UC San Diego Health Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research

UC San Diego Health Eating Disorders Center is a university-based, non-profit, Center of Excellence that serves as an international leader in research, treatment, and teaching. Our mission is to improve the lives of those with eating disorders and their families—both at our facilities and around the world—through the creation, dissemination, and practice of cost-effective, evidence-based treatment.

In working with individuals in recovery, families, coaches, and more, UC San Diego Health Eating Disorders Center takes a community approach to long-term recovery. This starts with the evidence-based treatment modalities available in the program’s varying levels of care:

Inpatient Care Partial Hospitalization (PHP) Intensive Outpatient (IOP) Outpatient

Our treatment programs include three separate clinics: Pediatric, Adolescent, and Adult, offering 10- and 6-hour Day Treatment and Intensive Outpatient programs. All programs have a foundation of Family Based Therapy (FBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Additionally, we have one of the nation’s only inpatient Medical Behavioral Units specializing in eating disorders for children through young adults.

Staffed with expert physicians and psychologists, the inpatient unit provides medical stabilization of abnormal cardiovascular function and helps those who are severely underweight and require nutritional restoration under expert care. Finally, our one-week intensive family therapy (IFT) programs for adolescents and adults provide 40 hours of psychoeducation, DBT skills, and family based treatment.

Ideal for families who are transitioning between levels of care, or are lacking evidence-based practitioners where they live, or are just simply “stuck”— our intensive programs are both effective and well-liked by families from San Diego to Shanghai.

At UC San Diego, our research examines the neurobiological underpinnings of eating disorders using the latest technologies in neuroimaging and genetics. We translate our findings into data-driven innovative treatments. These treatments are then tested within our clinic to ensure patient acceptability and satisfaction.

Teaching is our passion. We want to ensure that all individuals and families have access to quality, cost-effective, evidence-based treatments wherever they live. The best way to achieve our goal is through teaching. As part of UCSD’s world-class training environment, we train dozens of future researchers and clinicians.

Our students have gone on to staff positions at UCLA, University of Chicago, and many other wonderful programs. We also host annual clinical and research conferences and offer several clinical trainings throughout the year.

Individuals and families now have more treatment options that ever before. While access to care is increasing, our patients and families are telling us that it is confusing and difficult to navigate the dozens of websites for various treatment programs to find help for themselves and their loved ones.

As a university-based program, we want to help individuals be better consumers of mental health services, to discern marketing from facts, and find the program that is the best fit for you and your family.