What to Expect in an Intensive Outpatient Program

When it’s time to get help from professionals to overcome an addiction to drugs or alcohol, people have several important decisions to make about their treatment options and how to get the help they need. Residential or inpatient addiction treatment can be a lifeline for many patients who need 24/7 supervision and monitoring as they get over their addiction and start their new lives of recovery.

However, many people benefit from more flexible treatment options that don’t require living in a drug and alcohol rehab facility. For many, outpatient addiction treatment is the best fit for them to get the help they need while still being able to live at home and keep up with their responsibilities at work, school, or home. Resurgence Behavioral Health in Riverside, California, offers several outpatient services, including an intensive outpatient treatment program, or IOP.

But what exactly is an IOP, and what can you expect if you’re about to begin getting help in an intensive outpatient program? Let’s explore the basics of this form of addiction treatment, its goals, and what you can expect.

What Are the Goals of an Intensive Outpatient Program?

Before we get to the goals of an intensive outpatient treatment program, let’s look at how an IOP fits in the spectrum of addiction treatment programs. A 2006 publication from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says the American Society of Addiction Medicine considers addiction treatment as falling into five levels of intensity:

1. Early intervention services
2. Outpatient treatment
3. Intensive outpatient or partial hospitalization programs (PHPs)
4. Residential or inpatient services
5. Medically managed intensive inpatient services

According to a 2014 article in the Psychiatric Services journal, intensive outpatient programs provide direct services to people with substance use disorders as well as co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders who don’t need medical detox or 24-hour supervision and monitoring. Services tend to include several hours of structured programming each week, such as individual and group therapy, family therapy, and educational components, to learn more about triggers and how to respond to challenges without turning to drugs or alcohol.

The overall goals of an IOP are to teach patients skills to avoid relapsing, coping skills, and establishing a support system. At the same time, an IOP will focus on helping patients address their problems with addiction and mental health and learn how to be healthier and happier without substances.

How Long Are Most IOP Programs?

The length of an IOP will vary considerably because any addiction treatment plan needs to be personalized to meet the unique needs of each patient. However, IOPs generally last 90 days or longer, with patients coming to an addiction treatment facility for several hours of therapy and educational services several days each week.

SAMHSA says an IOP rehab for addiction can be an entry point into drug or alcohol addiction treatment, but it can also be a “stepdown” level of care, such as someone who has completed an inpatient or residential program who starts an IOP for ongoing support as they are newly in recovery. Additionally, some people will end up in an IOP after first unsuccessfully trying a less intensive form of substance use treatment, such as a less rigid outpatient treatment program.

Can You Work While in IOP?

One of the most significant advantages of an IOP is that patients can get the regular, ongoing help and support they need while still maintaining their daily lives outside of treatment. That’s why many patients benefit from the structure of an intensive outpatient program while keeping their jobs, maintaining their educational programs, or caring for their children and spouses at home.

Generally, you will be able to keep working while in an IOP, and many patients continue working full-time while they’re in this kind of addiction treatment program. You can get the help you need without sacrificing your commitment to a job, internship, or college classes – all while continuing to live at home, with no need to move into a treatment center.

In America, various legal protections ensure you can get help without repercussions at work. For example, the Family Medical Leave Act, or FMLA, says people with medical conditions can take a paid or unpaid leave from work and be guaranteed to keep their job. FMLA would apply to someone with a diagnosis of substance use disorder, enabling someone struggling with addiction to enter a treatment program without losing their job.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights says the Americans with Disabilities Act (ACT) also could apply in the case of someone with an addiction as they get professional treatment. The ADA requires employers to provide “reasonable accommodations” to qualified workers with a disability, such as a medical issue. Generally, the ADA offers protection to employees who need to have a modified work schedule so they can attend support group meetings or treatment, including an intensive outpatient treatment program.

What to Expect From Intensive Outpatient Treatment for Substance Abuse

If you or a loved one is going to start an intensive outpatient treatment program, you’re likely wondering what you can expect. As we previously said, IOPs generally involve coming to an addiction treatment facility like Resurgence Behavioral Health for several hours at a time, three to five days per week.

During your treatment, you will receive individual therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, that aims to help patients identify flawed or unhealthy responses to and perceptions of the world and develop healthier ways of behaving and thinking to cause less distress and avoid using alcohol or drugs. Group therapy is another common element of an IOP program.

Additionally, you’ll receive specialized educational training to learn how to avoid relapsing, develop better coping skills, and strengthen your support systems so you have the support and assistance you need for your new life in recovery. During your treatment program, our team of experts will closely monitor your progress and ensure the help you’re getting is providing exactly what you need to best deal with your former addiction issues and make you stronger and healthier.

Resurgence Can Help With Our Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program

For many people, an intensive outpatient treatment program offers the best mix of intensive treatment and regular support while also ensuring flexibility and the ability to remain living at home and keep their jobs. Resurgence Behavioral Health offers an effective, supportive IOP option for its patients who are getting help with drug or alcohol addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Our rehab center has a full range of treatment programs, including inpatient services, partial hospitalization programs, addiction aftercare services, and much more. Each patient has unique needs for treatment, and our team will work with you to come up with the best treatment plan. Help is available and it’s important to take the first step toward your better future today. Get started by calling us at 855-458-0050.

External Source

• National Library of Medicine – Intensive Outpatient Treatment and the Continuum of Care
• National Library of Medicine – Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Programs: Assessing the Evidence
• U.S. Commission on Civil Rights – Sharing the Dream: Is the ADA Accommodating All?

David Rofofsky
After growing up in New York, David chose to get help with substance abuse in California because of the state's reputation for top-tier treatment. There, he found the treatment he needed to achieve more than nine years of recovery. He's been in the drug and alcohol addiction rehab industry for eight years and now serves as the Director of Admissions for Resurgence Behavioral Health. David remains passionate about the field because he understands how hard it is to pick up the phone and ask for help. However, once the call is made, someone's life can be saved.

Research | Editorial