The province’s first eating disorders residential recovery centre for young Albertans is now operational in Calgary.
The Government of Alberta provided an update Thursday during Eating Disorders Awareness Week (Feb. 1-7).
The EHN Sandstone Recovery Centre is a partnership between the Government of Alberta, Recovery Alberta, Silver Linings Foundation and Edgewood Health Network (EHN Canada).
EHN also operates Red Deer’s Recovery Community Centre, which opened up in 2023.
The Government of Alberta invested almost $10 million over three years (2023-26) in partnership with Recovery Alberta to establish the Calgary facility. The Silver Linings Foundation raised an additional $4 million in capital funding.
“This is another important step in creating strong, recovery-oriented systems of care in communities across Alberta. Eating disorders can often be misunderstood and can go unrecognized or underdiagnosed. With the opening of this centre, young Albertans can now get the care they deserve and have better access to intensive treatment to better support them in their recovery,” said Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction.
Operated by EHN Canada, the 12-bed EHN Sandstone Recovery Centre in Calgary increases access to specialized eating disorders treatment in the province providing up to 52 youth and young adults with treatment free of charge every year.
“EHN Sandstone Recovery Centre provides the highest standard of treatment for eating disorders in a safe, nurturing environment where young people can begin their journey to recovery. Our multidisciplinary team of compassionate experts is dedicated to addressing the unique challenges of eating disorders with evidence-based care and unwavering support. At the heart of our mission is helping patients and their families rediscover hope, rebuild their lives and achieve lasting recovery,” said Christina Basedow, chief operating officer, EHN Canada.
The Recovery Centre helps close a gap in the continuum of care for youth and young adults diagnosed with complex eating disorders. Albertans aged 12 to 24 now have access to intensive treatment in a community setting, reducing the need for long hospital stays.
The centre offers an individualized approach to care, with around-the-clock support from a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurse practitioners, registered dietitians, nurses, counsellors and support staff. Services include academic support, weekly individual and family therapy, daily group therapy, nutritional rehabilitation, structured meal support therapy, self-care and wellness activities, nutritional education, and distress tolerance skills. While treatment length varies, it generally lasts anywhere from three weeks to four months.
Megan-Joy Rockey is a registered psychologist and is the disordered eating consultant for Recovery Alberta's Central Zone.
"Eating disorders are serious illnesses marked by severe disturbances in one's eating behaviors," she explained. "Although some people may be concerned about their health or weight or their appearance from time to time, most people do not become fixated or obsessed with weight loss, body weight or shape, and controlling their food intake. These disorders can adversely affect a person's physical and mental health, and in some cases, they can be lifelong and life-threatening."
She says with treatment, people can recover from eating disorders, adding the earlier the intervention the better.
"Eating disorders can affect people of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, body weights and genders," noted Rockey.
She says there are four main types of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).
Albertans experiencing mental health challenges can contact 211 for information on services in their community, including other online supports like Kids Help Phone and the Mental Health Helpline.
Rockey can be contacted directly at 1-888-594-0211. Her waitlist is about three months.
The EHN Sandstone Recovery Centre welcomed its first client in 2024 and is now fully operational. To date, 18 patients have been admitted to the facility with additional referrals being triaged.
Youth and young adults aged 12 to 24 with complex eating disorders can be referred either by an Alberta physician or nurse practitioner.
The Silver Linings Foundation says 198,000 Albertans are struggling with an eating disorder at any given time. Ninety per cent of those suffering are female.
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