Drug Rehab Facility | Intensive Outpatient Program
IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) sounds very intimidating, but it is not as radical as it sounds. Unlike inpatient drug rehab facilities where a patient must remain in a certain space for a certain amount of time, IOP allows patients the freedom to start living life as a sober individual while still receiving intensive treatment.
Who Should Attend IOP?
IOP is a treatment often recommended for those suffering from an illegal substance addiction and who have already gone through a detox or inpatient rehab. IOP is recommended for those who are fresh out of inpatient rehab and need assistance reintegrating back into society. It allows patients to continue with their daily lives and remain living at home or at specially designated part of the facility, while simultaneously providing the support and structure newly recovered addicts require. Sessions often occur 4 or more times a week, and continue for a few hours each day.
What Happens in IOP?
As with both outpatient and inpatient rehab, IOP incorporates a lot of therapy into the recovery process. However, unlike outpatient programs, IOP also includes individual therapy sessions with qualified psychologists. IOP patients will also receive guidance with developing CVs, applying for jobs or schools, and getting government support. Group therapy sessions are small, generally not exceeding 10 people, and are a safe environment for recovering addicts to share their stories. In these sessions patients will also be taught how to manage urges or cravings as well as skills to prevent relapse.
Inpatient, Outpatient and IOP – What’s the Difference?
Inpatient rehab is a facility where people struggling with an addiction go for a set period of time. They have very little communication with the outside world, and spend most of their days in group therapy or one-on-one therapy. Inpatient treatment is a very rigorous program that usually includes detoxification, as medical staff is available 24/7 on the premises that patients are located.
On the other hand, outpatient treatment is quite different. This treatment often includes group therapy, NA/AA and 12-step meetings, as well as a mentor-sponsor system. It is aimed towards recovering addicts who have integrated themselves back into society, but still wish to have some form of support or connection with other people who are recovering.
An intensive outpatient program is the middle ground between these two treatments. Once people have undergone the detox program or have left inpatient rehab, but have not integrated themselves into society yet, they are encouraged to attend intensive outpatient treatment program meetings. IOP provides structure and support, which can help prevent patients from relapsing. The program offers important life skills that are necessary for re-integration back into society. This includes assistance creating a CV, finding and applying for a job, getting back into school, receiving government aide, or looking for a place to stay.
If you are interested in finding out more about IOP or any of our other treatment programs, give us a call right away or chat to our helpful advisors online.