An intensive outpatient program (IOP), also known as an intensive outpatient treatment (IOT) program, is a structured non-residential psychological treatment program which addresses
mental health disorders
The ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition'' (DSM-5), is the 2013 update to the '' Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'', the taxonomic and diagnostic tool published by the American Psychiatri ...
and
substance use disorders (SUDs) that do not require
detoxification
Detoxification or detoxication (detox for short) is the physiological or medicinal removal of toxic substances from a living organism, including the human body, which is mainly carried out by the liver. Additionally, it can refer to the period of ...
through a combination of
group-based psychotherapy,
individual psychotherapy, family counseling, educational groups, and strategies for encouraging motivation and engagement in treatment. IOP operates on a small scale and does not require the intensive
residential
A residential area is a land used in which housing predominates, as opposed to industrial and commercial areas.
Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include single-family housing, multi-family residen ...
or
partial day services typically offered by the larger, more comprehensive treatment facilities.
The typical IOP program offers group therapy and generally facilitates 6-30 hours a week of programming for addiction treatment.
IOP allows the individual to be able to participate in their daily affairs, such as work, and then participate in treatment at an appropriate facility in the morning or at the end of the day. With an IOP, classes, sessions, meetings, and workshops are scheduled throughout the day, and individuals are expected to adhere to the strict structure of the program. Online IOP has been shown to be effective as well.
The typical IOP program encourages active participation in
12-step programs
Twelve-step programs are international mutual aid programs supporting recovery from substance addictions, behavioral addictions and compulsions. Developed in the 1930s, the first twelve-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), aided its members ...
in addition to IOP participation. IOP can be more effective than individual therapy for chemical dependency.
IOP is also used by some
HMO
In the United States, a health maintenance organization (HMO) is a medical insurance group that provides health services for a fixed annual fee. It is an organization that provides or arranges managed care for health insurance, self-funded heal ...
s as
transitional treatment for patients just released from treatment in a
psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...
or upon discharge from a
residential treatment program
A residential treatment center (RTC), sometimes called a rehab, is a live-in health care facility providing therapy for substance use disorders, mental illness, or other behavioral problems. Residential treatment may be considered the "last-ditch ...
.
See also
*
Partial hospitalization
Partial hospitalization, also known as PHP (partial hospitalization program), is a type of program used to treat mental illness and substance abuse. In partial hospitalization, the patient continues to reside at home, but commutes to a treatment ...
(PHP)
References
{{reflist
Treatment of mental disorders
Addiction psychiatry