eating disorders ,” she says . “ I provide outreach to clinicians in West Virginia and across the nation through consultation and trainings . I also remain in contact with elected officials and other people in decision-making positions to encourage fair and equitable access to necessary care for our patients .”
One of the most fulfilling parts of her job is mentoring colleagues within the WVU School of Medicine campus and the CAMC Institute of Academic Medicine and teaching others how to provide the best possible health care .
“ Mentoring and teaching are very rich and important areas of my career ,” she says . “ I have the privilege of meeting with medical students before they even begin to practice independently , offering them important insights to ensure they are best prepared to address patients with behavioral health conditions in their career .”
Luzier serves as the associate editor for The Specialist publication of the American Board of Professional Psychology and holds volunteer positions with the Academy for Eating Disorders and the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals . She was also the former president and state government affairs chair with the West Virginia Psychological Association ( WVPA ).
For influencing how society views and treats mental health disorders , Luzier has been awarded the WVPA / American Psychological Association ( APA ) Citizen Psychologist Award for her outreach and clinical work in the DECC program ; the APA Karl Heiser Award for Advocacy ; and was named a Fellow of the APA in 2022 .
Motivated by the desire to see her patients thrive , Luzier continues to fight for a brighter future for health care in the Mountain State .
“ The patients and families I treat are so special to me ,” she says . “ I love the culture in West Virginia , and I have so much hope for our future .” •
Disordered Eating Center of Charleston
Launched in the summer of 2010 by Jess Luzier , Ph . D ., ABPP , CEDS-S , and Stephen Sondike , M . D ., FAAP , FSAHM , the Disordered Eating Center of Charleston ( DECC ) is an interprofessional outpatient treatment program for both children and adults with eating and feeding disorders .
“ Within a year of DECC ’ s inception , I broadened my career focus to not only provide the very best care to people who are impacted by eating disorders but also to train as many providers as possible in the specialized , best-practice , evidence-based treatments that give our patients the greatest chance of recovering ,” says Luzier . “ I did this by creating a network of providers , managing a free listserv and chairing an annual conference for clinicians of all types . I also doubled down on my commitment to advocate for our patients at the state and national level
to ensure that insurance barriers did not prevent them from accessing the treatment they need .”
Team members of the DECC include psychologists , social workers , physicians and a registered dietitian . In order to provide the best care , the team meets weekly to discuss patient progress and review current research on the best , evidence-based treatments for clinical eating disorders .
Over the last decade , they have provided outreach to schools , teachers and clinicians in training . Luzier has also hosted workshops on disordered eating for local educators and clinicians to raise awareness of the urgency of this problem in the Mountain State .
For the DECC , spreading awareness surrounding eating disorders and committing to preventing them are top priorities .
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