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GuideIs IOP all day?
No. An intensive outpatient program meets for a few hours at a time, several days a week, and you go home after. The all-day option is a different level of care.
A few hours a day, not a full day.
IOP is outpatient. You sleep at home, and most people keep working or studying. ASAM, the framework most programs use, sets adult IOP at level 2.1: at least nine hours of structured treatment a week. Programs split those hours differently, so the exact day depends on the program you pick.
What sets the length of your day.
The program's hours
Some programs meet in the morning, some in the afternoon, some in the evening. A daytime IOP fills the middle of a workday even though it is only a few hours.
Days per week
Three longer days or five shorter ones can add up to the same weekly hours. Ask how the week is built, not just the total.
Your clinical plan
A clinician recommends the level of care at your screen. If you need more structure than IOP, that is a different answer.
In person or by video
Commute time adds to an in-person day. Video groups take only the group time itself.
That is partial hospitalization.
A partial hospitalization program, ASAM level 2.5, runs closer to a full treatment day, most days of the week. People step down from it to IOP, or up to it when IOP is not enough. See IOP vs PHP for the difference.
Three hours in the evening.
Groups
Monday to Friday, 5:30 to 8:30 PM Pacific, by secure video. Fifteen group hours a week.
One on one
A weekly individual session with your clinician. Optional in-person intensives in California.
For adults with substance use and co-occurring mental health needs in California, and mental health IOP for people in New York and New Jersey. This page is general education, not medical advice. If you or someone near you may be unsafe, call or text 988, or call 911.
What people ask first.
How many hours a day is IOP?
It varies by program. At Shift it is three hours each weekday evening.
Can I keep my job during IOP?
Most people do. An evening program avoids the workday. A daytime program may need a schedule change.
Do I stay overnight?
No. IOP is outpatient. You live at home the whole time.
What if three hours is not enough?
Tell the clinician at your screen. They may recommend a higher level of care, such as partial hospitalization or residential treatment.
How soon can I start?
We check your benefits the same business day and intake is usually the next business day.
What will it cost?
Out of network with commercial PPO plans. A cost estimate in writing before your first session. Not Medicaid, Medi-Cal or Medicare today.