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Reviewed by Overview of The Renfrew Center, Coconut Creek
The Renfrew Center has been providing treatment services to girls and women since its foundation in 1985. It is recognized as the country’s first residential eating disorder facility. It now offers treatment services for eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder as well as co-occurring mental health disorders. The mission at the Renfrew Center is to help clients struggling with eating disorders and mental health issues through evidence-based and emotion-focused treatment interventions. The treatment philosophy at the center is to treat the underlying biological, psychological, social, and developmental root causes of such disorders. For this, the center has created an integrated program called the Renfrew Center Unified Treatment Model for Eating Disorders. The center offers a residential program, day treatment, intensive outpatient, and outpatient programs to clients. The treatment programs utilize holistic approaches and a comprehensive range of therapies such as individual, group, and family therapy. Clients are offered a nurturing and safe environment which helps them stabilize medically, change negative behaviors, and normalize their eating habits. Individualized treatment plans are created for clients which set specific treatment goals through which client’s progress is assessed. With the guidance and counseling of a multidisciplinary staff, clients are able to change their lives for the better.
Housing and Food at The Renfrew Center
The Renfrew Center is located on 10-acres of farmland that offers a beautiful, peaceful, and tranquil environment to clients for their treatment. The campus has a capacity of accommodating 40 clients at one time. Two clients share a room which is decorated in a home-like manner. Each room has twin beds, side tables, dressers, and a shared closet for clients. Each room has an attached bathroom which both clients share. The residential building has a common room where clients can relax on the sofas and watch TV in their free time. There are therapy rooms, meeting rooms, and arts and crafts rooms where different modalities of treatment are carried out. The clients have a number of opportunities to indulge in outdoor activities. There is a beautiful swimming pool for the residents. The huge lawns provide residents with the opportunity to talk long, relaxing walks and strolls in the grounds. Clients can also participate in yoga and meditation while enjoying the beautiful outdoor landscapes. The facility has an in-house team of kitchen staff including chefs, a dietician, and a nutritionist. Clients are provided with three nutritious and healthy meals each day. They are also given cooking and nutrition classes so that they can learn about health and nutrition and also assist in meal preparations.
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Most private insurances accepted
Treatment Options
The different treatment options available at the Renfrew Center are:
- Residential Program
- Day Treatment
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
- Outpatient Services
- Specialized Treatment Tracks
- Aftercare Program
The following substances’ abuse is treated at the Renfrew Center:
- Alcohol
- Prescription Drugs
- Illegal Drugs
Therapies
The Renfrew Center offers the following therapies to its clients:
- Individual Therapy
- Group Therapy
- Family Therapy
- Psychotherapy
- Experiential Therapy
- Life Skills Training
- Nutritional Counseling
- Exposure Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Payment Options at the Renfrew Center
The Renfrew Center provides a wide range of services and levels of care to women and girls for substance abuse, eating disorders, and co-occurring mental health disorders. The cost of treatment varies for each client depending on her individualized treatment plan. The center has contracts with all major insurance providers. It accepts more than 430 insurance plans for the different levels of care that it offers. The admissions staff at the Renfrew Center works with clients’ insurance providers to determine the best insurance coverage.
Some of these accepted insurance providers are listed below:
- Aetna
- BlueCross BlueShield
- Cigna
- Humana
- Optum/ United Behavioral Health
Licenses and Accreditations
The Renfrew Center has the following accreditations and licenses:
Accredited by the Joint Commission
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The Renfrew Center Advantages
The Renfrew Center at the Coconut Creek, Florida has the honor of being the first residential rehab facility for eating disorders in women. It also offers outpatient, residential, and intensive outpatients services to women struggling with substance abuse and co-occurring behavioral health disorders. Clients are provided with a luxurious and nurturing environment where they are empowered to become better individuals. They are taught about life skills, coping skills, and nutrition which helps them adopt a healthier lifestyle which eventually leads them to live a healthier and happier life. During treatment, clients are offered a variety of evidence-based therapies which help them understand their physical and psychological needs. Through the mutual sharing and support that each client receives at the facility, she is able to develop increased self-confidence and self-esteem which helps her in her recovery process. The center also provides opportunities for family involvement and education.
Staff at the Renfrew Center
Gayle Brooks, Ph.D. - Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer
In her capacity as the Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at the Renfrew Center, Dr. Brooks leads the Renfrew Clinical Excellence Board and the Clinical Training Department. She is a member of the IAEDP Board of Director and Co-Chair of the Academy of Eating Disorders Diversity Special Interest Group. She has many years of experience in treating individuals suffering from eating disorders. Her areas of expertise include treatment of the complex patient, eating disorders and cultural diversity, the association between eating disorders and trauma, and eating disorders in mid-life women.
Heather P. Maio, PsyD - Assistant Vice President of Clinical and Admission Services
Dr. Maio is a Licensed Psychologist who earned her B.S. in Psychology from Florida Atlantic University. She received her PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She completed her Residency in eating disorders and their co-morbid pathologies at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worchester State Hospital. Her areas of expertise include the treatment of eating disorders, relationship issues, substance abuse, and women’s issues.