A Guide for Families

As you transition home from 24-hour levels of care to our PHP and IOP programs, you will notice some changes in how we approach lower levels of care. This guide will help prepare you and your family for this transition. Please review before your first day of treatment, and reach out to your adolescent’s treatment team if you have any questions. We are here for you every step of the way.

Inpatient/Residential Program Details

• Treatment focused on adolescent and family
• 1-1 and family therapy
• 1-1 meetings with dietitians
• More structured meal plans and exchanges

PHP/IOP Program Details

• Treatment focused on family
• Family therapy sessions
• Dietitians meet with caregivers
• Family attends groups & meals
• Move to flexible, normalized meal plans

What to Expect: For the Family

• Eating disorder treatment will focus on the goals, strengths and needs of the entire family, not just for your adolescent.
• Weekly family therapy sessions will replace 1-1 therapy sessions for your adolescent. These sessions are the key component to their treatment!

What to Expect: For You

• Shared therapeutic meals are a critical part of your family’s care in PHP and IOP.
• We provide Parent/Caretaker Skill and Support Groups.
• You will prepare, portion, and plate meals in both live and virtual eating disorder programs. If attending in-person treatment, you will need to label and drop off meals and snacks. Staff may add to meals and snacks, if needed.
• You will meet with the dietician. These meetings may include your adolescent.
• Our team will assist you with active meal coaching ensuring you have the skills and support you need to meet your family’s treatment goals. Meal coaching interventions will be directed toward you and not your adolescent.

PHP Families

• 2 Family Breakfasts per week
• 2 Parent Groups per week

IOP Families

• 3 Family Dinners per week
• 3 Parent Groups per week

What to Expect: For Your Adolescent

• We will move away from structured meal plans and exchanges for your adolescent’s meal plan toward more flexible and normalized parent-led meals.
• In addition to weekly family therapy, your adolescent will attend group therapy and coached therapeutic meals.
• Your adolescent will not be expected to monitor their own intake in PHP and IOP and typically will not meet with a dietitian in our programs.
• If you began trauma-focused care and other long-term individual therapy objectives while in higher levels of care, it’s important to know that we do not provide these services at PHP and IOP. Your adolescent should continue these services with their outpatient team.

You are not alone. We’re here to help.