FREEDcan: an integrated early intervention for eating disorders care model for community and primary care settings in Canada

BACKGROUND: Early intervention for eating disorders (EDs) models and services is not formalized in Canada, despite increasing demand for care and well-established clinical, social, and economic benefits of intervening early. PURPOSE: FREEDcan (First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders-Canada) introduces a community-based model to improve early identification, initial response, and access to evidence-based interventions for young people aged 8-25 years with early-stage EDs. METHODS: FREEDcan was co-adapted from the United Kingdom's evidence-based FREED model for the Canadian context with a multi-partner advisory group of clinicians, community organizations, youth and family advisors, researchers, and an implementation science team. It has three pillars: early identification, initial response, and evidence-based interventions for early-stage EDs. Implementation is supported by intersectoral partnerships, community-driven adaptation, and integrated workforce expansion to build capacity and facilitate sustainable, integrated early intervention. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES: From a service perspective, FREEDcan aims to improve early detection of EDs, reduce duration of untreated illness through rapid, low-barrier responses, and increase access to stage-appropriate interventions. Additional implementation-based outcomes are anticipated, including evidence for core components, costs, and adaptations relevant to scaling this model in diverse regions across Canada. CONCLUSIONS: FREEDcan has the potential to provide an accessible, youth-centered, developmentally appropriate approach to early ED care within a collaborative, community-driven, integrated care framework. Using a learning health systems approach, it strives for continuous evaluation to support real-time learning, opportunities for model improvement, and evidence-generation for a new integrated model of care for early-stage ED care for young people in Canada.