Once a completed referral is received our Intake team will respond to the referral by organising a telephone screening-based assessment to determine whether a referral will progress to an assessment.
Comprehensive assessments are conducted by a BETRS clinician within the multidisciplinary team to determine an impression of the current problem/s and to make certain recommendations. The assessment is discussed at our weekly clinical review meeting with operational and clinical governance by the BETRS manager and consultant psychiatrist to confirm management recommendations and treatment.
Treatment recommendations may specify a range of interventions required to best meet the needs identified throughout the assessment, that may look broadly at a consumer’s mental health needs.
An assessment by the BETRS team must precede prior to any access to any of the treatment services at BETRS and/or EDU.
Referrals assessed at BETRS appropriate for an admission to EDU will be forwarded and referred for waitlisting at Austin Health.
BETRS liaise with the referrer the outcome of any referral/assessment.
The BETRS Day Patient Program (DPP) is an intensive community group-based treatment program for individuals with an eating disorder who are medical and psychiatrically stable enough to participate in group therapy. It can assist for a range of eating disorder symptoms including restrictive eating, binge eating, purging and overexercising behaviours. Suitability for DPP will be assessed on an individual basis. The program aims to support the recovery process for individuals who are motivated to improve their relationship with food and bodies and undertake nutritional restoration and work towards reducing and/or ceasing eating disorder behaviours.
DPP can be suitable for those stepping down from a recent inpatient eating disorders unit admission or medical admission to support ongoing treatment and recovery in the community on discharge. DPP can be suitable for those stepping up from the community where for whatever reason require more intensive treatment to prevent further deterioration and avoid hospitalisation or requiring more intensive treatment and support than what they might be receiving through the community.
The program is a six-week open program that runs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, typically between the hours of 9.30 – 2.30pm. It is expected that those committing to the program attends all four days of the week over the six-week period. It is a structured group program focusing on building motivation, education, enhancing self-reflection and coping skills development to reduce compensatory eating disorder behaviours and better understanding of ones eating disorder and its origins in the individual. Meal support for morning tea and lunch is part of the program on program days including a weekly social eating outing.
An individual weekly review with an allocated key worker also occurs weekly to review individual progress regularly.
BETRS has a strong commitment to working in collaboration with families and carers where appropriate. The team is trained to provide a single session family consultation to support our consumers and work in collaboration with family and carers in creating a plan to support them. This can include family work as part of the treatment offered at BETRS or linking with appropriate community supports.
Following completion of the six weeks, there is a follow up session that occurs as a step-down from DPP.
The cost that is incurred in the program is covering one’s own cost to travel to and from our clinic located in Fitzroy as well as covering the cost of meals during the weekly social eating outings.
Examples of DPP groups and therapeutic approaches that inform our program includes:
- Cognitive behaviour therapy – enhanced (CBT-e) including self-monitoring records and weight exposure
- Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) including distress tolerance and emotional regulation
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) including mindfulness
- Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)
- Nutrition education
- Medical education
- Goals and values
- Keys to recovery (inspired by 8 keys to recovery from an eating disorder)
- Self-compassion
- Lived experience peer support
- Weekend planning
- Relapse prevention planning
A specialist inpatient eating disorders program is available for people who require to receive more intensive eating disorders treatment in a hospital setting and/or whose needs have not been met in the community-based treatment setting.
The Eating Disorders Unit (EDU) is the inpatient program delivered by Austin Health.
For more information about the Eating Disorders Unit (EDU) please refer to the Austin Health website: https://www.austin.org.au/mental-health/adult/eating-disorders/