Weight Management (COACH): Referral Directory

Why Children's Medical Center

  • The LEAN (Lifestyle, Exercise And Nutrition) Families Program is the first and only comprehensive pediatric weight management program in North Texas.
  • Children’s is the first and only hospital in the nation to receive disease-specific certification by The Joint Commission for Pediatric Obesity.
  • The program provides medical evaluation and support from experts in pediatric nutrition and childhood obesity.
  • The LEAN Families program teaches healthy lifestyle behaviors such as good nutrition and physical activity to the entire family. After completing the program, the patient and family are more likely to retain the healthy habits learned for the rest of their lives.

COACH Providers

Physicians
Nurse Practitioners
  • Marisa Frizell
  • Poonam Patel 
  • Jim Penn,   
  • Preethy Varghese 

 

The Team

Nurses
  • Catherine Gorman-Moore, RN
  • Brandi Blick, RN
Dietitians
  • Deborah Stern, RD, LD
Social Workers
  • Michelle Ferris, LCSW
  • Diane Klein, LCSW
Physical Therapists
  • Keely O'Dell
Trailblazers Class Facilitators
  • Debby Johnson, R.D., L.D., C.D.E.
  • Catherine Gorman-Moore, RN
COACH Patient Assitant Representatives 
  • Connie Quintero, MA 
  • Yvonne Rivera, MA

Description of services:

  • Family-focused, multidisciplinary weight management program for children with BMI > 85th percentile for age
  • Lifestyle modification, physical activity, and nutrition education provided in 12 weekly group sessions
  • Initial evaluation by multidisciplinary team to determine readiness and clinic follow-up upon completion of the program

Procedures performed or problems diagnosed and treated:

The program provides patients and their families intensive weight management therapy to support them in achieving and maintaining lifelong habits of good nutrition and healthy activities.

Information for referral sources:

Pre-participation clearance form (PDF)

Criteria for eligibility:

  • Ages 6-18 years and BMI > 85th percentile
  • Participation of at least one caregiver in program
  • Favorable score on Readiness to Change Questionnaire
  • Primary care physician exam and clearance for physical activity

Please provide the following when calling to schedule a patient for the program:

  • Patient name and date of birth
  • Current weight, height, and BMI
  • Any obesity related problems
  • Medication history