Facilitating Specialized Multifaceted Mental, Behavioral, and Physical Health Care: A Q&A With Thrive Wellness Reno Lead Case Manager Caleb Carter

Thrive • September 1, 2022

At Thrive Wellness Reno, a case manager serves as the main point of contact for clients in higher level of care treatment programs. By maintaining the flow of information between the client, their family, and their providers, a case manager works to advocate for the client and ensure the seamless integration of the client’s personalized treatment plan. Learn more about case management’s role in the treatment experience in this Q&A with Thrive Wellness Reno Lead Case Manager Caleb Carter.

What kinds of clients receive case management services at Thrive Wellness Reno?

Clients in our eating disorder treatment intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs and “It Takes A Village” perinatal day program have access to case management services. Within these programs, clients are cared for by an integrated treatment team that may include psychiatrists, therapists, registered dietitians, primary care providers, occupational therapists, mindful movement specialists, and more. Given the comprehensive nature of these programs, efficient communication channels are necessary to carry out collaborative, targeted client care, which is where case management comes in. 

What does case management involve?

While case managers aren’t necessarily clinicians, they are well-versed in all aspects of clients’ treatment. I like to call case managers “jacks of all trades,” which provides an invaluable extension to the various specialists on a client’s treatment team. 

At Thrive Wellness Reno, case managers: 

  • Advocate on behalf of clients: A case manager maintains clear channels of communication with the client and their family and relays pertinent information to the client’s care providers during weekly treatment team meetings. A case manager may also make suggestions to the client’s clinicians based on their knowledge of the client’s recovery progress. 
  • Guide clients and their families throughout the treatment process: A case manager walks the client and their family through each step of the program, recapping weekly treatment team meetings, offering context for clinical decisions, and ensuring they feel comfortable and confident about the care they’re receiving.
  • Collaborate with admissions representatives: A case manager works with the admissions representatives to ensure a client’s transition into treatment is seamless and welcoming. 
  • Coordinate clinical appointments: A case manager helps the client schedule internal appointments with their various clinical providers. 
  • Secure employment leave: A case manager may help the client obtain time off from work through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which requires employers to provide employees with job-protected, unpaid leave for family and medical reasons. 
  • Obtain a 504 plan for students: A case manager can also help secure approval for a 504 plan, which ensures a student receives appropriate accommodations at school based on their mental or behavioral health conditions and treatment needs. 
  • Explore financial aid options: A case manager may connect the client to possible financial aid avenues for funding their treatment if deemed appropriate based on their available insurance coverage.
  • Provide referrals: A case manager may help connect the client with other kinds of care to complement their treatment. 
  • Organize aftercare: Just as a case manager helps support the client’s admissions process, a case manager also ensures a client has outpatient care resources in place after completing treatment. 

Why is case management beneficial? 

Case managers have a unique vantage point, as we are involved in every element of clients’ treatment from their admission to their discharge. Throughout our regular interactions with clients, we are often able to investigate the sources of each client’s struggles and ensure their treatment meets them exactly where they are in their recovery. 

Additionally, a case manager supports the client’s family members who are often in a state of crisis and worried about the health of their loved one. Case managers keep parents and caregivers informed and updated, address any of their concerns, and offer encouragement and hope for their loved one’s healing. 

How does case management contribute to clients’ recovery?

Without case management, it would be difficult to facilitate integrated care that involves mental, behavioral, and physical health specialists. With the full perspective of the client’s treatment, a case manager can handle all the logistics on behalf of the client, guide them in overcoming any obstacles to healing, and help foster lasting recovery. 

Essentially, a case manager is committed to connecting and caring for all involved with one’s treatment experience and, ultimately, helping one navigate their unique healing journey.  

COMPREHENSIVE, COLLABORATIVE CARE AT THRIVE WELLNESS

Complex conditions such as eating disorders and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders require multifaceted treatment that addresses the mental, behavioral, and physical health elements of one’s journey to well-being. Thrive Wellness Reno’s case managers ensure that clients are enveloped by healing treatment in a way that promotes deep-rooted recovery. Reach out to learn more. 

While all Thrive Wellness locations offer interdisciplinary clinical teams who collaborate to treat eating disorders, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), and additional mental and behavioral health conditions, programs and services may vary by location.

About the Contributor

Thrive Wellness Reno Lead Case Manager Caleb Carter

Caleb Carter earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Louisiana State University Shreveport, then spent several years working in the nonprofit sector at The Hub Urban Ministries serving the most impoverished communities in Shreveport, Louisiana. During this time, he worked with the houseless population as well as victims of human trafficking. His mission-driven nature and aspirations then led him to the healthcare industry where he worked as a patient flow coordinator and discharge planner at Willis Knighton Health Systems, an acute hospital in northwest Louisiana. Before relocating to Reno, Nevada to join Thrive Wellness Reno, he also gained experience at Ascent Health Inc. as a wrap-around services facilitator.

At Thrive, Caleb is a lead case manager who works directly with clients and their families as they initiate and progress through eating disorder treatment. He enjoys advocating for clients and their loved ones along their journey to better health, supporting them through tough times, and ultimately celebrating their recovery. He is passionate about the holistic and integrated care that Thrive tailors to each individual client as well as the supportive and compassionate culture that the organization prides itself on.

Caleb has embraced his new life in Reno and enjoys exploring the western United States in his spare time.

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By Erin McGinty Fort, MS, MHA, CPC, LPC-S, CEDS-C December 18, 2025
Sometimes, people need more support, structure, and monitoring than the typical outpatient setting can provide. When this happens, the treatment team will usually recommend that someone be "stepped up" to a different level of care, or program, that can better meet their needs. I like to think of it as being similar to medication dosages; people need different strengths of medications, or dosages, to get better when they're sick. Stepping someone up to a higher level of care is like increasing the dosage of a medication to match the severity of their symptoms. How Are Higher Levels of Care Different from Standard Outpatient Care? At the core of differentiating higher levels of care from standard outpatient care is the intensity and structure of the treatment. Higher level of care programs tend to offer more days of treatment each week and more hours of treatment per day than in the outpatient setting. Those in higher level of care programs may also meet with their treatment team members more frequently each week. There are more staff present to support someone at or after meals and snacks, or to help those who are having urges to engage in compulsions or other harmful behaviors. Clients in our HLOC programs get access to an assortment of treatment modalities tailored to their individual needs, including personalized therapy sessions, group support, medication management, medical nutrition therapy with a dietitian, and check-ins with our primary care providers. We support clients with personalized treatment plans and regular assessments to monitor and tweak interventions as needed. Higher levels of care also offer increased peer interaction and support. Intensive programs incorporate additional group therapy sessions, which can help those in treatment feel less alone as well as create a greater sense of community. For some people, it can be difficult to devote the time and energy needed to recover while also balancing other responsibilities like school or work. Stepping up to more intensive levels of care allows people to fully dedicate themselves to recovery. As they get better and make progress, a person may be stepped back down to a less intensive level of care to start practicing their recovery in their usual home, school, or work settings while also receiving professional support from their treatment team. What Levels of Care are Available? At Thrive Wellness, we offer four different levels of care to help clients step up (or down) in their treatment when needed: -  Outpatient Treatment - weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly meetings with a therapist, psychiatrist, primary care provider, and/or dietitian. - Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) - A minimum of three hours per day, three days per week. - Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) - A minimum of six hours per day, five days per week. - Residential Treatment - Coming soon in 2026, The Greenhouse at Thrive will offer residential treatment for eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. This level of care offers 24-hour support for those aged 12-24 living in our residential treatment center. How To Decide Which Level of Care is Right for You If you're unsure which option is right for you or your loved one, we offer a free assessment that can be completed with our admissions team. In this initial assessment, we'll gather information from you about what you're struggling with, speak with our team of providers, and then make a recommendation for what level of care we feel is the best fit for you and your needs. If you’re experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder, anxiety disorder, or other behavioral or mental health challenges, don’t hesitate to reach out. To get started with our intake process, give us a call at 775-525-8103 or fill out this form . We can’t wait to help you Thrive.
December 2, 2025
Like the fir tree, a symbol of endurance rooted in hope, our Family Inclusive Recovery (FIR) approach reflects the strength that grows when families face challenges together. At our new residential center “The Greenhouse”, FIR is more than a treatment model, it’s a philosophy of healing that places families at the heart of recovery for adolescents and young adults navigating eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We believe lasting healing doesn’t happen in isolation; it’s built with the support of families through perseverance, hope, and compassionate care. What Is Family Inclusive Recovery (FIR)? Family Intensive Recovery (FIR) is a specialized and immersive approach that actively engages caregivers as central agents in their child’s healing process. Rather than seeing families as contributors to a problem, we view them as essential partners in recovery. Drawing from two evidence-based frameworks, Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) and Family-Based Treatment (FBT), FIR helps families cultivate resilience, confidence, and connection throughout the journey to recovery. Grounded in SPACE and FBT Through the SPACE model, parents learn how to recognize and reduce well-intentioned but unhelpful behaviors known as accommodations that can reinforce anxiety and OCD symptoms. By shifting from rescuing to supporting and challenging, parents develop the confidence to guide their child through discomfort, helping them build distress tolerance and self-trust. Simultaneously, Family-Based Treatment (FBT) empowers families to take an active, compassionate role in their child’s nutritional and emotional recovery. Parents learn how to support weight and nutritional restoration, disrupt the eating disorder’s patterns, and reestablish boundaries that promote health and growing autonomy. Together, these approaches strengthen both the individual and family system, allowing recovery to take root within an environment of empathy and optimism. From Blame to Collaboration A cornerstone of the FIR model is removing blame. At Thrive, parents are not viewed as the cause of their child’s struggles, but rather as key partners in recovery. Treatment focuses on joining forces to create a safe, supportive environment where: Families learn to sit with their child's discomfort alongside them without rushing to fix or control it. Parents practice compassionate firmness, setting boundaries grounded in care and safety. Teens and caregivers rebuild trust through open, honest communication. This collaborative framework helps families reestablish a sense of connection and confidence, fostering long-term resilience and open communication that extends beyond the treatment setting. Why Family Matters in Recovery Recovery from eating disorders, OCD, or anxiety isn’t a one-person job, it requires integrated care including the family. When families learn to navigate challenges together, they can model emotional regulation, reinforce healthy boundaries, and create conditions for sustained recovery. Through FIR, we aim to strengthen attachment bonds, reshape family interactions, and empower every member of the family to grow. The result is not only symptom reduction but also a deeper sense of unity, hope, and shared endurance, just like the steadfast fir tree that stands resilient through every season. Moving Toward Hope Family Inclusive Recovery invites caregivers and loved ones to become active participants in change. It’s a journey of learning, letting go, and leaning into love and acceptance. Together, families and clinicians can cultivate the courage in clients to face uncertainty, and in doing so, help them discover that recovery is not just possible, but enduring. If you’d like to learn more about Family Intensive Recovery at The Greenhouse or how we support families in eating disorder and OCD treatment, reach out to our team today.
November 14, 2025
The Greenhouse at Thrive Wellness A New Chapter of Hope and Healing in Nevada On Friday, November 14 , we gathered with our partners at Molina Healthcare to share an important moment for our community. Together, we celebrated Molina’s generous $50,000 grant , an investment that is helping bring The Greenhouse to life. Their support is not only a financial contribution—it’s a statement of belief in the young people and families of Nevada who deserve access to compassionate, evidence-based mental healthcare close to home. This gathering marked the beginning of something we’ve dreamed about for years: a place designed specifically for adolescents and emerging adults to receive the care, connection, and support they need during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Something New Is Growing In early 2026 , Thrive Wellness will open The Greenhouse , Nevada’s first residential treatment center devoted to adolescents and emerging adults navigating eating disorders, anxiety, and OCD . For too long, families have faced a heartbreaking dilemma—send their child far from home for treatment or go without the specialized care they need. The Greenhouse is our answer to that gap. It will be a place where young people can settle into an environment built for healing, where they are understood, supported, and surrounded by a team that believes in their capacity to recover. The Greenhouse represents a natural extension of our mission. It’s a living expression of our belief that recovery is possible—and that with the right support, families can find their footing again. 
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