Inpatient Eating Disorders Treatment Services for Adolescents

Adolescents in need of medical stabilization or highly structured 24-hour care to interrupt eating disorder behaviors are treated in our inpatient adolescent program. This program incorporates evidence-based treatments to prepare adolescents and families for the lower levels of care that gradually increase family involvement in meal coaching and supervision. The aim is to provide families a sense of mastery and support in transitioning their child to a lower level of treatment or back home.

Requirements of the Adolescent Inpatient Eating Disorder Program

• You must be 12 to 17 years of age
• You must require 24-hour hospital care
• You cannot be treated in a less intense setting

Treatment for the Adolescent Inpatient Eating Disorder Program

• Case management
• Medical evaluation and management
• 24-hour nursing care
• Nutritional counseling and coaching
• A highly structured daily schedule that includes daily groups and activities for teens

Treatment Team for the Adolescent Inpatient Eating Disorder Program

• Psychiatrists
• Internists
• Psychiatric nurse practitioner
• Dietitians
• Nurses
• Therapists
• Group therapists
• Mental health counselors

The adolescent treatment team extends beyond those located on the hospital unit to include specialists at various levels of care who may provide pertinent consultation on cases. These include multidisciplinary providers at various clinics, the director of adolescent services, and the chief medical officer. Consultations across levels of care, clinic sites, and with outside providers allow for innovative treatment for adolescents struggling with this illness and with consistency in recommendations.

Adolescent Inpatient Group Programming

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Nutrition
• Medication education
• Goal setting
• Mindfulness/yoga
• Expressive arts therapy
• Intention
• Coping skills
• Recovery skills

Adolescent Inpatient Eating Disorder Program Hours

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Walden offers inpatient eating disorder treatment in Waltham, MA.