National Eating Disorders Association Partners with UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research to Provide Online Access to Care
(New York, NY) January 25, 2021 — The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) provides a critical grant to support University of California San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research innovative project, New Directions in Online Temperament-based Treatments for Eating Disorders in Adolescents.
This project, led by Walt Kaye MD, Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine and executive director of the Eating Disorder Treatment and Research Program at UC San Diego Health, focuses on developing and evaluating an online treatment package for individuals with anorexia nervosa.
The treatment will include instructional and educational video trainings, written parent/caregiver materials and resources, and an integrated online platform to receive support from therapists and other families/caregivers. The program will also provide specific support to parents/caregivers, including education, skills training, therapist instruction, and peer-to-peer support to teach parents/caregivers effective strategies using the most up-to-date knowledge and treatment strategies.
“This new online program gives individuals and families the ability to practice recovery behaviors in their home environments and expands treatment access for those who can’t afford the expense of traveling to San Diego,” stated Geoff Cradddock, chairman of the board of directors for NEDA. “We believe that this ‘updated’ version of family-based treatment (FBT)—which incorporates new findings about neurobiology and augments parent empowerment and understanding by providing focused psychoeducation and skills training—will lead to better outcomes.”
“The UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research is committed to advancing and disseminating effective treatments for individuals with eating disorders and their loved ones,” said Dr. Walt Kaye. “Recent research is providing new understanding about the causes of anorexia nervosa. In turn, this is leading to improved treatment approaches. The program that we are developing seeks to advance family-based treatment by adding these new insights and treatments. We will be implementing a virtual treatment package and online materials so that more families benefit from the advantages of at-home treatment, even giving families access to treatment programs not previously available to them locally.”
Many families do not have local access to eating disorders treatment and are forced to travel (and sometimes temporarily relocate) to receive quality care. By using an online platform, the goal is to mitigate barriers by delivering easily accessible treatment tools and support to families across the country. The first year of this project is focused on developing and piloting treatment materials, as well as establishing the virtual platform used to deliver these tools to families. Once this phase is complete, a virtual treatment package—consisting of self-guided modules and therapist and peer support—will be widely disseminated.
###
ABOUT THE NATIONAL EATING DISORDERS ASSOCIATION
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. NEDA supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care. Through our programs and services, NEDA raises awareness, builds communities of support and recovery, funds research and puts life-saving resources into the hands of those in need. For more information, visit www.www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
CONTACT
Yadira Galindo, Senior Communications and Media Relations Manager
UC San Diego Health
Jennifer Solar, Director of Communications
National Eating Disorders Association