Overview of Services
Highly Qualified Staff
Initial Assessment
Partial Hospital Program
Outpatient Treatment
Individualized Treatment Planning
Empirically Guided Approach to Therapy
Medical Evaluation
Family Involvement
Length of Stay
Discharge Planning
Eating Disorders Support Network

Overview of Services:
Centre Syracuse (CS) was created in 2005 to provide a specialized, cost-effective alternative for those patients with eating disorders who do not require lengthy hospitalization. The CS Partial Hospital Program has been designed to meet service needs across the continuum of:

a) age (from adolescents to adults),
b) disorder severity (from early and mild to chronic), and
c) service needs (medical, mental health, nutrition, and social work).

Highly Qualified Staff
All of the Centre Syracuse staff have achieved a high level of academic training and/or experience in the field of eating disorders treatment. CS staff is often called upon to give lectures and workshops pertaining to the understanding and treatment of eating disorders.

Initial Assessment:
Admission requires an initial assessment to determine the most appropriate treatment option. The initial assessment focuses on factors that may have contributed to the development and maintenance of the eating disorder as well as on optimal family involvement. It involves a full description of the program as well as the development of an individualized treatment plan. It is best if the assessment interview is conducted in person prior to admission; however, phone interviews may be sufficient when a personal interview is not feasible.

Partial Hospital Program:
The Centre Syracuse Eating Disorder Program offers a highly specialized, effective and economical treatment designed to meet the specific needs of individuals suffering from serious eating disorders. The Partial Hospital Program provides services for adolescents ages 14 and older and adults. It is a 5 day-a-week, 7 hour-a-day program and offers a sufficiently high level of intensity, structure, and monitoring to prevent the need for more costly inpatient treatment in most cases.

Outpatient Treatment
Centre Syracuse will arrange outpatient individual and family therapy for individuals suffering from eating disorders through its sister organization, Psychological HealthCare. One of the advantages of outpatient treatment organized by Centre Syracuse at Psychological HealthCare is the availability, if needed, of the higher levels of care offered by the Partial Hospital Program. Call the Intake Coordinator at 315-422-0300, to discuss the availability and appropriateness of outpatient therapy.

Individualized Treatment Planning:
An individualized treatment plan is developed based on the assessment and then applied within the framework of evidence-based treatment principles. This plan is continually revised, based on changes that occur during treatment. Program participants and their families are encouraged to participate in the plan development and its evolution with progress in treatment.
For information on the “guiding principles” on treatment, click here

Empirically Guided Approach to Therapy:
Therapy is guided by a cognitive-behavioral model that integrates family and interpersonal therapy, applied in an individualized manner. The approach to treatment has been the subject of numerous scientific publications and presentations over the past 25 years. Many of these principles have been described in the Handbook for Treatments for Eating Disorders, edited by D.M. Garner & P.E. Garfinkel (1997), New York: Guilford Press.

Medical Evaluation:
Program participants are required to see their personal physician to evaluate general health status. Once in the program, medical and psychiatric needs are addressed by our staff physicians. Medication as an adjunct to psychotherapy is available if required.

Family Involvement:
The Centre Syracuse approach emphasizes family therapy as one of the cornerstones of treatment since support from family members can play such an important role in the recovery process. Family involvement in therapy is strongly recommended for virtually all program participants.

Length of Stay:
Lengths of stay vary tremendously based on the nature and severity of the eating disorder. Most patients with anorexia nervosa stay between 8 and 12 weeks and those with bulimia nervosa typically stay between 4 and 7 weeks.

Discharge Planning:
Discharge planning is an ongoing process and begins at the time of admission. Centre Syracuse staff work with the patient and family to develop a follow-up plan for applying behavioral management and communication skills learned in treatment. The treatment plan is reviewed and revised in weekly team meetings. As discharge approaches, staff members help identify and coordinate therapeutic resources needed to continue to follow management methods at home which have been effective during treatment at Centre Syracuse.

Eating Disorders Support Network:
The Eating Disorders Support Network (EDSN) is a support program developed by the treatment professionals at Centre Syracuse to provide a continuum of care to those with eating disorders. These programs are free and open to the public. They are offered in the Centre Syracuse group rooms at 3300 James Street in Syracuse after program hours.

Our Support and Educational Group is for individuals with eating disorders who have not been through the Centre Syracuse program. This group meets every Tuesday evening from 6:45-8:15 p.m. and is led by Dr. Danielle Cornia.

The Aftercare Support Group is for individuals who have gone through the Centre Syracuse partial hospital program. It meets every Wednesday from 6:45-8:15 p.m. and is led by Dr. Jack Wohlers and Pamela Coffey.

Our Support and Educational Group was developed to assist families of individuals with eating disorders. This group is open to anyone who has a family member who is struggling with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. This group meets every first and third Thursday of each month from 6:45-8:00 p.m. and is led by Centre Syracuse's family therapist, Karen Fernandez-Cosgrove.