- Kartini Clinic practices only family-centered treatment. Recent clinical trials have shown this to be more effective than other forms of treatment for children and young adults.
- We are not a psychiatric hospital program. We use only a pediatric medical ward for hospital admission. We don’t believe children with a medical condition such as anorexia nervosa should be treated alongside substance abuse or dangerous behavioral issues. Many so-called “dual diagnosis” facilities are really substance abuse treatment centers. They are not specialists in treating eating disorders.
- Kartini Clinic patients are cared for by the exact same team of doctors and therapists at every level of care. Truly coordinated care under one roof is unfortunately all too rare in the world of eating disorder treatment. Insist on a program that provides coordinated care from a single team from the moment your child arrives to the day they return home.
- Kartini Clinic is run by pediatricians, not psychiatrists. Consequently we have a strong medical emphasis based on prompt, adequate weight restoration as a prerequisite to normal growth and development.
- Our programs are always age appropriate. We understand that children are not “little adults”.
- We can provide housing through the Ronald McDonald House charities. For those traveling more than 30 miles for treatment, we can provide assistance with housing through a referral to our local Ronald McDonald house, an outstanding charity that houses many of our patients and their families together. Best of all, it’s a mere 5 minute walk from Randall Children’s Hospital and our facility.
- Kartini Clinic is committed to transparency of treatment costs. That’s why we publish our prices on our website and provide written estimates of out-of-pocket costs before treatment ever begins. If you are considering a program that doesn’t do the same, we recommend you look elsewhere.
Our Treatment Philosophy
Eating disorders are complex medical conditions. New research in neurobiology and genetics demonstrate that anorexia and bulimia are inherited conditions steered by powerful but poorly understood brain chemistry. Understanding the medical nature of eating disorders helps patients and their families to understand that parents do not cause these illnesses nor do children choose to have them. At the Kartini Clinic we work together as a multidisciplinary team of medical doctors, psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychotherapists to diagnose and control whatever environmental risk factors may precipitate or worsen an eating disorder. By using evidence-based medicine to achieve medical stabilization, combined with family, group, and individual psychotherapies, as appropriate, we help our patients achieve lasting physiological and psychological remission as well as personal healing and growth.
Choosing a Program
Families are often told by their insurance company to seek treatment at a “contracted” facility. Too often, however, these contracted facilities are not appropriate for their child’s age or do not practice family-centered, evidence-based treatment. These insurance company’s recommendations are based on financial relationships, not clinical appropriateness. Families should be sure they understand the differences and insist their insurance company provide comparable treatment options. Not all treatment programs are created equal.
For more specific information about our treatment programs you may submit an online request below or simply call us at 971-319-6800 and speak to our intake coordinator.
