The Renfrew Center — Charlotte, NC
Partial (PHP), IOP, Outpatient · Adolescents and adults · Women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals
North Carolina
Eating disorder treatment in North Carolina
An estimated 914,000 North Carolinians will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime, and the state has one of the most developed eating disorder treatment systems in the Southeast, with academic Centers of Excellence and round-the-clock hospital programs. Care ranges from inpatient and residential through partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, outpatient, and virtual programs.(source)
- Statewide
- Licensed eating disorder treatment centers
- All levels
- Inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP, outpatient, and virtual care
- 24/7
- Free, confidential admissions line
Tap a leaf to see treatment centers in that area
Licensed treatment programs
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Browse by level of care
Medical stabilizationMedical management of malnutrition, refeeding, comorbidities.Inpatient hospitalizationAcute hospital care for medical instability and psychiatric crisis.Residential treatmentLive-in care with 24/7 clinical and nursing support, in a non-hospital setting.Partial hospitalization (PHP)Day treatment, structured clinical hours.Intensive outpatient (IOP)Several days per week, returning to work or family.OutpatientWeekly therapy and medical visits.Virtual / telehealth treatmentRemote care, from outpatient therapy to full virtual IOP and PHP.
All licensed North Carolina centers
Charlotte
The Emily Program — Charlotte
Partial (PHP), IOP, Outpatient · Adults 18 and up · All genders
HopeWay — Eating Disorders Program
Residential, Partial (PHP), IOP · Teens 12-17 and young adults 18-25 · All genders
Newport Academy — North Carolina
Residential, IOP, Outpatient · Adolescents 12 to 18 · All genders
Durham
The Emily Program — RTP / Stirrup Creek Hospital (Durham)
Inpatient, Residential · Children, adolescents, and adults · All genders
The Emily Program — Douglas (Durham)
Inpatient, Residential · Adults 18 and up · All genders
The Emily Program — Triangle (Durham)
Partial (PHP), IOP, Outpatient, Virtual / telehealth · Children, adolescents, and adults · All genders
Duke Center for Eating Disorders
Outpatient · Children and adolescents · All genders
Asheville
Hidden River Healing — Asheville
Residential · Adults · All genders
Chapel Hill
UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders — Chapel Hill, NC
Inpatient, Partial (PHP), Outpatient · Children, adolescents, and adults
Matthews
TranscendED (Transformative Life Center)
Partial (PHP), IOP, Outpatient · Ages 11 and up · All genders
About eating disorder treatment in North Carolina
Specialty programs run at academic medical centers including the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders in Chapel Hill and the Duke Center for Eating Disorders in Durham, where The Emily Program's Stirrup Creek hospital also houses the only residential ARFID program for adults in the country. Charlotte adds The Renfrew Center and the HopeWay Eating Disorders Program. Most programs are in the Triangle and the Charlotte metro, with residential care also available in Asheville. The Triad, Eastern North Carolina, and the western counties outside Asheville have few or no in-person specialty options above outpatient, so families in those areas often rely on virtual care or travel for residential treatment.
Paying for treatment in North Carolina
Most commercial health plans in North Carolina cover eating disorder treatment as a mental health benefit, subject to your plan's usual deductible, copays, and prior-authorization requirements for higher levels of care. In-network coverage depends on whether your specific plan contracts with the program you are considering.(source)
North Carolina Medicaid, including its managed-care plans, covers eating disorder treatment as a mental health benefit, with prior authorization and medical-necessity review for higher levels of care. The UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders in Chapel Hill states that it accepts North Carolina Medicaid for inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient eating disorder care. Confirm acceptance with any other program directly, since participation varies.(source)
North Carolina's parity statute requires state-regulated group plans to cover treatment for an enumerated list of mental illnesses at parity with physical illness. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia are explicitly named. Binge eating disorder, ARFID, and OSFED aren't enumerated and rely on federal MHPAEA protection.(source)
To start a benefits verification, call to be connected with a licensed eating disorder program.
See also: our insurance guides, how to verify your benefits, and how virtual eating disorder treatment works.
Common questions about eating disorder treatment in North Carolina
Where can I get residential eating disorder treatment in North Carolina?
Residential care is concentrated at the Emily Program's Durham hospitals (formerly Veritas Collaborative): the RTP/Stirrup Creek site admits children, adolescents, and adults of all genders, and the Douglas Street site serves adults only. The RTP hospital houses the only residential ARFID program for adults in the United States. HopeWay in Charlotte and Hidden River Healing in Asheville also offer residential care, and Newport Academy in Charlotte runs a teen residential program with an eating disorder track.
Does North Carolina Medicaid cover eating disorder treatment?
Yes. North Carolina Medicaid covers eating disorder treatment. People with more serious mental health needs are usually enrolled in a plan designed for higher levels of care, which is the plan that matters most for residential or inpatient treatment. Standard plans cover outpatient and day-treatment levels. Which plan a person is enrolled in depends on the severity of their condition and any co-occurring mental health or substance use needs.
What about eating disorder treatment in Eastern NC, the Triad, or the western counties?
In-state specialty programs are mostly located in the Triangle (Durham and Chapel Hill), the Charlotte metro, and Asheville. The Triad (Winston-Salem and Greensboro), Eastern North Carolina (Greenville, Wilmington, the Outer Banks), and the western counties beyond Asheville have fewer in-person options. Families in those areas usually combine a virtual outpatient or intensive outpatient program licensed in North Carolina with travel to the Triangle, Charlotte, or Asheville for higher levels of care.
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Eating disorders we cover
Compiled by the EDrehab editorial team. Last reviewed: see each cited source for the underlying publication date.