888.228.1253Treating the LGBTQIA+ Community
With 35% of our adult clients being part of the LGBTQIA+ community and nearly a third of our adolescent clients self-reporting as LGBTQ+, providing inclusive and affirming care is important to us. In our research, the prevalence of PTSD was significantly higher in LGBTQ+ individuals than in non-LGBTQ+ individuals (63% v. 45%), therefore providing trauma-integrated care is particularly critical for this segment of our community.
In fact, LGBTQ+ youth who have been diagnosed with an eating disorder reported nearly four times greater odds of attempting suicide in the past year compared to those who never had, or suspected they had, an eating disorder, according to The Trevor Project.
Health at Every Size (HAES) Informed Care
We provide HAES (Health at Every Size) informed care because we know that healthy, recovered people come in all shapes and sizes. This is evident across our programs through:
- Behavior focused, rather than weight focused philosophies
- Recognition that all bodies deserve to be nourished and experience satiety
- Furniture and accessibility for all body sizes including elevators and ramps at many programs
- Openness and accessibility of our kitchens and foods in a homelike setting
- Ability to request and be provided more food for nourishment and/or satiety and provide culturally appropriate foods
- Belief that weight loss attempts and focus are contraindicated for recovery from all eating disorder diagnoses
- Addressing the AAP’s harmful guidelines around weight loss medications and bariatric surgery and continue to partner with colleagues and advocacy organizations to actively engage the AAP and request the guidelines be changed
Treating the BIPOC Community
We recognize that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) experience ongoing discrimination, oppression and inequities that can contribute to mental health challenges and experiences of trauma.
Research indicates that Black Americans are more likely to report serious psychological distress than are White Americans, yet they are less likely to use mental health services. When it comes to eating disorders, BIPOC are significantly less likely than white people to have been asked by a doctor about eating disorder symptoms. And BIPOC with eating disorders are half as likely to be diagnosed or to receive treatment.
This shows in our data, which supports that 10% of our clients identify as BIPOC and approximately 14% identify as Hispanic.
While our work toward greater equality and access among BIPOC continues, we can still recognize the positive steps we're making at Monte Nido & Affiliates by:
- Researching the effectiveness of our outcomes within the BIPOC community
- Continuing training all clinicians on providing culturally-affirming treatment in BIPOC
- Recruiting candidates from a broad variety of sources and diverse channels (e.g. Circa diversity job board)
- Partnering with Project Heal, an organization working to break down systemic, healthcare, and financial barriers that many people face when seeking eating disorder treatment
- Sponsoring educational events such as the BIPoC Eating Disorders Conference and Project Heal’s InformED Conference
Advocacy Work
We advocate for systemic change through partnerships and legislative initiatives because there is power in collecting our voices to champion for change.
Project Heal.
We are proud to partner with Project Heal, an organization working to break down systemic, healthcare, and financial barriers that many people face when seeking eating disorder treatment.
As a member of the HEALers Circle, we provide treatment to beneficiaries at no cost to them.
The HEALers Circle is comprised of treatment programs, care providers, and eating disorder coaches that provide pro bono care to Project HEAL beneficiaries. HEALers Circle Members understand the many barriers that people with eating disorders face when they are finally ready to heal.
Eating Disorders Coalition.
Monte Nido & Affiliates is an active member of the Eating Disorders Coalition (EDC), which advances the recognition of eating disorders as a public health priority throughout the United States.
Every May, members of our team participate in EDC’s Advocacy Day, and this past May, we met with members of Congress to discuss priorities including more education and resources to protect kids’ mental health both online and offline.
FEDUP.
FEDUP is a collective of trans+, intersex, and gender diverse people who believe eating disorders in marginalized communities are social justice issues. FEDUP recognized Monte Nido & Affiliates and Walden programs with scores of 95 and 100 respectively on a scale of 100.
Measurements assessed how accessible and gender-affirming the admissions and treatment environments are on criteria such as trans care training, HAES approach, neutral bathrooms, and more.
