Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHistoryTypesHow to Find an IOPWhat to Expect in an IOPModalities

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

History

Types

How to Find an IOP

What to Expect in an IOP

Modalities

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An IOP (intensive outpatient program) is a type of mental healthcare that is considered one step up from traditional outpatient therapy where you see a therapist once or maybe twice a week in their office. An IOP is a program where you will likely be in therapy (both group and individual) somewhere between two to three hours a day, three to five days a week.

IOPs are considered a higher level of care on a spectrum that also includes:

There are two ways that IOPs are used. One is when a person is potentially at risk forhospitalizationand regular outpatient therapy doesn’t seem to be enough.

The other way is what’s known as a step-down from a higher level of care, such as inpatient acute care or inpatient residential. IOPs are used as a step-down to help someone transition from inpatient treatment back to their regular lives.

Press Play for Advice On What to Do When Therapy Isn’t EnoughThis episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring life coach Mike Bayer, shares other treatment options if you find that therapy isn’t enough. Click below to listen now.

Press Play for Advice On What to Do When Therapy Isn’t Enough

This episode ofThe Verywell Mind Podcast, featuring life coach Mike Bayer, shares other treatment options if you find that therapy isn’t enough. Click below to listen now.

History Of Intensive Outpatient Programs

IOPs rose to popularity in the 1980s, as many White, middle-class working professionals were dealing with cocaine addiction and did not want to have to take time off of work.IOPs, which sometimes take place in the mornings or the evenings, may allow individuals to still keep up with their professional responsibilities and maintain their income.

In the 1990s, as managed care (healthcare designed to keep costs low) grew, so did IOPs. More than just White businesspeople, the populations served expanded to include everyone from those with moderate mental health or substance issues to unhoused individuals to adolescents and those withdual diagnoses.

Data from the latest National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services shows a dramatic increase in the number of IOPs from 2010 through 2020, with nearly 3,000 more facilities (16,000 in total) eligible for inclusion. The number of clients served also rose from 1.2 million per year in 2010 to 1.4 million per year in 2019.

Types of IOPs

Though IOPs originated as a treatment forsubstance use disorders, they are now used for several different kinds of conditions that may require more attention than is possible in once-weekly therapy. Some different kinds of IOPs may include:

While you can search online for IOP centers in your area, it’s best to get a personal recommendation if you can. You may also be able to get a recommendation from yourtherapistorpsychiatristif you see one, or perhaps your primary care doctor or other healthcare provider can give you a referral.

The United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMSHA) also hosts a behavioral health care service locator on itswebsite. As these programs are a significant investment of time and money, you should take your time to do your research and talk to several different programs. Most programs will do an intake call with you to see if this is a good fit.

Here are some questions you might want to ask:

Intensive outpatient programs are called that because they are, well, intensive. Treatment typically involves three to four hours of therapy per day for three to five days a week, for a duration of about four to six weeks.

The sessions will usually consist of a combination of individual and group therapy to help individuals better cope with any emotional or behavioral issue they may be facing. If you are on any psychiatric medications, you will likely be meeting with a psychiatrist for medication management and assessment.

Some IOPs may help you connect with adjunct or alternative therapies, such asTranscranial Magnetic Stimulation,ketamine infusions, orEMDR. Other therapies that may be used includeequine therapyoryoga therapy.

What Is Group Therapy?

Depending on what brings you to an IOP, or depending on the individual IOP, the type or modality of treatment may vary, but what follows are some of the most common ones.

12-Step Facilitation

Though the 12-step model was originally developed forAlcoholics Anonymous, the approach is also used for people with drug misuse, eating disorders, and other compulsive disorders. When the 12-step model is used in an IOP or similar setting, people will begin working through the steps under therapeutic supervision.

A major advantage to these types of programs is the ease of ongoing support for individuals through their ability to attend AA meetings in the community afterward, continuing their work from the IOP.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) is based on the idea of giving people coping skills when confronted with triggers, as well as on helping reframe cognitive distortions that lead to those behaviors that are maladaptive, unhelpful, or harmful. CBT is a particularly good match for intensive outpatient programs because people are still in their normal situations and so can test out the new skills right away.

Motivational Approaches

Approaches such asmotivational interviewingormotivational enhancement therapyare designed to discover someone’s ambivalence towards treatment and help them change their behaviors.

The therapy is kind—acknowledging that substances or behaviors had served some purpose for the client at some point in their lives—but also directive, using strong encouragement to confront one’s behaviors that are not aligned with their desired outcomes or values.

Therapeutic Community

The idea of a therapeutic community is derived from residential substance use treatment. However, some programs also use them for IOPs, especially as a step down from residential. Their approach is “community as method,” using any social interaction as a way to guide change and help people find better skills once they are back in their original community.

Matrix Model

The Matrix Model was founded in the 1980s to address the widespread cocaine and stimulant problems at the time. It integrates several different approaches, including CBT, 12-step, and motivational enhancement to target change. The full program is 16 weeks and combines individual sessions withpsychoeducationalsessions, relapse prevention sessions, and family and social support groups.

An Overview of Stimulants and How They’re Used

Community Reinforcement and Contingency Management Approaches

A Word From Verywell

If you think you or a loved one could benefit from an IOP-style treatment program, talk to your healthcare provider about the available options and how to get started.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Abuse NI on D.Types of treatment programs. National Institute on Drug Abuse.National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS): 2020. Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities.

2 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Abuse NI on D.Types of treatment programs. National Institute on Drug Abuse.National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS): 2020. Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Abuse NI on D.Types of treatment programs. National Institute on Drug Abuse.National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS): 2020. Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities.

Abuse NI on D.Types of treatment programs. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS): 2020. Data on Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities.

Hannah Owens, LMSW

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