We offer specialized treatment tracks for children (ages 9 to 12) and adolescents (ages 13 to 17). Each track shares a core curriculum focused on nutrition, coping skills, body image, and recovery, while also tailoring treatment to developmental needs. Children's programming emphasizes family-based support and experiential learning, while adolescent programming builds skills for independence and resilience. Across tracks, engaging activities such as art therapy, recreational therapy, and mindfulness groups provide creative outlets and real-world practice that support lasting recovery. We are in-network with most major insurance companies, including Medicaid.
- Inpatient: 24-hour medical care
- Recommended for patients who need medical stabilization and continued monitoring.
- PHP: Full-day program with group and individual sessions
- Partial hospitalization is 5 to 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and incorporates schoolwork during treatment. Parents are involved about 5 to 8 hours a week.
- IOP: Half-day program with group and individual sessions
- Intensive outpatient care is 9 to 15 hours a week, 3 to 5 days a week, helping patients return to school and daily activities. Parents are involved about 5 to 8 hours a week.
- Outpatient: Weekly individual session (the Center for Eating Disorders is accepting only new avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder patients at this time).
- Outpatient treatment continues structured support, therapy, and medical monitoring while allowing individuals to live at home and return to their daily activities. The treatment includes weekly therapy sessions and nutrition and medical appointments as needed.
Treatment at a Glance
If a patient needs residential treatment, our team is happy to help refer and connect patients and their families to residential eating disorder treatment facilities in the community.
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Outpatient Eating Disorders Clinic
Only accepting new patients with Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder at this time.
- Individual or family sessions
- Initially meet for sessions 1 day a week
- Session frequency decreases with progress
- Weight obtained to monitor progress
- Expedited referral to in-house dietitian for nutrition services
- Expedited referral to in-house adolescent medicine physician for medical monitoring
- Therapies include family-based therapy, enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure and response prevention
- Dialectical behavioral therapy skills offered as indicated
Medical and nutrition support is available for ages 9 to 24 at the UTHealth Houston Adolescent Medicine Clinic.
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Intensive Outpatient Program
- 5 hours of program each day, 3 to 5 days a week (Monday-Friday)
- 1 to 2 meals and 1 snack each day
- Weight and vital signs obtained twice a week
- Individual or family therapy with a therapist
- Minimum of 1 appointment a month with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner
- Minimum of 1 family session a week with a registered dietitian
- Parents invited to the program for family-based treatment during meals
- Expedited referral to in-house adolescent medicine physician for medical monitoring
- Priority referral for step up into in-house PHP if treatment is not progressing
- Therapies include family-based therapy, enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure and response prevention
- Multifamily groups and parent support
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Partial Hospitalization Program
- 7 hours of program and 2 hours of school each day, 5 days a week (Monday-Friday)
- 2 meals and 2 snacks a day
- Weight and vital signs obtained 3 times a week
- Individual or family therapy with a therapist
- Minimum of 1 appointment a month with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner
- Minimum of 1 family session a week with a registered dietitian
- Parents invited to the program for family-based treatment during meals
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Inpatient
- Goal of medical stabilization
- Patient admitted to pediatric hospitalist team, with adolescent medicine team following as consultants for 24/7 care
- Typical length of stay: 5 to 7 days
- 3 meals, and 2 to 3 snacks each day
- Weight and vital signs obtained daily
- Initial bedrest period
- Daily lab monitoring
- Inpatient dietitian
- Child life and expressive therapies
- Physical therapy to gradually and safely reintroduce movement
- Bedside parent meal plan teaching
- Nasogastric tubes, if indicated
- Inpatient psychology, if indicated
- Inpatient subspecialties consult, if indicated
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Do you treat younger kids or adults?
We provide treatment for children and adolescents ages 9 to 17. At this time, we do not accept adult patients.
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Do you accept students or trainees in your center?
We currently offer internal training only for residents and fellows in psychiatry, pediatrics, and adolescent medicine through UTHealth Houston. As new opportunities become available, they will be posted.
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What conditions do you treat?
Learn more about the conditions we treat.
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How do I know what level of care my child needs?
We assess your child to determine the appropriate level of care.
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What happens if my child is too sick to participate or not medically cleared?
If your child is experiencing concerning symptoms, like a low heart rate, and is not safe to start the program, we will direct you to Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, where our medical team will intervene until your child is safe to discharge and step down into the Intensive Outpatient Program, Partial Hospitalization Program, or outpatient care.
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Will my child miss school to attend the program?
We have options for your child to continue school during our program. Contact us at 713-500-1500 for more information.
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Can my child participate in extracurricular activities outside of the program?
Our program has an expected time commitment. Your treatment team can evaluate extracurricular activities on a case-by-case basis.
- How do I start treatment?