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Eating Recovery Center And Pathlight Behavioral Health Centers Now Admitting More Patients From More States Into Virtual Behavioral Health Programming

January 25, 2020
Long-standing leader in telebehavioral health for mood, anxiety and eating disorders is removing barriers to treatment to help more people who need access to care from home.
DENVER, CO (April 24, 2020) – As the nation’s foremost healthcare system dedicated to the treatment of eating disorders and mood and anxiety disorders, and long-standing experts in telebehavioral health with proven results, Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Behavioral Health (ERC/Pathlight) is now offering virtual programming to patients from 37 states (and counting) across the country. ERC/Pathlight has rapidly expanded its capacity to meet the increasing demand for virtual treatment and is already treating more than 500 patients virtually. More than 200 ERC/Pathlight clinicians are now dedicated to the virtual care team after additional training in telebehavioral health delivery.
 
ERC/Pathlight Virtual Intensive Outpatient (IOP) and Virtual Partial Hospitalization (PHP) programs include treatment for mood and anxiety disorders such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and binge eating disorder. Available for children, adolescents and adults, all virtual services are confidential, secure and supervised by a team of experienced professionals who provide the same evidence-based treatment that ERC/Pathlight provides onsite in their treatment centers.
 
“Our expertise in providing virtual care is extensive, having provided successful Virtual IOP programs for the past three years,” said Rebecca Steinfort, CEO of ERC/Pathlight. “In the current climate of stay-at-home orders and self-isolation, our physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists and dieticians are meeting our patients where they are so we can continue to provide the same world-class care as we do at our in-person treatment centers of excellence.”  
 
ERC/Pathlight national virtual treatment expansion is being led by Casey Tallent, PhD, and Karen Schneller, LMFT, two of the nation’s leading experts in telebehaviorial health. Together, they championed ERC/Pathlight virtual treatment programs three years ago and they have been pioneers in securing in-network coverage from large insurers for virtual treatment. 
 
“With the work we’ve done over the last three years, we are well-positioned to help more patients quickly and safely during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond,” said Tallent, National Director of Collegiate and Telebehavioral Health Initiatives. “With so many new virtual offerings in this time of need, we know patients have a choice of providers. We have methodically and rigorously developed the protocols, training manuals and support systems for Virtual IOP and Virtual PHP. Patients can feel confident that they will be receiving the very best treatment in a safe and secure virtual environment with ERC/Pathlight.”
 
Program highlights include:
  • All sessions facilitated by a team of experienced professionals with extensive training in telebehavioral health ethics and delivery
  • Capabilities and expertise to offer exceptional individualized care, allowing each patient to connect with therapists, psychiatrists, dieticians and mental health professionals that are right for them
  • Small group sessions allow patients to connect with peers and practice their skills in a supportive setting
  • Programs are in-network with most commercial insurance
  • Secure, encrypted software ensures therapy sessions are confidential and HIPAA compliant; patients need only a computer or tablet and internet access
  • Simple admission process, including a free assessment with a master’s-level clinician
 
Residents of 37 states can now be directly admitted into virtual programming if clinically appropriate, covering more than 85 percent of commercially insured people across the nation. In following licensing guidelines, which vary by state, ERC/Pathlight assures that a licensed clinician eligible to provide treatment in the state in which each patient physically resides will be the one providing care. New states will be added as regulations continue to change.
 
It’s important to note that ERC/Pathlight continues to provide in-person treatment, including Inpatient, Residential and Partial Hospitalization levels of care, at treatment centers across the nation. ERC/Pathlight treatment centers of excellence are in Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Washington state, California, Maryland, South Carolina and Ohio. All levels of care, whether in-person or virtual, are available for children, adolescents and adults.
 
For more information, referring providers and prospective patients can visit EatingRecovery.com/VirtualCare or pathlightbhc.com/VirtualCare. Prospective patients and families can call 1-877-825-8584 to consult with a master’s-level clinician and schedule a free, confidential assessment.
 
About Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Behavioral Health Centers
Eating Recovery Center (ERC) is the only national behavioral health care system dedicated to the treatment of eating disorders and related conditions at their more serious stages. ERC offers best-in-class treatment programs for all patients, no matter their age or gender, struggling from: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, eating and weight disorder, unspecified eating disorders, as well as co-occurring and dual diagnoses. Pathlight Behavioral Health Centers (Pathlight) offers specialized treatment for mood, anxiety and trauma-related disorders. Led by the world’s leading experts, ERC and Pathlight provide a full spectrum of behavioral health recovery services through an unmatched network of over 30 locations across eight states as well as virtual programming. Both ERC and Pathlight treat adults, children and teens and offer multiple levels of care, including Inpatient, Residential, Partial Hospitalization, and Intensive Outpatient programs. For more information, please visit eatingrecoverycenter.com or pathlightbh.com.