can consult with the ED specialists from the adolescent program, but really you are on a general hospital unit. There is nothing set up to treat EDs in particular, though they do follow the same type of protocol with 3 timed meals and 3 snacks provided each day, supplementing with Boost, sitters, and tube feeding if you are unable to either eat everything or drink the supplements. If you are looking for a true, specialized care program, though, I would recommend looking somewhere else.
That sounds good for medical stabilization. Unfortunately there are very few hospitals that have Ed protocol for adults.
Their website says age 25 and under, is that not accurate anymore?
You have to go to their outpatient doctors to be an adult and go there at 25 and under for their young adult ip
Can anyone just go into their adult ER for an eating disorder or do they need to be referred?
you have to be an established patient only and see one of their outpatient doctors. If you’re not an established patient they won’t admit you as an adult to their Ed unit they will only admit you if you see their doctors and are referred by their doctors. It’s really stupid because there’s limited adult inpatients. But once you’re an established patient they are really good with getting you help. If you go to the er as a non established patient and meet criteria they will just put you in a different one of their ucsf general hospitals. But their Ed unit is in their children’s hospital in a separate building
Anyone been here recently? I haven’t been since 2020 and I would like to know if there have been any changes at all to the program? Any 2022 reviews? Thanks!
When were you there?
August 2018 and February 2019
How many patients are there on average?
It’s a children’s general medical/surgical floor, so there are patients with other diagnoses on the same floor and everything is room based. I don’t think they have a limit as to how many of the rooms can be ED patients. Sometimes there are 2, sometimes there as many as 10 at once.
Does it treat both males and females? If so, is treatment separate or combined?
It treats both. Treatment is room based.
How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, etc?
You see the medical doctors every day. When I was there I saw the psychologist once (both stays) and the nutritionist twice on the first stay and once on the second stay.
What is the staff-to-patient ratio?
You have a sitter/CNA during meals and snacks and for a half hour after. That is unless you have a 2 hour sitter assigned to you. They usually only do that though if you have a history of using certain behaviors or are suicidal.
What sort of therapies are used (e.g., DBT, CBT, EMDR, etc.)?
None. It’s a medical stabilization program with little to NO therapy. Focused on refeeding and medical stabilization.
Describe the average day:
5:30am: weights, vitals, lab draws out of IV.
8am: Actually wake up
8:30am: Breakfast
10:30am: Snack
12:30pm: Lunch
2:30pm: Snack
4:00pm: Vitals
5:30pm: Dinner
8:30pm: Night Snack
What were meals like?
Meals were half hour for meals and 15 minutes for snack. You take them either in your bed or on the couch/meal table across from the bed. A CNA/sitter watches you the whole time, but usually they are on their phone.
What sorts of food were available or served?
For breakfast, pancakes with maple syrup or eggs with toast and fruit, for lunch, a personal sized pizza, a cheeseburger with french fires, for dinner pesto tortellini with vegetables, for snacks, grapes and yogurt, pudding and soy milk and cheerios.
Did they supplement? How did that system work?
They supplement calorie for calorie with chocolate or vanilla boost.
What is the policy of not complying with meals?
If you refuse the boost, the doctors already put orders in for an NG tube and it is placed immediately and not pulled out after.
Are you able to eat vegetarian?
Yes.
What privileges are allowed?
You can have all electronics.
Does it work on a level system?
No.
How do you earn privileges?
You can earn privileges to go to the teen room or sit outside on the patio for 30 minutes. You can also earn up to 3 10 minute “walks” per day.
What sort of groups do they have?
None. It’s all room based.
What was your favorite group?
Not applicable.
What did you like the most?
I liked that it was room based and didn’t have to interact with other patients during a vulnerable time.
What did you like the least?
I was annoyed that I was there for an eating disorder and I never got to talk to the psychologist or have “therapy”. It would have been helpful.
Would you recommend this program?
I would recommend the program, however I think there are more helpful programs for medical stabilization that offer therapy such as Stanford Children’s and Torrance Memorial.
What level of activity or exercise was allowed?
None except the up to 3 “10 minute” walks.
What did people do on weekends?
The same thing as the week days. It’s the hospital.
Do you get to know your weight?
No.
How fast is the weight gain process?
REALLY fast. They start high and increase fast. I’d say 5 pounds per week.
What was the average length of stay?
I think the average length of stay is probably 5 days although some people are there for as little as 2 days and others as long as 6 weeks (if you’re significantly underweight). The first time I was there 6 days and the 2nd time I was there 3 days.
What was the average age range?
I would say mostly adolescents. They take up through age 25, but as a 24 year old, I would say I was the oldest one on the unit during both of my stays there. I think they often have patients in their 20s though.
How do visits/phone calls work?
You always have your cellphone.
What is the electronics policy (e.g., cell phones, iPods, Kindles, laptops, tablets)?
Full use of electronics and cellphones.
Are you able to go out on passes?
No. You’re in the hospital.
What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team?
I found that UCSF does not have a great aftercare program. They rarely recommend residential or PHP/IOP or any high level of care after discharge. They are quick to resort to FBT and recommending that for treatment even for a 24 year old, who might be too old for that to work. They are used to dealing with adolescents, so they resort to telling parents to “take control of food” and don’t really know how to handle the young adults. They do offer aftercare in their outpatient clinic though, so you can continue to see them as an outpatient through there.
Are there any resources for people who come from out of state/country?
Yes, they take people from everywhere although I don’t know anyone who has traveled to go to their program. Most people are local.
If applicable: Do they support the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary people?
Yes. UCSF is kind of known for that.
I’m being required to do at least a few days inpatient/hospital stabilization by the residential program I’m admitting to, and I’m extremely hesitant based on past experiences I’ve had in treatment being really damaging. I wasn’t ever going to go back to treatment because of these experiences, but I am at a point where I can’t help myself and I need to do something, so I decided to do residential, which was a big deal for me to commit to. But now inpatient/hospital is a whole other thing and I’m so scared things are going to go horribly wrong as they have before. I have heard good things about this program, but it’s still a hospital. A couple of my main concerns are that I can’t have dairy at all (not even with lactaid) and I know that a place like this wouldn’t be able to provide dairy free subs so it would be really limiting for the menu (I’m also vegetarian, but willing to have fish if I have to). And I’m afraid that they are going to start me on a super low intake to play it safe and I will just be starving all the time but unable to get more food because of their protocols. I don’t know specifically what I’m asking, I guess just putting this out there for anyone who maybe has any advice or has dealt with these things or been here before and can give some insight into those things. Anything is appreciated.
Hi Hannah,
I have been to UCSF’s medical stabilization program 2 times and live in the area. They are really great and a room-based program, however, I prefer Stanford’s program to UCSF’s. I have been to Stanford’s medical stabilization program twice as well.
In regards to your concern about starting on a low meal plan, UCSF is actually quite the opposite. They are known to start patients on a VERY high calorie meal plan from the start based on their research and to get patients in and out as quick as possible. I’m not sure if we can mention specific calories on here, but they are usually 3500+ from the beginning.
Stanford starts high as well, but not quite that high.
Thanks so much for the response. I inquired with Stanford as well but they are full for at least the next month so it wouldn’t be an option. They would have been my first choice based on what I’ve heard.
I really appreciate the insight, that’s really good to know. I likely wouldn’t need to be there long anyway since my heart rate is actually stable, the doctor at the res program wants to make sure it doesn’t drop too low overnight, which I don’t think it will. But I’m still super scared to be putting myself in this situation, even if briefly.
I have a couple of more specific questions if you wouldn’t mind answering. One, is there any kind of choice when it comes to the food, like with meals and snacks, and if so, what is usually available? I know it’s not going to be the best quality since it’s hospital food, but is it somewhat decent? I’ve been to Providence in Portland for a few days before and everything they had was absolutely awful. Also, would I be confined to the bed (like an alarm goes off when I shift or try to get out of bed sort of thing–that’s how it was at Providence, but it wasn’t the ED floor) or am I able to move around the room at all? Obviously not talking about exercise, just getting up to grab something or sit somewhere else or whatever. And is it a hospital bed? Also, would I be allowed to leave the room at any point or do I have to stay put the whole time?
I know these might seem like somewhat trivial concerns, my anxiety is just super high and these are all things that my brain seems to be latching onto. Any insight you could give into these things and just day to day/hour to hour stuff would be super helpful (but of course, whatever you’re comfortable with).
Hi Hannah,
That’s interesting that they are making you do medical stabilization if your heart rate is actually stable. I actually just left Cielo House.
UCSF has no choice in food for meals and snacks. You get what is served to you basically.
They are on a general childrens medical/surgical floor.
It is a typical Hill Rom hospital bed.
They keep you on the heart monitor 24/7, but you can get up (still attached to the monitor and go to the bench/table thing or the commode) although you usually are supposed to eat your meals in bed the first 2 days. Then they move you to the table.
Depending on your labs and vitals you can get up to a 5 minute (seated) shower, 3 x10 minute walks per day, and 1x 30 minute seated activity either in the teen room or outside at the playground thing.
Yeah it’s a really frustrating situation. I was scheduled to admit to Cielo two weeks ago and then the doctor changed her mind last minute based on my initial EKG being below their parameters. I’ve had two EKGs since that have come back fine and I’ve taken my resting HR every morning and it’s been fine, but the doctor won’t budge, she’s just focused on the initial EKG (and there’s a reason it was that low that day which I’ve explained but she doesn’t care). So she is requiring I either do the inpatient at least to see my overnight HR or I can’t admit at all. It’s pretty backwards too because if I had just been allowed to admit when scheduled, I would’ve been getting help this whole time, so it doesn’t make any sense. But idk what else to do.
Thanks for the info, that’s really helpful. I honestly don’t think I could do that, especially with the not having any choice in the food because I have a lot of specific intolerances and I’m super picky (I’ve always been that way) and I need at least to choose what I’m having. Is it any different at Torrance or Stanford as far as that goes or pretty much the same?
At Torrance you work with the dietitian to select meals and snacks, but the stay is typically longer since they start off low and slow.
At Stanford you get what is served to you.
In regards to the medical doctor at Cielo, she can be a bit frustrating. I didn’t particularly like her as she told me to “just leave” since I couldn’t complete the meal plan and hydration plan 100%.
Okay, good to know. Thank you again for all the info, I really appreciate it. And as far as the doctor, yeah that’s the impression taht I got from her. I’ve worked with people like her before in treatment and it’s so frustrating and unhelpful. I’m sorry you had that experience with her as well.
Do they force you to have a tube if you’re an adult? Or can you opt out?
can anyone do a recent review of UCSF inpatient program? does anyone have any information?
*cross-posted by admin from general forum*
i posted a recent review but please feel free to email me at autumnmiller302@gmail.com for any specific questions. i’d love to help:)
okay i just did!
When were you there?
november 2019, february-march 2020
How many patients on average?
it’s on a mixed floor, not just eating disorder. So they can hold as many patients on the floor per room capacity.
Does it treat both males and females? If so, is
treatment separate or combined?
both. You don’t interact with other patients, there’s no groups. The only time you would interact is if you have privileges to go to the teen room.
How often do you see a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist (therapist), nutritionist, etc?
every day you will have rounds with all of them. You’ll have the dietitian see you at least once, and the therapist daily or every other day. The psychiatrist is generally only once.
What is the staff ratio to patients?
unless you have a 1:1, you aren’t supervised besides during meals or walks.
What sort of therapies are used? (DBT, CBT, EMDR) etc?
they don’t do groups, they typically just do evaluations and a session here and there.
Describe the average day:
you most likely will get labs (especially in your first few days) around 5, and if you’re “lucky”, you’ll get them every few hours throughout the night (i had severe refeeding syndrome). they then will do orthostatic vitals , urine and blind weight at around 6. you then can sleep in until breakfast (8:30). after breakfast you can chill in your room and do whatever till rounds (anywhere from 9-12) where you get medical updates and can ask any questions. am snack is at 10:30 and then you wait till lunch (if you’re approved for a shower, now is the best time). 12:30 is lunch and then you chill till snack at 2:30. you will most likely have an OT, child life or psychologist appointment between lunch and snack, and i’m between snack and dinner. if you’re permitted wheel chair rides or walks, now would be the best time. if you’re approved, you can also go to the teen lounge and do some arts and crafts or play video games. dinner is at 5:30. after dinner is normally another good walk or ride time (if approved). you can chill till night snack at 8:30. you will have vitals and labs if needed throughout the day.
What were meals like?
you have 3 meals and 3 snacks. meals are 30 min and snacks are 15. if you don’t complete you are given an equal amount in boost plus. if refused, you automatically get a tube. you are supervised for the whole meal/snack and 30 min after by a CNA. most of the time it’s awkward silence while a CNA stares at you, or if they’re stupid, they’ll just stare at their phone. if you’re lucky they’ll have a conversation with you. keep in mind they know nothing about eating disorders so they aren’t very good supports.
What sorts of food were available or served?
breakfast items: pancakes, butter, syrup, eggs, melon, strawberries, oranges, apple chunks, tortillas, hash browns , egg and cheese sandwiches, pb, jelly, toast , banana, oatmeal, brown sugar, trail mix, muffins, soy milk, yogurt, french toast, almonds, cereal, pineapple, juice, bread roll, applesauce, watermelon, raisins, toad in holes, cottage cheese
snack items: yogurt, granola, cereal, soy milk, melon, muffins, uncrustable, banana, pb, cookie, apple chunks, cheddar bunnies, bunny graham’s , strawberries, pretzels, cheese sticks, graham crackers, tortilla chips , almonds, almond milk, kind bar, applesauce, cottage cheese, peaches, pears, pudding , popcorn, pineapple
lunch items: tuna melt/sandwich, grilled cheese, apple, salad, dressing, pizza, mac and cheese, broccoli , pasta marinara, pesto pasta, grilled veg, tomato veg soup, fries, clam chowder, bread roll, veg black bean soup, apple juice , white fish , yogurt ,veg burger , tortilla chips, mushroom and wild rice soup, cheese sandwich, cheddar bunnies, pineapple , melon
dinner: sweet chili salmon, brown rice, steamed beans, butternut squash soup, icecream, steamed veg bun, quesadilla, white rice, guac, sour cream, tofu in peanut sauce, lentil soup, broccoli, macaroni and cheese, cranberry juice, bean tacos , minestrone, pineapple, guac, sour cream, cauliflower soup , cottage cheese, peaches, sweat and sour tofu, ranch, ceaser salad, baked salmon, potatoes with gravy, ,grilled veg, steamed carrots , ravioli marinara , bread roll, butter,, cauliflower soup, pesto tofu, grilled cheese, fried, veggies, plain tofu, string cheese, tortilla, pinto beans
Did they supplement? How did that system work?
yes. It’s not based on percentages, they supplement you calorie for calorie. So if you only had a bread roll left (100 cal), they would only give you 100 cal worth of boost plus.
What is the policy of not complying with meals?
they give you the option to supplement but if you refuse it you immediately get the tube.
Are you able to be a vegetarian?
yes
What privileges are allowed?
you can have all electronics, if stable enough you can go on walks or wheelchair rides or to the teen room.
Does it work on a level system?
no. The only level like thing is based on medical stability. you can get walks, wheel chair rides or go to the teen room.
How do you earn privileges?
improving stability
What sort of groups do they have?
none
What was your favorite group?
NA
What did you like the most?
That you could have your electronics and chill in your room all day.
What did you like the least?
how strict and cold the staff are, the fact that you have to use a commode and that no one listens to you.
Would you recommend this program?
if you are dying, absolutely. They are amazing at getting you medically stable and safe in your life, but if you can go anywhere else, I highly advise that. This place really doesn’t meet you where you’re at in they push for what they want.
What level of activity or exercise was allowed?
once you get more stable, you can get walks.
What did people do on weekends?
it was the same except that rounds were typically held later. You could always have visitors. However that’s changed with Covid.
Do you get to know your weight?
if you’re 18 or over I think so.
How fast is the weight gain process?
pretty slow at first, but they quickly increased. I think it could be anywhere from 1 to 5 pounds a week
What was the average length of stay?
I would say six days to three weeks but some people are there longer.
What was the average age range?
they treat patients up to 25
How do visits/phone calls work?
before Covid, you could have visitors whenever. They would have to leave at nine but you could have one stay with you. That’s changed with Covid though. And you have full electronics privileges so you can call whoever you want whenever you want.
What is the electronics policy? (ex: cell phones, iPods, Kindle, laptop, tablets)
read above
Are you able to go out on passes?
no
What kind of aftercare do they provide? Do they help you set up an outpatient treatment team?
depending on your case, they will either recommend their outpatient program or residential. My first time there I convince them to let me go to PHP but the second time they made me go to ERC denver because my case was so severe.
Are there any resources for people who come from out of state/country?
they have a social worker that can help you with information, gas and housing. In the hospital they have a Ronald McDonald house for people out of the area. However there is always a long wait.
If applicable: Do they support the gender identities of transgender and nonbinary people?
absolutely
Fancy and nice as sh*t, but dumb*ss staff and doesn’t actually do anything
Can you give more information as to why?
I have been on the inpatient medical unit a couple times. Last being fall 2020. This is program is on a general med surg children’s unit. You are in a private hospital room and have a hospital bed, couch, and tv. You can have your phone always, parents can be there (and at night too), and friends can visit.Do be aware that this is not psych treatment at all. There are no groups or therapy done here. But, There are amazing psychologists, music therapists, and child life providers to support you though! This hospital’s goal is to have you reach medical stabilization and continue psych focused treatment elsewhere. They will assist you setting up the next steps. When admitted into this hospital there are serious medical issues going on and because of this they have to be very strict. There is no trash in the room, bathroom is locked, you must use a cammode, meals(3/day) and snacks (3/day) are supervised by nurses and nurse assistants. If you are struggling the doctors may place orders for tubes(will be placed immediately after not finishing a supplement), covering the sink, one to one sitters, etc. You will eventually work up to wheelchair rides, 10 minute walks 3/day, 5 minute seated showers, and 30 minutes sitting outside or going to the teen room(a place where teens in the hospital can hang out and do art, games, etc). Even though this program is very strict, I recommend to anyone who needs it. The team (doctors, dieticians, social worker, psychologists) have a deep understanding of eating disorders. When a patient is struggling they realize that it is not you and it is there job to keep you safe. They will not blame, criticize, or judge you. They honestly care so much. The doctors there listen and will take what you say into great consideration. The nurses and nurse assistants there are AMAZING. I honestly miss them so much. If you are meeting criteria to go, please go! You deserve to be in a place where people will care for you and have your best interest in heart.
Ellie, what were the food and snacks like? Did you have options or a menu to choose from?