GREEN BAY, WIS. — Evolve Healing, host of the first eating disorder program in the Midwest, has officially closed as of Dec. 1.

A representative from Evolve Healing’s parent Company, Optum, said Evolve healing was shut down “in response to local market conditions.” The statement also alluded to more facility closures.

Evolve Healing opened only in 2020, bringing its eating disorder program to the De Pere, Wis. location. It had a full staff of counselors, dietitians, a leadership team and therapy animals.

The facility treated disorders ranging from anorexia to bulimia and binge eating disorders.

The program also offered partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs. All services were offered to both adults and children.

One reader of The Mining Journal, Christine McDow, is concerned about the impending closures of multiple eating disorder treatment facilities owned by a part of Optum called Refresh Mental Health.

“I am a survivor of an eating disorder and Cielo House treatment center helped save my life,” said her Change.org petition. “Cielo House is one of the 25 eating disorder treatment programs that Optum/United Healthcare Group plans to close. These treatment centers are not just buildings; they are lifelines.”

Concerning the Refresh Mental Health facilities and programs being cancelled, Optum representative Christine Hauser said, “We remain focused on increasing access to behavioral services as vital to deliver holistic, high-quality care and to advancing the integration of physical and behavioral health across our service to deliver more comprehensive, whole-person care.”

This exact statement made an appearance in multiple different articles concerning Optum’s clinics. Further attempts to learn more were unsuccessful.

McDow’s petition can be reached at Change.org under the name “Tell United Healthcare to Stop Closing Eating Disorder Treatment Centers.”