The Lotus Collaborative's FAQ

Where are you located? What's your contact information?

Email: Tlc@thelotuscollaborative.com

The Lotus Collaborative is located in Santa Cruz 
and San Francisco CA at:
​
1610 Union Street, San Francisco, CA  94123  
Phone: (855) 852-4968    Fax: (415) 931-3739
                                                 
 603 Mission Street , Santa Cruz, CA 95060 
Phone: (855) 852-4968     Fax: (831) 600-7449     
  • Are you currently accepting new clients?
Yes, we are. Please contact us for more information.

  • How do I determine if The Lotus Collaborative is "in-network" with my insurance company?
The Lotus Collaborative is the only treatment facility in the Santa Cruz and the greater Monterey Bay areas offering intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization treatment for eating disorders and coexisting conditions.  Therefore, we often receive a case by case accommodation to be considered "in-network" with insurance companies that may not name us on their published list.  Anthem Insurance is a contracted insurance provider of treatment at The Lotus Collaborative. The Lotus Collaborative also holds a 99% success rate in obtaining coverage for their eating disorder clients from Blue Shield, Aetna, United Behavioral Health and Cigna.  Contact us with your insurance information so we can determine your rate of coverage for our services!     

  • Can I continue to work with my therapist or dietician while attending the IOP or PHP programs? 
Yes. The Lotus Collaborative honors relationships that clients have with their current treatment team. We welcome your team's input and will work to collaborate care so that you receive the best treatment possible. When doing discharge planning, we coordinate with your team to minimize the transition from PHP/IOP to outpatient.

  • How do I begin treatment at TLC?
The first step is to contact us! You are invited to call us at (831) 600-7103 or submit a contact request, or use our online booking to arrange a no cost admission consultation. We can help you determine the type of treatment appropriate for your needs. This consultation can be conducted in person or by phone. For more info on our admission and assessment process check out our Start Recovery
page.

  • How individualized is the program?
Our program exclusively provides individualized care. With a small number of clients, we work hard to address each client's individual needs. Each client meets with a therapist and a dietitian at least once a week for individual care. Clients and staff create weekly contracts to address each client's goals and progress. 

  • What is a typical day like?
You can refer to our IOP and PHP pages, under "our services"  for information on each specific program.
If you have any further questions, please give us a call. 
 

  • What percentage of your clients have anorexia nervous verses bulimia nervous? 
This varies at any given time.

  • How do you figure out how much a person needs to eat? And exercise?
Meal and exercise plans are determined on an individual basis taking into account a variety of factors including both psychological and physical concerns. Staff meet every Monday and review the week's treatment plan which includes meal, weight and exercise plan. We take into account a client's individual preferences and treatment needs. We work with clients to help them formulate their own treatment goals every Thursday. Together, we formulate goals and plans to meet a client where they are at. 

  • How do you deal with weight gain?
For clients that need to gain weight: Most treatment programs follow the American Psychiatric Association guidelines of 1-2 lbs. per week. Some clients can succeed with these guidelines, however we have found that not all of our clients can tolerate the APA rate of weight gain and do better when we proceed more slowly. Not all of our clients need to gain weight, but for those that do, we work out an individualized program. 

For clients that are at a healthy weight or overweight: We seek to stabilize one's eating patterns and heal a client's metabolism. Irregular eating (not eating, then overeating) can stunt an individual's metabolism which can lead to weight maintenance at a higher than usual weight and/or weight gain. Binge eating or compulsive overeating also lead to weight gain or individual's maintaining weight higher than their body's natural set-point. In these circumstances, we work to stabilize eating patterns, reduce rigid food rules, and work to incorporate typical binge food in a healthy, reasonable manner, instead of "over doing it". We find that stabilizing eating patterns increases one's metabolism and helps clients reach a natural set-point weight, one's natural weight.

  • Are bathroom visits supervised?
In the beginning, and as deemed necessary, clients are on an observation period after meals as this is usually the hardest time for clients.

  • How long do people usually stay?
We have a minimum treatment commitment of 30 days (1 month) but most clients stay somewhere between 3-6 months. 

  • What is your payment and cancellation policy?
Payments can be made with cash, check, or credit card at the time of your appointment. We ask for a credit card number to hold your initial consultation appointment time. If you do not show for your appointment or do not provide us with a 24-hour cancelation notice, we will charge your card. If you make the appointment, you will not be charged for the free consultation.

  • What is the cost of TLC's Intensive Outpatient (IOP) or Partial Hospitalization (PHP) Treatment Programs and are they covered by insurance?
The Lotus Collaborative works with most major insurance companies. The percentage of coverage depends on your individual plan.  We are happy to coordinate with your insurance company to determine your coverage for treatment.  When you call to schedule your initial consultation, we can collect your insurance information to determine your benefits. Some insurance plans have limitations or exclusions for the treatment of eating disorders or mental health issues. For clients that do not have insurance, we offer private-pay, sliding scale, and scholarship options. If you need to finance your treatment at The Lotus Collaborative, please go to www.mytreatmentlender.com/lotuscollaborative and they can provide you with the assistance you need to obtain a private treatment loan. 

  • What is the cost of individual therapy, nutrition counseling and group therapy?
Our individual sessions are fee for service, meaning you pay at the time of service. If you have mental health benefits through your health insurance, you may be reimbursed for all or part of the fee. Please call for current rates. We ask for a credit card to hold your appointment time. You will not be charged for the appointment if you need to reschedule and call 24-hours prior. Clients that are enrolled in our IOP or PHP programs, weekly individual therapy and individual nutrition counseling are included in the daily treatment day fee.
*please note these are average cost estimates. Costs may vary depending on level of financial need, skill level of therapist and length of group.

  • What information do you need to check my insurance benefits?
If you would like us to verify insurance benefits and coverage, please have the following information on hand when contacting us. You may also submit the information via email along with your inquiry of services to tlc@thelotuscollaboartive.com:
  • Policy Holder Information: Name on the policy, Current Address, Phone Number, SSN, DOB
  • Insured's Information:  Insured’s Name (if different from contact name), Insured Address, Insured Phone Number, Insured’s SSN, Insured’s DOB:
  • Address Associated with Insurance.
  • Name of Insurance
  • Mental Health/Behavioral Health Phone Number
  • Employer Name
  • Subscriber Number
  • Group Number
  • Financially Responsible Party and relationship
Copyright 2011. The Lotus Collaborative. All rights reserved
603  Mission Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060     
1610 Union Street, San Francisco CA, 94123