How Does IOP Work?
Intensive Outpatient Program (also known as IOP) is a primary substance abuse treatment program recommended by clinicians and medical staff for many individuals who recently started recovery or in need of continuing support resources to help with addiction.
IOP treatment is ideal for individuals who have already stabilized from drug withdrawal symptoms and wish to continue treatment outside of a residential center. IOP patients are able to attend multiple support sessions per week while continuing to live at home and meet work and personal obligations.
Program Information
At Landmark Recovery, the intensive outpatient program is designed to offer patients a multi-modal, multidisciplinary program for substance abuse that is more intensive than outpatient therapy. This program is typically recommended for those transitioning from Landmark’s medical detox and residential treatment programs. The schedule and criteria are broken up as follows:
- Sessions are held at least three hours per day for at least four days per week
- Sessions will be determined by need according to individual facility medical director and patient needs, but can include:
- Session blocks are broken up as follows:
- 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Morning sessions are specific per location
During their stay in intensive outpatient care, patients will be provided with an individualized treatment plan, a behavioral health professional, access to psychiatrists, nurses, and drug and alcohol counselors. When outside of Landmark facilities, patients in need of support services will have the chance to contact staff, as per our On Call Corporate Policy.
How Long is IOP Treatment?
IOP is designed for patients to attend for eight weeks, but patients may be discharged sooner when they no longer meet all elements of medical necessity as defined by the ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine) criteria for addictive, substance-related, and co-occurring conditions.
Can I continue to Attend IOP After I Graduate?
Yes. Alumni may continue attending intensive outpatient program sessions once a week at no additional cost.
Will I Receive Individual Counseling?
Yes. Each intensive outpatient program patient can receive individual counseling from a psychiatric consultant in addition to group and family therapy.
Does IOP Work?
It’s difficult to assess the true success rates for different forms of rehab, but a promising study was published in 2014 by the American Psychological Association. This study was a meta-analysis comprising 12 individual, reputable research reports that examined the efficacy of Intensive Outpatient Programs ranging from 1995 to 2012. The results:
- IOPs emerged as a critical facet of 21st-century addiction treatment for people who need a more intensive level of service than usual outpatient treatment, and they allow participants to avoid or step down successfully from inpatient services.
- Overall, studies have found that 50 to 70% of IOP participants reported abstinence at first follow-up, and most studies found that this outcome was similar for inpatient treatment.
- Compared with inpatient care, IOP services have at least two advantages:
- Increased duration of treatment, which varies with the severity of the patient’s illness and his or her response.
- The opportunity to engage and treat consumers while they remain in their home environments, which affords consumers the opportunity to practice newly-learned behaviors
How Can I Get More Information?
At Landmark Recovery, your total physical and mental health are our only concerns. Often, substance abuse recovery comes down to one thing, the people around you. If a residential treatment center isn’t for you, IOP will allow you to stay on track in familiar settings surrounded by family and loved ones. Call our confidential admissions line at 888-448-0302. We can often arrange for you to begin treatment at our recovery center within a few days.
