Walden/ECHN Open Clinic for Treating Eating Disorders

Walden Behavioral Care and Eastern Connecticut Health Network (ECHN), opened a clinic for treating eating disorders.

The clinic offers a comprehensive range of eating disorder treatment services including treatment for males and those suffering with binge-eating disorder.  Walden is the only treatment center in New England to offer a full “continuum of care,” including inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient care.  This range of services allows Walden to tailor treatment based on each patient’s needs, rather than offering the same treatment for all patients.

“Statistics show that despite millions of men and women suffering from an eating disorder, only a very low percentage of them seek treatment. That is why our partnership with Walden Behavioral Care is so important. We are providing a first-class resource in a convenient location for people battling this curable disorder and their loved-ones who want them to seek help,” said Dennis G. O’Neill, MD, Chairman of ECHN’s Board of Trustees. “Many patients have to travel long distances for treatment or, even worse, go without it. Not anymore. ECHN and Walden are here for them.”

The clinic is staffed by licensed social workers, clinicians and administrative support, and provides intensive outpatient care to adolescents 12 to 17 years of age and adults, as well as partial hospitalization care to adults. The partial hospitalization program is offered five days a week, and the outpatient programs is offered three days a week. Those in need of residential or inpatient care will be served by Walden facilities in Dedham, Mass.

“The lack of specialized services for treating eating disorders attracted us to the area,” said Walden President and CEO Stuart L. Koman, Ph.D. “Being new to this market, we saw an affiliation with ECHN as a tremendous opportunity.  ECHN’s vision, commitment to the community and understanding of the importance of providing behavioral health services makes ECHN an ideal partner. We look forward to working closely with ECHN’s doctors and health care professionals, as well as other practitioners in the community.”

On Thursday, September 20th, close to 100 people from the CT mental health community attended an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new facility.  Clinic staff and representatives from ECHN and Walden were there to answer questions and give tours of the new clinic.