Welcome
There’s Help. There’s Hope! The Emily Program is a warm and welcoming place where individuals and their families can find comprehensive treatment for eating disorders and related issues. This blog is a place for us to share the latest happenings at The Emily Program, as well as helpful tidbits from the broader eating disorder community. Subscribe via RSS to receive automatic updates. We want to hear your story. Email us (blog@emilyprogram.com) and ask how you can become a contributor!
Residential Care For Children, Teens and Young Adults
Residential Care for
Children, Teens, and Young Adults
For children, adolescents, and young adults, real healing can begin in a safe, supportive, and homelike environment. The Anna Westin House for Adolescents in St. Paul, Minnesota and Adolescent Residential in Columbus, Ohio are licensed treatment centers that help children, adolescents, and young adults of any gender who struggle with eating disorders.
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Anna Westin House for Adolescents
Minnesota
St. Paul, MN
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Columbus Residential for Adolescents
Ohio
Columbus, OH
Around-the-clock personalized eating disorder treatment
Anna Westin House – Adolescent is Minnesota’s first residential program dedicated exclusively to treating adolescents of all genders with eating disorders. The Emily Program’s Columbus adolescent residential program meets the growing need for adolescent treatment in central Ohio.
At both residential programs, our professional 24/7 care includes:
- Physicians
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Dietitians
- Expressive arts and movement therapists
- Licensed teachers
- Recreational therapists
- Nurses
- Eating disorders technicians
Nursing staff is always on duty, while eating disorder technicians and/or therapists are always on hand to support and manage appropriate resident relationships. Local licensed teachers coordinate your child’s academic work with their school.
Our residential programs are comfortable, state-of-the-art facilities nestled in peaceful neighborhoods. No matter the location, clients will be in a safe and secure environment where real healing can happen.
Our team of therapists, dietitians, psychiatrists, and/or medical doctors seamlessly integrates supervised care and medical monitoring with personalized treatment plans. Teens engage in individual and group therapy. The structured and supportive care we offer combines the clinical expertise of our experienced staff with evidence-based therapies incorporating psychological, nutritional, medical, psychiatric, and integrative interventions in a comprehensive approach.
Substance use disorder (chemical dependency), abuse history, or other mental health complications often add layers of complexity to eating disorder treatment. We know. Many of us have been there, too, and we’re ready to guide your child on the recovery journey. We’ve worked successfully with adolescents and young adults with eating disorders—and their families—since 1993.
While working with The Emily Program, you can expect us to:
- Respect you and your child as individuals
- Reassure your child that recovery from their eating disorder is possible
- Understand how hard recovery can be
- Remain committed to your child’s recovery, even on days when they doubt it
- Take every diagnosis and treatment seriously
- Provide insights and skills that help your child improve their life
- Provide your child with a knowledgeable, trustworthy individual therapist and dietitian
- Provide medical and psychiatric services, as needed
- Offer multiple therapy and support groups, addressing a wide range of issues
- Encourage and support your involvement with Family-Based Treatment, family therapy, couples therapy, and other support for family and friends, based on your unique needs
- Base our treatment decisions on research, community standards, and sound clinical judgment
- Help you navigate the insurance system, working diligently to ensure the highest coverage possible
- Work with passion and integrity to serve you and your child in a way that works best for you
Our expectations for you and your child are simple—and also may be difficult (that’s OK; recovery is hard work). We expect:
- Your child to actively participate in recovery from their eating disorder
- You and your child to be honest and respectful with yourself and those around you
- You and your child to make treatment and recovery a top priority
We stay with you through recovery
When your child is ready to transition out of residential care, we’re still here for your family every step of the way. The length of stay depends on your child’s needs and situation; most residents “step down” to our Adolescent Intensive Day Program when leaving residential care.
You’ll still have access to many of The Emily Program outpatient options for your child, such as Intensive Outpatient or Intensive Day Programs; individual, group, and family therapy; psychiatry and medical services; and nutritional counseling. We also work with community professionals, including your child’s physician, school staff, and your local therapists and dietitians, to ensure appropriate aftercare.
Our mission is transparent
To provide exceptional care leading to recovery from eating disorders. Ideally, we want a world of peaceful relationships with food, weight, and body image, where everyone with an eating disorder can experience recovery.
We’ll help your child and your family recognize and change destructive eating disorder behaviors and replace them with positive, lasting coping mechanisms that support a whole, joyful life.
Residential Care For Adults
Residential Care for Adults
For many clients, healing begins with a safe, supportive, and homelike environment. The Anna Westin House for Adults in St. Paul, MN, The Emily Program – Residential in Cleveland Heights, OH, The Emily Program – Residential in Seattle, WA, and the Anna Westin House West in Minneapolis, MN welcome adults of all genders who struggle with eating disorders.
Supportive care and a comprehensive approach
The structured and supportive care we offer combines the clinical expertise of our experienced staff with evidence-based therapies, incorporating psychological, nutritional, medical, psychiatric, and integrative interventions in a comprehensive approach.
Substance use disorder (chemical dependency), abuse history, or other mental health complications often add layers of complexity to eating disorder treatment. We know. Many of us have been there, too, and we’re ready to guide you on the recovery journey.
We’ll help you and your family recognize and change destructive eating disorder behaviors and replace them with positive, lasting coping mechanisms that support a whole, joyful life.
We’re here for the transition to everyday life
When you’re ready to transition out of our residential program, we’re still here for you every step of the way. You’ll have access to many of The Emily Program outpatient options, such as Intensive Outpatient or Intensive Day/Partial Hospitalization Programs and any of our lodging facilities; individual, group, and family therapy; psychiatry and medical services; and nutritional counseling. We also work with community professionals, including your physician and your local therapists and dietitians, to ensure appropriate aftercare.
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Anna Westin House for Adults
Minnesota
St. Paul, MN
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Anna Westin House for Adults
Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
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24/7 Residential Care for Adults
Ohio
Cleveland Heights, OH
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24/7 Residential Care for Adults
Washington
Seattle, WA
Residential
24/7 Residential Care
Our residential treatment facilities are places of hope and healing. Here, clients with eating disorders focus on recovery in a safe, supportive, and homelike environment with around-the-clock supervision and care. Learn if 24/7 supervised care is right for you or your loved one.
Eating disorder recovery is possible
Recovery in a homelike environment that’s quiet and safe is a more comfortable option for clients who require intensive and supervised care.
Our passionate, experienced care teams of physicians, psychiatrists, therapists, dietitians, and other healthcare and education professionals work together to develop a personalized treatment plan for each client in our residential programs. Multidisciplinary evidence-based therapies, including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Maudsley Approach to Family-Based Treatment and integrative interventions, such as expressive arts and movement therapy, address the full range of eating disorders and related health issues. Individual and group therapy, as well as family therapy and nutrition education, reinforce the recovery process each day.
The residential recovery experience helps clients and their families recognize and change destructive eating disorder behaviors and replace them with positive, lasting coping mechanisms that support a whole, joyful life.

The Emily Program is a founding member of the REDC, a consortium focused on improving eating disorder treatment standards, partnering on collaborative research, and increasing access to eating disorder care for those who are struggling.
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For Adults
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For Children, Teens, and Young Adults
Residential Frequently Asked Questions
Where are residential services offered?
Currently, there are two residential facilities in St. Paul, Minnesota: Anna Westin House for Adults and Anna Westin House – Adolescent for ages 10-21; a facility in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, Anna Westin House West for Young Adults and Adolescents for adults; a facility for adults in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, a facility for adolescents ages 10-17 in Columbus, Ohio; and a facility for adults in Seattle, Washington.
Do The Emily Program – Residential facilities help males?
Yes, we serve adolescents and adults of all genders, including males, females, and transgender individuals who struggle with eating disorders. We admit new residents after we take into consideration the current population.
How long do people stay at The Emily Program – Residential?
We tailor the length of stay to meet the unique needs of each resident. Some residents stay less than a month and others stay several months.
Can I be a vegetarian/vegan at The Emily Program – Residential?
Our culinary staff and dietitians can work with a variety of dietary needs. They will work with you and your family to meet your specific needs.
We believe those who enter care with a vegetarian/vegan diet based on religious, cultural, or familial heritage have this dietary preference taken at face value and are provided an eating plan accommodating vegetarian or vegan eating styles. Those who come to our care having made a shift away from their family table or cultural origin toward vegetarianism or vegan diets, are met where they are and the choice of a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle is explored as a therapeutic area of interest within the eating disorder care.
Can I have visitors while I am at The Emily Program – Residential?
Residential clients may have up to 2 visitors (parent/legal guardian, partner, sibling, etc.) visit at any given time. Visitors will be screened for COVID-19 when scheduling the visitation. Visitors will be required to wear a medical/flat masks while in public common areas. If both the visitor(s) and client are vaccinated, medical/flat masks are not required during family sessions, visiting hours, or while preparing, plating, or consuming meals and snacks. If the visitor(s) and/or the client is unvaccinated, medical/flat mask are required to be worn for the full duration of the visit, and the visitor and client must remain physically distanced. We are supporting virtual visits to continue to support clients and families through these exceptional times.
How much does The Emily Program – Residential cost?
Cost depends on how long you stay. Our staff will gladly help you determine and maximize your insurance benefits. If you need to pay out of pocket, we are also happy to set up a payment plan.
Who is Anna Westin?
Anna Selina Westin was born in 1978 and lived in Chaska, Minnesota most of her life. She died in 2000 after struggling for five years with anorexia, a deadly disease that affects millions of Americans.
A graduate of Chaska High School, she was a student at the University of Oregon who loved life. Her many interests and talents included music, photography, hiking, backpacking, reading, writing, fishing, traveling, volunteering, and best of all, spending time with family and friends. She made and sent beautifully decorated cards and letters to family and friends throughout her life.
She was thoughtful, compassionate, generous with her time, and had a talent for making everyone feel special and important.
Anna’s family is very proud of her accomplishments, including her hard work to overcome anorexia. Anna suffered from a serious, often fatal, illness that needs to be treated with the same urgency as other life-threatening diseases. The duration of the illness, high cost of treatment, and lack of knowledge about eating disorders cause immense suffering. Click here to watch a short video about Anna Westin.
To help other families, Anna’s family speaks openly about her life and death, and opened the Anna Westin House in 2002. They continue to advocate for those struggling with eating disorders through advocacy and education with WithAll.
What do you mean by “integrative” interventions?
We offer therapies that complement traditional medical approaches and are effective with eating disorders. For example, we may use meditation, yoga, or expressive arts.
What do I have to bring to The Emily Program – Residential?
Bring comfortable clothing, typical toiletries, and some personal items to help you feel secure away from home (e.g., a few photos or other personal decorative items). See the packing list for suggested and prohibited items.
Will I have passes or time away from the program?
From day one, we develop a strong transition plan to optimize your recovery. We regularly have group outings—and you also have some individual free time to spend with friends and family. Both can help you develop the independent living skills essential to recovery.
Can I have my cell phone with me at The Emily Program – Residential?
Adult residents and young adults ages 18+ may have a cell phone and use it during non-programming times.
Residents under 18 years of age will not have access to their cell phones.
Our facilities have a residents’ phone line where families and friends can leave messages and where you can make local calls or use a long-distance calling card.
Will I have access to the Internet while at The Emily Program – Residential?
We have a residents’ PC for Internet, email, and general computing. Many residents bring a small USB storage device for documents or other files they create here.
Can I have a car at The Emily Program – Residential?
Yes, you can have a vehicle while staying at our residential facility. Please note that in St. Paul, we have limited spaces in our parking lot and must require all residents to park their cars at our Como Ave. location. We do have a car protocol that must be followed by residents who choose to have a vehicle with them while in residential care.
Are there laundry facilities at The Emily Program – Residential?
Yes, and there is no additional cost.
Do I need spending money?
Residents typically bring some spending money for toiletries, reading materials, craft materials, etc.
What to bring for your residential stay
The Emily Program is a national leader in eating disorder treatment for people of all ages and genders. Our 24/7 residential facilities provide personalized treatment in a safe, supportive, and homelike environment with around-the-clock supervision.
In order to provide a safe and comfortable environment for all residents, we request that clients limit the personal belongings brought at admission to the items listed below. Staff will search all belongings upon admission and items not adhering to these guidelines will be sent home or stored. If you have specific questions regarding this list, please contact us at 1-888-364-5977.
Packing List for Adults and Adolescents – Download PDF