The 1st ANASA Day Centre represents the first fighting effort to provide specialised health care services for individuals suffering from Eating Disorders.

The Day Centre, which opened on October 10, 2008, offers diagnosis, treatment and counselling services to both the sufferers and families, via a multidisciplinary team of health professionals. No financial contribution is required on behalf of the patients. The Centre’s clinical team is composed of a psychiatrist, a child psychologist, a psychologist, a general practitioner, a dietician and an occupational therapist.

The Day Centre if funded for the first 12 months by the European Social Fund (80%) and the Greek Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity (20%) and passed that period the Day Centre is integrated within the National Budget for Health while it is also supported by funds of ANASA non-profit corporation.

The architectural study and construction of the 1st ANASA Day Centre are sponsored by KAROUZOS CONSTRUCTION.

Welcome Note from the Head of the Scientific Team of ANASA Day Centre

ANASA DAY CENTRE

DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT & SUPPORT OF INDIVIDUALS SUFFERING FROM EATING DISORDERS

The creation of the 1st ANASA Day Centre is based on the principles of Social Psychiatry and Community Care. The Centre’s primary aim is to form a specialized, yet integrated model of treatment and support for individuals suffering from Eating Disorders and their families.

The Day Centre is run as a multidisciplinary day care unit which offers multidimensional treatment services to patients with Eating Disorders, with the aim to provide diagnosis and treatment, promote social integration (or re-integration) and functional autonomy, support family members and educate the community.

To this end, the Centre has an Outpatient Unit (there is no inpatient unit), where patients undergo psychiatric evaluation/assessment and are examined by a general practitioner. Thereafter, patients are integrated into a psychosocial framework by means of therapeutic activities such as , psychotherapy (individual, family or group therapy), dietary counselling, psychoeducation, family support and social/professional promotion.

Patients (children, adolescents and adults) are referred to the Day Centre by various bodies (e.g. schools, hospitals) and family members, or on their own initiative.

The requirements that must be met for the patient’s participation in the Centre’s therapeutic activities are the following:

- The patient must be diagnosed with an Eating Disorder (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder)

- The patient does not require inpatient treatment and monitoring

- The patient does not suffer from other serious mental disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, substance abuse disorder).

- The patient consents to his/her participation in the therapeutic activities organised by the Day Centre.

The interdisciplinary approach is the main reference point of the activities organised by the Day Centre given that the complexity of Eating Disorders makes treatment almost impossible without the co-operation of the numerous health professionals (psychiatrist, child psychologist, general practitioner, dietician, occupation therapist etc.) who work in the Centre in order to provide an integrated treatment model.

ANASA Day Centre represents an important step towards the action to be taken in order to cater for the needs of a clinical population which is rather neglected in our country, the one of Eating Disorders. Our hope is that the Day Centre will become the cornerstone of a great edifice.

Dr. Eva Salaminiou BSc, MSc, PhD

Vice-President of ANASA

Head of Scientific Team of ANASA Day Centre