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By: Ashley Pennington, MA, Senior Regional Director of Clinical Partnerships
At Toledo Center for Eating Disorders, we understand the decision to start recovery by entering a residential eating disorder treatment program during this time of uncertainty can be a bit more challenging. Our experienced, multidisciplinary team understands that entering a higher level of care can sometimes raise doubts and fears that create a temptation to wait. Our mission at Toledo Center is to ease uncertainty and support those in darkness into the light to reduce suffering and create a path to freedom. We know that the battles with eating while living in isolation can actually increase the volume of the eating disorders’ voice, especially during a global pandemic. In fact, Anorexia Nervosa continues to hold the second-highest mortality rate of all psychological disorders, second only to opioid abuse. Many aspects of our community, lives, and schedules have been given additional space due to COVID-19, opening time that can be used to heal, restore, and prepare for a future unburdened and unlimited by an eating disorder.
Why Toledo Center?
Medical Team
We are prepared and ready to help. Our highly skilled, board-certified medical leadership team is led by our Medical Director, Dr. Joe Fraiz, a board-certified Infectious Disease physician with over a decade of experience in the field of eating disorders. He continues to serve as a rudder as we navigate and adjust our environment, successfully keeping our treatment environment, clients and employees COVID-19 free. We also are fortunate to have the advanced training and experience of Dr. Tom Scales, triple-board certified in Internal Medicine, Psychiatry and Neurology, and Addiction Medicine serving as an attending psychiatrist. Brooke Colley, Group Nursing Director, has over 15 years’ experience in the eating disorder field and oversees the nursing needs of our clients and helps support our nursing staff. Our medical team has banded together to update policies and procedures in accordance with the CDC, securing proper, non-invasive COVID-19 testing procedures, and modeled proper hand washing protocols for the health and safety of our employees, current clients, prospecting clients, and their families. We are happy to announce that Toledo Center remains COVID-19 free.
Admission Team
Our admission team compassionately works alongside our clients and families on their journey to freedom from eating disorders. Under the leadership of Alycia Aldieri, National Director of Admissions, our admission team partners with clients and their families to uncover the clinical and treatment priorities and helps navigate insurance coverage and payment options for care. We take pride in having highly skilled clinicians from our team available to assist with walking clients and families through the process of admission and continuing care.
Clinical Team
Our clinical team at Toledo Center has decades of experience in the treatment of eating disorders. Under the dedicated leadership of Meggan Desmond, MSW, LISW, we provide compassionate, individualized, evidence-based care for eating disorders. Our treatment model is tailored and informed through a partnership with the client, family, and outpatient provider as appropriate, to ensure long-term, sustainable freedom from eating disorders. Our clinical, dietary, medical, and direct care teams are in regular communication internally and externally as needed to help coordinate and strengthen recovery plans and positive outcomes.
Nutrition & Dietary Model
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, our dietary team has continued to move forward with updating our nutrition and dietary model. We continue to help our clients embrace the idea that all foods can fit in a healthy recovery. Under the leadership of our Director of the Clinical and Dietary Network, Jessica Ward, MS, RD, LD, CEDRD, our team walks alongside our clients to teach them the foundations of Intuitive Eating and assist them in the rediscovery of normal eating patterns through comprehensive nutrition groups and individual nutrition counseling sessions. Our dietary team recognizes that navigating the nutritional aspects of recovery can be complicated, which is why our multidisciplinary team partners with our clients and families to help balance normalized eating patterns.
Utilization Review & Financial Team
Our utilization review and financial teams work diligently with our clients and families to ensure that finances are communicated in a concise and considerate manner that aligns with the client and family needs. We understand that finances may create challenges, which is why we work alongside our clients and families to ensure that the financial arrangements are planned out and clear.
Toledo Center for Eating Disorders believes that recovery is possible, even during a global pandemic. Freedom cannot wait, which is why we have continued to open our doors to all those in suffering across the globe. We have never closed our doors, and stand in unity to provide safety, security, and compassionate care. We continue to be here and ready to help.
If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, look no further, we are here and ready to help. Contact our admission team or complete our contact form for more information.