Helen Keller
Team Members and Staff:
The executive director of all of our programs is Carolyn Costin. You can read more about her on the about the founder page devoted exclusively to her. Although Carolyn is most involved with the original facility at Monte Nido in California, continuing to run groups and see clients there, she oversees all of the affiliates. It is Carolyn's philosophy, combined with the state-of-the-art treatment accepted in the field of eating disorders, that provides the protocols and overall guidance for all of our programs. Carolyn trains staff members by bringing them to the original Monte Nido facility and providing in-service trainings at each site. Carolyn continues to be active in the eating disorder professional community, staying updated on any recent developments. She stays connected to the affiliates, passing on new information and providing continued supervision and guidance through in-person visits as well as telephone and video conferencing. It is Carolyn's responsibility to ensure the continued quality of all programs, maintaining the standards that produced success at the original site.
Our clinical director, Dawn Theodore, MFT, oversees all clinical staff and each client's treatment. It is the clinical director's duty to provide training and clinical in-services to the staff, assist in facilitating staff meetings, and make overall clinical decisions. The clinical director is responsible for overseeing communication with outside professionals, community resources, referrals, and significant others. She also runs groups and performs 
individual sessions on an as-needed basis. It is the clinical director's responsibility to ensure that the treatment needs of all clients are being met and documented. The clinical director is responsible for coordinating all clinical issues with the rest of the staff. The clinical director and the assistant clinical director ensure that all clinical staff are properly performing and documenting their assessment and treatment services (e.g., psychosocials, individual therapy, contracts, group content, charting, etc.) These two staff members share the responsibility of being on call 24 hours a day.
The assistant clinical director is the on-site coordinator of the program every day between 10:00 a.m. and 6 p.m. Working closely with the staff, our assistant clinical director oversees the overall day-to-day functioning of the facility. She is in charge of facilitating the smooth admission and discharge of clients to and from the EDCC. The assistant clinical director may take direct intake calls at the EDCC or be referred clients from our main administrative office. In either case, all admissions will be coordinated with the staff in the main office, in Malibu, California. She oversees and coordinates all issues around insurance benefits. Our assistant clinical director helps determine if EDCC is an appropriate choice and, if so, do everything they can to get clients into the EDCC as soon as possible. They are the liaison to the EDCC during the waiting period prior to admission and arrange for potential clients to tour our facilities. The assistant clinical director makes provisions for the carrying out of the clinical director's responsibilities during any absences. Additionally, the assistant clinical director is skilled in other areas and facilitates activities, groups and individual or family sessions with clients as needed.
The medical director is the attending physician. The medical director is responsible for monitoring all clients' physical status while at the EDCC. The medical director will oversee or provide the history, physical and medical clearances necessary for admission. Most clients choose to use their own physician, in which case our medical director will review and approve the medical clearance. In liaison with the attending psychiatrist and the multi-disciplinary treatment team, the medical director assists in treatment services for each client and is available for clinical, medical and medication consultations. The medical director interfaces with attending practitioners and makes any appropriate referrals to outside specialists. In the event that a client needs a higher level of care, the medical director, in conjunction with the clinical director, will arrange for admission and treatment until the client is able to return to the EDCC.
The EDCC psychiatrist performs an initial psychiatric evaluation for each client and follows each client throughout her stay. In conjunction with the physician, the attending psychiatrist prescribes medication and supervises the treatment of each client. The psychiatrist works with the entire treatment team to develop and carry out the treatment plan devised for each client. We are happy to work in conjunction with your outside psychiatrist (if you have one) and will work hard to provide a seamless transition both into and out of the program. In addition, the psychiatrist is on call for emergencies.
We have a variety of therapists. Therapists conduct group, individual and family therapy sessions throughout the week. Every client is assigned a primary therapist who provides individual therapy 2 times per week and acts as a case manager. The primary therapists direct the development and implementation of their client's individualized treatment plan. The primary therapist requests records from and works in conjunction with any previous or current therapist or other professional involved in the client's treatment. We highly encourage that if clients have their own therapist that they continue periodic sessions with that therapist during their stay at the EDCC. This provides clients with a sense of continuity and for a smoother transition into outpatient care.
Staff counselors are available to help clients interact effectively with the program. Counselors supervise specific program activities, collect and record important information, assist with orientation, and are available for assistance, support and problem-solving. Counselors may assist in meal preparation, observation after meals, supervising exercise and any other activities assigned by the clinical director or other senior staff member. All counselors are responsible for reporting clinical and other pertinent information to the rest of the treatment team.
Registered dietitians are an important part of our program. These individuals educate clients about nutrition and design meal plans to effect positive changes on eating habits and nutritional status. After a nutritional assessment, each client meets with the dietitian weekly to assist in determining ideal body weight, meal plan and nutrition goals. A dietitian also teaches the Nutrition Group, which includes skills for healthy eating and weight maintenance. The following are other duties shared by the dietitians: a) working with the cook to plan shopping and meal preparation for each client, b) helping each client with independent meal planning, c) taking clients to restaurants and grocery stores for nutritional life skills training, d) assisting with our facility shop and cook activity.
The program coordinator assists with all aspects of admission and discharge for each client. Program coordinators work with the administration office to verify the necessary documents before final admission to the facility. The program coordinator sets up the client's chart, assists in client supervision and performs secretarial and office duty functions. The program coordinator is also responsible for all discharge protocols and paperwork. Additionally, the program coordinator assists the administrator and clinical director in all of their duties.
