If you’ve been looking into addiction treatment options for yourself or a loved one, you may have come across the term IOP. Maybe you googled “IOP meaning” or wondered out loud “what does IOP mean?”. We’re here to answer your questions.
IOP stands for intensive outpatient program. It is also known as intensive outpatient treatment. Both names refer to a program of treatment that may be recommended for people who are struggling with a range of problems including drug or alcohol addiction. An IOP program may also be used for eating disorders and depression.
IOP programs may be appropriate for people who don’t need medically supervised detox. They can help individuals who have successfully detoxed and need part-time intensive treatment that accommodates work or family life. For some people, intensive outpatient therapy helps them to transition from the immersion of inpatient treatment to a less-structured life with their families.
Who Should Enroll in IOP’s?
Addiction treatment professionals recommend a specific type of treatment based on several factors including the severity of the individual’s addiction, whether they have other mental health issues, and if they have a safe and stable home environment.
One of the benefits of IOP treatment is that it allows individuals to continue living normal lives. In contrast with residential treatment programs that require people to live on-site, individuals in IOP programs typically remain at home. Some opt to live in a sober living facility. This can be ideal for people who can’t feasibly join a residential treatment program or those who still need some structure after inpatient therapy. This semi-structured approach helps to reduce the risk of relapse.
Residential treatment is the most immersive form of addiction treatment there is. Participants spend the majority of the day in structured activities and these programs are very successful for many people struggling with addiction. However, inpatient treatment isn’t right for everyone. Some people have to care for children or continue to work and they can’t enter full-time care for an extended period. For these individuals, intensive outpatient treatment still allows them to access high-quality professional care.
The ideal IOP patient has a safe home environment with supportive relatives and friends who are willing to help them during their recovery. A person who lives with people who drink or use drugs is usually better off in a residential program. This is because being surrounded by addictive substances can be a trigger for relapse.
IOPs are not usually recommended for people who have severe addictions or multiple mental health issues. These individuals generally require the round-the-clock supervision and immersive treatment that inpatient programs offer.
Outpatient treatment is also not ideal for individuals who:
- Are not yet strongly motivated to recover from their addiction
- Have medical conditions that need to be addressed prior to addiction treatment
- Have an eating disorder and require help with eating meals
If you’re unsure about what’s best for you, reach out to an addiction treatment facility for a professional assessment.
Features of IOP Programs
IOP programs vary from one facility to another. However, participants usually undergo 9 to 12 hours of group and individual therapy each week. They typically visit a facility three to four times per week for three-hour sessions and they are often encouraged to join a 12-step program. Some intensive outpatient programs require up to 20 hours of therapy per week. This time commitment is necessary because IOP therapy offers more intensive care than standard outpatient programs.
Let’s look at some of the types of treatment you’re likely to encounter.
Group Therapy
Group therapy is often at the center of most IOPs and research shows that it can be equally as effective as individual therapy in the treatment of addiction. Group participation helps individuals in several ways including:
- Providing them with access to people in similar situations who can provide comfort, support, and feedback.
- Providing a safe space and reinforcing healthy ways of interacting with others
- Giving them an opportunity to improve their communication skills and enjoy new ways to socialize. This is important since many people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol are accustomed to spending time with others who used addictive substances.
- Allowing them to interact with empathetic individuals who are farther along in their recovery
- Giving them a forum to get important information from therapists and group leaders while learning new skills and receiving guidance.
- Providing them an opportunity to see positive behaviors and practice new ways of dealing with addiction.
Types of Group Therapy Sessions
Group sessions can take several different forms and they address many of the skills that participants need to recover from their addiction. For example, psychoeducational groups offer emotional support, and participants learn about drug and alcohol dependence and addiction as well as the consequences of substance abuse. Psychoeducational groups often help individuals to strengthen their problem-solving skills and change ineffective or harmful belief systems.
Meanwhile, skills development groups provide an opportunity for clients to practice certain behaviors in a safe and supportive environment. Some IOP group therapy sessions are centered around refusal training. Clients engage in role-playing exercises where they practice how they will respond to invitations to use the substance to which they are addicted.
Group therapy can also focus on relapse prevention. This helps participants to identify high-risk situations and triggers for substance abuse. They then develop a variety of techniques to avoid and manage these situations and triggers.
Sometimes, the person in recovery can have their family join them in therapy. These sessions focus on how each party can support the other. Participants learn about how addiction affects relationships and how those challenges can be addressed.
Individual Therapy
While a lot of time will be spent in group therapy, people in intensive outpatient programs usually participate in individual therapy as well. These sessions focus on the key problems that individuals experience because of their drug or alcohol abuse and their attempts not to drink or use drugs. In individual therapy, individuals tend to spend more time on their personal problems and they go deeper into the work they do in group sessions.
Some people find it hard to open up fully in group sessions and individual therapy allows them to be more vulnerable. In IOP counseling, individual therapy sessions occur on a weekly basis or even more often early in the treatment process. What happens in therapy will vary depending on the individual’s needs.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Many people benefit from cognitive-behavioral therapy in which they learn to identify their triggers for substance abuse and develop the skills to manage these triggers. CBT is based on the belief that thoughts and behaviors are learned and they can be changed.
Motivational Interviewing
Therapists may also use motivational interviewing to help clients who are reluctant to participate in treatment. Some people go to treatment at the insistence of the court or a family member but they aren’t yet committed to recovering. In the motivational interviewing approach, the therapist helps the individual to understand why they are hesitant about engaging in treatment and they assist them with working through that hesitation. The client is encouraged to reflect on how drugs or alcohol are preventing them from reaching their goals and they learn that they’re responsible for developing new habits.
The Matrix Model
Another modality that may be used is the Matrix Model which draws on CBT, motivational interviewing, and the 12-Steps model of addiction treatment. This model is used with people who are addicted to cocaine, amphetamines, or other stimulants. it is based around:
- Building a more robust relationship between the therapist and the client
- Teaching the client how to manage their time well
- Engaging in relapse prevention techniques
- Participating in peer support groups
Complementary Therapies
Many facilities offer alternative therapies in addition to the more traditional treatment modalities. Complementary therapies include art therapy, equine-assisted therapy, and music therapy. For individuals who find it hard to talk about their feelings, these therapies offer non-verbal ways for them to heal. Alternative therapies tend to be provided in group settings.
Support Groups
Individuals participating in intensive outpatient therapy are often urged to participate in peer support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Other addiction treatment facilities that offer IOPs also host 12-step meetings on-site to make it easy for clients to participate. Many people continue to attend these meetings even when they are no longer in formal treatment. Since addiction is a chronic disease, recovery requires some type of ongoing support.
Medication Management
In some cases, addictions can best be treated with medication along with therapy and psychosocial support. Medication can reduce cravings, block the usual effects of substances, or treat mental health problems that play a role in substance abuse. Medical professionals may also prescribe to treat physical problems caused by addiction. This is important since heavy or long-term drug or alcohol can harm virtually any part of the body.
Drug Testing
In addition to all the treatments you will have access to, it’s likely that you’ll have to undergo drug tests. Each facility has its own rules. Some test individuals in intensive outpatient programs twice or three times per week while others do it once per week. Others offer random testing instead of sticking to a schedule.
You may be wondering why you must undergo testing when you’ve enrolled in treatment. However, drug testing is a normal part of treatment and it is not a sign that the people in charge want to catch you slipping up. Instead, it’s because they want to make sure that everyone is following the rules. It is also intended to protect participants who are clean from people who are using drugs. In addition, a positive drug test indicates that a person in an IOP treatment program may need more immersive treatment.
IOP vs. PHP vs. Outpatient Care
Now that you know a bit more about IOP treatment, let’s compare it to two other common types of treatment programs: partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) and outpatient programs (OPs). One offers care that’s a step up from an IOP and the other provides treatment that’s essentially a step down from IOP.
A PHP or day program provides the most in-depth treatment an individual can receive without staying in a facility overnight. A person who is partially hospitalized is medically monitored while in treatment and they take part in a range of therapies. However, they go home at the end of the day. This enables them to get intensive care while having a life outside of the treatment facility.
Where PHPs and IOPs differ is in the amount of time patients spend in treatment. An IOP is less time-consuming than PHP with the latter requiring four to six hours per day for three to five days each week. A partial hospitalization program can last anywhere from several weeks to a few months depending on the individual’s needs.
Meanwhile, a standard outpatient program may involve just one individual therapy session and one group therapy session each week. This type of care is best for people with mild addictions or those who have successfully completed a more highly structured program.
People with more profound addictions achieve the best results when they follow a full continuum of care that includes inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient treatment, and standard outpatient care.
What Happens After IOP Treatment
After completing an intensive outpatient program, patients meet with their therapists to determine what happens next. If the treatment goals were met, the therapist will usually suggest that the person steps down to less intensive care.
Options can include:
- 12-step group attendance
- Periodic phone check-ins
- Alumni programs
- Weekly sessions with a psychologist or therapist
- Outpatient group therapy
- A combination of the above
Depending on the individual’s circumstances, they may also benefit from medical treatment., family therapy, or vocational skills training. The key thing to keep in mind is that an IOP does not cure addiction. Recovery requires ongoing work, and most people need some type of aftercare to help them maintain their sobriety. Therapy or support group meetings can help people in recovery to stay motivated, practice relapse prevention strategies, and assist others with their sobriety. These activities increase the likelihood that individuals will remain abstinent from drugs and alcohol.
How Much Does an Intensive Outpatient Program Cost?
It’s normal (and practical) to ask about the cost of treatment. The price will vary depending on the length of treatment and the frequency of your sessions. However, intensive outpatient treatment often costs less than a residential program because the treatment provider doesn’t have to provide food or housing.
Also, if you have health insurance, your policy should provide at least partial coverage. This is because the Affordable Care Act requires insurance providers to cover alcohol and drug addiction treatment to the same extent that they cover other health problems. If you don’t yet have insurance, you can still look for affordable coverage. Insurance companies can’t deny you coverage even if you have a pre-existing illness such as a substance use disorder.
Contact Circle of Hope and Find Out if an IOP is Right for You
If you have been struggling to control your drug or alcohol use, we can help you get on a path to recovery at Circle of Hope in southern California. We offer a variety of treatment programs covering the full spectrum of care including intensive outpatient treatment. People who actively participate in treatment and apply the skills they learn on an ongoing basis improve their chances of achieving long-term sobriety.
We believe everyone deserves professional treatment that is tailored specifically to their needs and preferences. Our addiction treatment experts will gladly chat with you. assess you and help you to decide if our facility and programs are right for you. We accept most major forms of health insurance and we will work directly with your insurance provider to give you the most appropriate help. Call us today or use the form on our website to get your insurance benefits verified. We’ll help you to get started on your journey towards sobriety.
