Windsor Essex Intensive Outpatient Program for Eating Disorders

May 2022 – Launched earlier this month,  in partnership with the Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association (BANA), the Windsor Essex Community Health Centre, Teen Health site (weCHC THC) and Windsor Regional Hospital  (WRH) – the Windsor-Essex Intensive Outpatient Program (WEIOP) for Eating Disorders is a first of its kind for this region and is funded through Ontario Health.

Facilitated by a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency team; the WEIOP will offer a variety of groups and individual sessions, along with  supervised meal support.  This program is for individuals aged 16 years and older with complex eating   disorders who have not successfully responded to less intensive program; or for individuals “stepping down” from more intensive treatments. This service has been developed to address the needs of individuals who require treatment for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other specified feeding or eating disorders.

This program is for individuals who are  (1) Medically stable and do not need intensive, daily medical monitoring; (2) Able to actively participate in individual and group therapies; and (3) Expected to continue to make progress toward recovery.

“Life for youth dramatically changed daily during COVID and impacted their living environments, access to face to face intensive care.” According to Nadine Manroe-Wakerell, Director of Clinical Practice, weCHC.  “Left untreated Eating Disorders can cause structural changes in the youths brain, heart disease, other serious illnesses  and can lead to death.  Treating youth as soon as possible is the best course of action next to prevention for recovery.” 

The WEIOP’s program will provide evidence-based, compassionate care including: Group/Individual Therapeutic Sessions, Nutritional Assessment and Consultation, Psychiatric Evaluation, Medical Monitoring, Psychoeducation, Meal Support, and Coordinated Management.

What this means for Windsor-Essex residents is that not only will this program, coupled with existing services, help extend the continuum of care;” says Luciana Rosu-Sieza, Bana Executive Director, “ it will greatly reduce the need for individuals to leave their families, their schooling, their jobs and our community in search of intensive treatment. “

The dedicated Multi-disciplinary team includes: a Program Coordinator, Clinical Intake Worker, Psychiatrist, Registered Nurse Practitioner, Registered Social Workers and Registered Dietitians.

“This is a very important and exciting development for our region that will ensure quality and timely service for individuals in our region,” said Jonathan Foster, Vice President Emergency, Mental Health, Trauma, Office of Research, Cancer and Renal at WRH. “We look forward to continuing to work with our partners at BANA and weCHC in this collaborative program for years to come.”

The WEIOP will operate 4 days/week, with the primary goals that include, normalizing eating, eliminating eating disorder behaviours, identifying        influences that maintain one’s eating disorder, develop awareness and strategies to maintain recovery. Treatment will be tailored individual needs and will include:  cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), psychoeducation, as well as a nutrition group.

Interested individuals can access program information through a regional intake phone number, toll free at 1.855.969.5530 or via our webpage at www.bana.ca/weiop.

For Media Inquires Contact:

Luciana Rosu-Sieza
Executive Director
BANA
519.818.4450
luciana@bana.ca

Shelby Colarossi
Development and PR Coordinator
Windsor Essex Community Health Centre
519.253.8481 x238
scolarossi@wechc.org

Steve Erwin
Director, Public Affairs & Communications
Windsor Regional Hospital
519.254.5577 x33350
Steve.Erwin@wrh.on.ca

In partnership with Windsor Essex Community Health Centre – Teen Health, BANA provides a centralized intake service to residents of Windsor-Essex. Intake services are provided free of charge to all ages. By streamlining inquiries and access to treatment, this allows our team to provide continuity in care.