Eating Disorder Treatment in Kansas

Eating disorders like binge eating disorder (BED), anorexia nervosa (AN), and bulimia nervosa (BN) are detrimental, dangerous, and potentially even deadly mental health conditions. Finding the appropriate kind of help for these illnesses is essential in eating disorder recovery.

But if you or your loved one live in Kansas, there are many organizations and treatment centers that can offer help and help aid you on the road to recovery.

Types of Eating Disorder Treatment in Kansas

There are many considerations to keep in mind when determining the best type of eating disorder treatment for you. One of the biggest things to think about is the level of care you or your loved one may require.

Eating disorder treatment often falls along a spectrum, with a range of different treatment options recommended, depending on the severity of someone’s case.

Virtual Treatment in Kansas

Virtual treatment is the newest way to help with eating disorder recovery, but has been growing in popularity over the years thanks to its ease of use and accessibility.

These programs allow patients to access their care team members online or over the phone, opening up care options for those who don’t live close to in-person treatment centers, those who experience challenges around mobility or transportation, or those who have difficult schedules to manage.

Virtual care has also been found to be just as effective as in-person care in some cases. [3] Though, it’s important to remember that this method may not be appropriate for all cases. Those who are still dealing with severe eating disorder symptoms may benefit more from the kind of vigilance and support that takes place in person, even if they have to travel outside of Kansas to receive it

Residential Treatment in Kansas

For those with very serious eating disorder cases in Kansas, residential treatment is often the preferred level of care.

These programs allow patients to live at a facility where they can receive 24-hour access to medical care and treatment. It also allows the opportunity to take a patient away from their home environment, where they can focus exclusively on treating their eating disorder and better learn entirely new coping mechanisms.

While in residential treatment, patients generally follow strict schedules, which can include everything from individual therapy to nutritional counseling, meal monitoring, and regular clinical assessments.

Ideally, these programs last as long as a patient needs until they’re ready to start managing eating disorder symptoms and practicing their new coping skills at home. That can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

Partial Hospitalization Programs in Kansas

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) represents the middle ground of eating disorder treatment. Patients at this level of care live and sleep at home while commuting to treatment services.

These programs are often intensive, lasting anywhere from 4-8 hours per day, up to 5 days per week. [2] They can incorporate anything from intensive individualized psychotherapy to continued nutritional counseling, medication consultations, meal support, and group therapy or family therapy sessions. Depending on the program, a patient will continue working with the same treatment team they had in residential care.

The goal of a PHP in Kansas is to continue emphasizing the type of coping skills that will help a patient more easily function and manage their eating disorder symptoms on a daily basis. As the program goes on, a patient’s progress is monitored, and their schedule is modified accordingly.

Outpatient Treatment in Kansas

Outpatient programs are generally either the first or last level of care someone experiences in eating disorder treatment. This level of care is the least intensive, consisting of regular visits with a therapist or other treatment team members, though not every day.

Intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) will incorporate longer or more frequent therapy sessions and may be a better option for a patient transitioning out of a PHP. Regular outpatient treatment generally consists of a regular therapy appointment and perhaps other forms of care, including support group attendance.

Additional Kansas Eating Disorder Resources

Aside from the variety of eating disorder treatment programs available in Kansas, there are several other resources residents can access, including:

• Kansas State University, which offers information on eating disorders, as well as counseling and psychological services. 
• The University Of Kansas, which can provide you with a list of community and nationwide resources.
• 211Kansas, part of an organization called United Way of the Plains in Kansas. They can help you find mental health providers.

By utilizing these services, you can find additional help and determine the next best steps in your eating disorder treatment.

Kansas Eating Disorder Treatment Center Considerations

Finding the best treatment center for you or your loved one can be an overwhelming process. Aside from the different levels of care involved, there are a number of other considerations to keep in mind.

Licensing and Accreditation

It is important to go to a licensed professional when seeking treatment for eating disorders in Kansas. And while the state requires staff members to be licensed in certain areas in order to provide treatment, some staff members may have additional licenses which let them practice specific forms of treatment you or your loved one may be interested in receiving.

You can check the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board to verify that the person you are seeing is, in fact, a licensed professional.

Accreditation is another level of assurance that a program has met certain industry standards for safety and quality of care. The Joint Commission and CARF are good accreditations to look for when assessing different treatment programs.

Types of Treatment

There are an array of treatments for eating disorders, which all may help different types of patients in different types of ways.

Your doctor or therapist can help you determine which type of care will be best for you. But it’s also important to keep this in mind when looking for treatment centers.

Regardless of the treatment you pursue, you’ll want to ensure it’s evidence-based treatment. This helps further ensure that you’re receiving effective care.

Insurance and Cost

Eating disorder treatment is generally lengthy, and programs can be very expensive. When looking into treatment for their conditions, most people must take insurance coverage into account.

You may even want to start your search for a treatment center by calling your insurance company to see which programs they’re more likely to cover. This can help you save as much money as possible and can avoid a situation where you find a center you love only to realize you can’t afford it.

If you do have a particular Kansas treatment center in mind, you can always call the program directly to ask about insurance coverage options. Most facilities have staff members who specialize in this topic and should be able to assist you.

Finding Help for an Eating Disorder in Kansas

Eating disorders are complex conditions that generally get worse the longer they go on. Finding the right kind of help is essential to ensuring lasting recovery for you or your loved one.

It may seem impossible to overcome an eating disorder, but with the right kind of care, you can start on a path toward a healthier and happier future.