Intensive Outpatient Therapy: What It Is, Programs, And More

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Medical News TodaySubscribeWhat to know about intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and their uses

Medically reviewed by Jeffrey Ditzell, DO — Written by Caitlin Geng — Updated on March 1, 2023

What is it?
Uses
Finding a program
Vs. PHP
Summary

Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) or intensive outpatient therapy (IOT) is a structured psychological treatment program that takes place on an outpatient basis. It can help treat eating disorders, addiction, or other dependencies that do not require round-the-clock supervision.

When attending an IOP, a person will have regular scheduled therapy sessions but go home in between treatments. This is different from receiving inpatient therapy, where a person stays at a treatment center or hospital and remains under constant supervision.

This article describes what IOT is, including its uses, and how to find an IOT program. Read on to also learn about the differences between IOT and partial hospitalization programs.

What is IOT?

A person in therapy. — mediaphotos/Getty Images

IOT is a structured psychological treatment program that takes place on an outpatient basis. This means that between treatments, people are able to leave the treatment facility and go home.

People who typically benefit from IOT include those with certain mental health conditions and those with substance misuse issues.

Medical professionals consider IOT “intensive” due to the number of treatment hours involved. The therapy consists of at least 6 hours of treatment per week for adolescents and 9 hours of treatment per week for adults.

IOT often consists of several treatment components, including:

individual counseling
group therapies
psychiatric care
medication management
education about a person’s condition and its management
complementary therapies, such as yoga or art therapy

IOT may be beneficial for people who:

do not require detoxification
do not pose any danger to themselves or others
have a supportive home life
want or need to continue attending work, school, or other obligations during their treatment

Uses

IOT programs can be an important step in treating mental health disorders or substance misuse. According to a meta-analysis from 2014, IOT programs are often as effective as inpatient treatment programs for most people with alcohol or drug use disorders.

Some reasons a doctor or mental health professional may recommend IOT include:

trying to prevent the need for a higher level of care or 24-hour supervision
decreasing the risk of further deterioration in mental health or subsequent substance misuse
helping the person transition out of inpatient therapy
helping the person learn to recognize and manage early stage relapse
helping the person develop coping strategies
addressing ongoing issues related to emotional, social, and psychological well-being

IOT may not be the right option for a person who is at immediate risk of harming themselves or others. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), people who may benefit from this type of program include those who are:

able to verbally express their thoughts and feelings
motivated to participate in the program
motivated to work toward recovery
comfortable in group therapy settings
able to learn and apply skills learned in therapy
not in need of detox
not in need of 24-hour supervision for their condition

How to find an IOT program near me

A person can find an IOT program near them using a treatment locator, such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) treatment locator.

Other useful services for support and treatment include:

NAMI
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255)
Mental Health America
American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry
Faces & Voices of Recovery
Partnership at Drugfree.org
American Society of Addiction Medicine
National Institute on Drug Abuse’s National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

IOT vs. PHP

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is another type of structured outpatient program that is very similar to IOT. However, whereas IOT consists of between 6 and 9 hours of treatment per week, a PHP consists of at least 20 hours of treatment per week.

A person undergoing PHP treatment is under supervision for most of their time in treatment, typically spending their days in care and their nights at home.

Medical professionals initially designed PHP to treat people with mental health conditions. However, treatment centers for substance use have since incorporated PHP into their rehabilitation programs.

People typically enter into PHP following inpatient treatment or detoxification. Following PHP, a person may progress to IOT. This may happen if a person’s symptoms are manageable, but they continue to require some form of structure and support.

Summary

IOT is a structured program of psychological therapy that takes place on an outpatient basis. Such programs may be beneficial for people who require intensive psychological treatment but do not require round-the-clock supervision. This may include people with certain mental health disorders or substance misuse issues.

Typically, IOT consists of individual or group therapy, medication management, and education about the person’s condition and its management. A person undergoing IOT will receive between 6 and 9 hours of treatment per week, depending on their age.

IOT helps people understand and manage their condition while continuing to attend work, school, and other important obligations. People can use the SAMHSA treatment locator to find a local IOT program.

Eating Disorders
Mental Health
Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Primary Care
Psychology / Psychiatry

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

DeGraba, T. J., et al. (2021). Efficacy of an interdisciplinary intensive outpatient program in treating combat-related traumatic brain injury and psychological health conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2020.580182/full
Gouse, H., et al. (2016). Implementation of cognitive-behavioral substance abuse treatment in sub-Saharan Africa: treatment engagement and abstinence at treatment exit.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0147900
Jaspan, J. (2020). The value of structured outpatient treatment.https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/April-2020/The-Value-of-Structured-Outpatient-Treatment
McCarty, D., et al. (2014). Substance abuse intensive outpatient programs: Assessing the evidence.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4152944/
Other drugs. (2021).https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/deaths/other-drugs.html
Principles of drug addiction treatment: A research-based guide (third edition). (2018).https://nida.nih.gov/download/675/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition.pdf?v=74dad603627bab89b93193918330c223
Simpson, C. C., et al. (2021). Predictors of stepping up to higher level of care among eating disorder patients in a partial hospitalization program.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8336564/

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Medically reviewed by Jeffrey Ditzell, DO — Written by Caitlin Geng — Updated on March 1, 2023

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