Bold headline: The missing link in the fight against eating disorders is a residential clinic right here in WA, and the wait is taking a painful toll on families. But here’s where it gets controversial: without a dedicated home for intensive, long-term care, too many patients cycle between hospitals and relapses, never getting the full support they need.
Eating disorder advocate Deanne De-Meer Brown recalls one of the darkest moments supporting her daughter through treatment: a moment her family feared the worst, wondering, Is this all there is? When her daughter was an inpatient at Perth Children’s Hospital, the couple wondered if the care available could truly carry them through recovery. Since then, the state has seen new community clinics and expanded services, including a clinic opening near Mandurah next month. Yet a critical gap remains—the absence of a residential eating disorder clinic.
Jordynn Brown, now 19, describes her treatment as a perpetual cycle from age 13 to 17: hospital stays, relapse, readmission. Hospital care, she says, focused largely on stabilizing her body, not teaching her the mental tools to cope with the changes she experienced.
“By sending me home and not helping me cope with the new body, I hadn’t made any mental progress,” she explains. “That led to relapse and readmission, and the cycle continued.”
Last year, the family chose to send Jordynn to one of Australia’s few residential clinics in Queensland, a move that required significant personal sacrifice and funding. De-Meer Brown describes the experience as heart-wrenching: leaving family behind, traveling far from home, and facing three months of intensive care. Still, they say the effort paid off, with shared meals, grocery trips, and regular, supervised eating routines—activities they believe are foundational to lasting change.
From their perspective, Western Australia’s planning for a residential service has been painfully slow. The delay is, in part, a political story. In 2019, federal funding was allotted for six clinics nationwide, including $4 million for WA. By 2023, WA was the lone state without a plan or building progress under that program. State officials argued the money was insufficient and that consultation hadn’t occurred before distribution. The funds were redirected toward Peel region service expansion, and the Kara Maar Specialist Community Eating Disorder Service is now preparing to welcome its first patients next month.
Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey emphasizes the clinic’s design: a setting that feels safe and far from the hospital, adjacent to a shopping center to help people stay engaged with the community. Peel Mental Health Services notes the aim is to keep people out of ED and inpatient units, with a pathway back into supportive care after treatment. Jordynn hopes to experience a similar outcome when the residential option becomes available.
Health Minister Meredith Hammat reiterates a broader approach: outpatient services, outreach, family support, and, importantly, residential facilities as part of a comprehensive system. The state budget committed $5 million for planning last year, with ongoing work led by the Mental Health Commission. Yet she stops short of a timeline for opening a residential facility, saying the process must unfold carefully.
Opposition voices criticize the delay as unacceptable for WA families who currently must seek intensive care interstate. They highlight that eating disorders are among the most preventable yet deadly mental health conditions, underscoring the need for timely, localized options.
Until a WA residential clinic is available, families like Jordynn’s must rely on a team of professionals—recovery coaches, psychologists, GPs, and dieticians—to guide recovery. They also ask the government to clarify who is advising policy decisions, and why the state seems unable to provide a locally accessible option in a timely manner. The core question remains: when will Western Australia finally offer a residential facility that truly supports long-term recovery for those battling eating disorders?
