Can I Enroll Straight into an Intensive Outpatient Program?

When you make the choice to start addiction treatment and begin researching the different kinds of rehab programs, you will quickly realize there is no one-size-fits-all. In order to be successful, rehab needs to be personalized, starting from the kind of treatment program chosen. In other words, enrolling in an inpatient or outpatient program is determined by your needs and your personal goals.

While an intensive outpatient program does provide excellent addiction treatment, whether or not you enroll immediately into this particular program depends on how long you’ve been battling addiction, what your home life looks like and whether or not you need around-the-clock medical care (such as during detox).

What is an intensive outpatient program (IOP)?

Individuals who enroll in outpatient recovery participate in individual and family counseling, group therapy and skills training that can help them achieve long-term recovery goals. During treatment, clients are required to abstain from using drugs or alcohol and must submit to random, supervised drug testing.

If you choose an intensive outpatient program, you live at home and commute to the treatment center for counseling and skills training sessions a few times a week for a number of hours.

Substance abuse intensive outpatient programs can serve as your entry point into addiction recovery; this kind of program lies between residential treatment and general outpatient treatment as it still offers you the chance to live at home and maintain a job, but does not give you the 24/7 supervision and care provided through a residential program. You might opt for an intensive outpatient program rather than residential treatment due to other obligations in your life.

What to consider when looking into an IOP

While clients may only have time for a part-time job outside of their program, most participants in an intensive outpatient program are able to maintain work, family or school-related obligations while still attending treatment. This gives you a unique opportunity to begin putting into practice the lessons and coping mechanisms you are learning in treatment, rather than waiting a month or more to test out new recovery strategies (as would be the case in a residential program).

Additionally, insurance companies consider a number of factors when deciding which level of care will be approved.  Your specific situation and treatment history will often determine whether insurance will agree to cover intensive outpatient treatment or residential treatment. Take the time to discuss with your insurance provider, and the treatment center, what insurance coverage would look like for you. Having insurance coverage could significantly benefit your peace of mind while in recovery.

Is a substance abuse intensive outpatient program right for me?

Keep in mind that even if you want the freedom of an outpatient program, the level of care you receive will be primarily determined by the professionals at the treatment center who use your initial assessment to determine which intensity of treatment will best benefit you.

That being said, it’s also important to have your personal preferences, needs and goals in mind as these are taken into account when determining said level of care. In order to help determine if an IOP is right for you, consider the following:

• Is your home life conducive to maintaining sobriety? Unlike a residential program, intensive outpatient programs will not remove you from your everyday environment, so your living situation has to be somewhat stable and you will need to be prepared to continue facing triggers
• Do you have plenty of social support? A strong family unit or friends who are encouraging of your new phase in life will be crucial to a successful recovery
• Have you tried and failed with an outpatient program before? If outpatient care has not worked in the past, it might be an indicator that you actually require a more stable environment, such as those offered through a residential program
• Do you need detox treatment? If you have been battling substance use for a long time, you may require detox, a component of treatment not usually offered through an outpatient program (this is due to the round-the-clock supervision needed during the detox process)
• What does your insurance cover? Most private healthcare policies provide at least partial coverage for substance abuse services

How you answer the above questions is crucial to your decision to enroll in an intensive outpatient program and will give you an idea of whether or not you’d be a better candidate for inpatient or outpatient services.

Need more information before you enroll?

Whether you have more questions about the inpatient/outpatient programs or are ready to submit admission paperwork, get in touch with High Focus Centers. To talk with an admissions counselor and get all your questions answered, contact us by calling our offices at 800-877-3628 today.