With the $1 million in base funding announced from Ontario Health in 2022, Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) has expanded their treatment options for eating disorders.

Their new clinic, which opened its doors in June, comes as the community has seen a dramatic increase in the number of referrals for patients with an eating disorder, accompanied by an increase in the complexity and severity of cases.

“The isolation and heightened anxiety brought on by the pandemic surely helped to trigger this jump,” says Nicholas Axas, program operational director of the Mental Health and Addiction Care at KHSC.

At the new eating disorders clinic, located in the Quarry Medical Building at 190 Wellington St., patients are connected with a team which includes a psychiatrist, psychotherapists, occupational therapists, a nurse practitioner, and a dietitian. The programming offered at the clinic is focused on supporting patients who are struggling with eating disorders, but do not require hospitalization.

“Eating disorders are complex conditions that equally impact your physical health and mental health,” says Dr. Nishardi Waidyaratne-Wijeratne, the consulting psychiatrist at the clinic. “The type of day treatment provided by this clinic can provide more support than a traditional outpatient program, which was already offered at KHSC. This clinic offers an additional layer of care in our region.”

As of this week, KHSC’s intensive day treatment program at the clinic has completed its first run of the twelve-week program with a cohort of three patients, and is ready to continue offering care to patients in the region.

To learn more about the program, visit the KHSC website.

Listen to the story below, featuring an interview with Nicholas Axas: