Bluewater Health is ramping up its capacity to treat eating disorders at the Sarnia hospital.
The Eating Disorders Intensive Outreach Program will expand available services, and includes annualized provincial funding of $382,000.
Director of Integrated Services Paula Reaume-Zimmer said they've partnered with the London Health Sciences Centre for the past 15 years, and this will expand upon that model.
"Right now we have outpatient counselling services, that is routine, but it will be offering an intensive day program where individuals will be coming for an eight week outpatient program," said Reaume-Zimmer. "That includes daily check-ins and supports with social workers, psychiatry, registered dieticians and providing meal support."
Reaume-Zimmer said the expanded program is expected to begin accepting patients late this spring or early summer.
"Eating disorders does have a broad range of different conditions and they impact people differently," she said. "It does require a pretty specialized scope of practice. We're looking forward to bringing in that expertise locally."
She expects additional therapists to be hired and said they're also searching for a nurse practitioner to assist with the program.
In 2021, they served 64 adults, 74 pediatric clients (aged 17 and under) and Reaume-Zimmer said the pandemic has heightened the need.
Hospital admissions across the province among under-20s have also risen significantly in the last two years, including at Bluewater Health.