Massachusetts is home to some of the highest rates of substance abuse and addiction in the country. Overcoming addiction may require acute inpatient treatment, as well as continued care through an intensive step-down treatment program.
Intensive outpatient treatment is a step-down treatment program that can offer ongoing support and structure for people in early addiction recovery. Unlike inpatient rehab, intensive outpatient does not involve living in a treatment facility. Instead, individuals attend mandatory programming during the day and leave the treatment center after.
Intensive outpatient treatment programs are often recommended following the completion of an inpatient or day treatment program. For residents of Massachusetts, Recovering Champions offers a leading outpatient program to help residents strengthen their commitment to recovery.
Who Can Benefit From Intensive Outpatient Treatment?
Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) are most suitable for people who have recently received treatment through a higher level of care, such as an inpatient rehab or partial hospitalization program (PHP).
Some Massachusetts treatment centers accept new patients who have not recently received treatment through a higher level of care. This may depend on the patient’s health history, whether they’re sober, and other factors related to their substance use. Generally, outpatient care is not suitable for people who require medical stabilization or acute detox services.
People in early sobriety who have a busy work schedule — as well as students, parents, and caregivers — may also benefit from an intensive outpatient program. These programs are less restrictive, require less of a time commitment, and can be customizable to meet each person’s treatment needs.
What Intensive Outpatient Programs Look Like
Making the transition from inpatient rehab to returning home can be challenging for people in early sobriety. Intensive outpatient programs are a transitional form of care that serve to bridge this gap and ease the process of returning to a normal schedule.
Intensive outpatient programs can vary in format, schedule, and in the types of treatment services they offer. At Recovering Champions, we offer customized programming for individuals receiving treatment through our residential program and day treatment program, which is similar in format to IOP.
IOPs generally involve attending drug or alcohol treatment for three to four hours a day, up to three days a week. During these sessions, people may attend individual therapy, group therapy, medication management services, and participate in relapse prevention planning.
Attending intensive outpatient treatment a few days a week can add beneficial structure to an individual’s routine. This also offers a safe space for individuals to share their experiences in early recovery, including challenges and successes in utilizing coping strategies learned through treatment.
Intensive Outpatient Addiction Treatment Services
Depending on the rehab center, intensive outpatient programs can incorporate a range of treatment services to meet the physical and mental health needs of individuals. Treatment plans are generally structured to accommodate work schedules and other scheduling needs.
Core components of intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment include:
- individual counseling
- group therapy
- medication management
- case management
- dual diagnosis treatment (as needed)
Individual Counseling
Many people in addiction recovery attend counseling for a long period of time. Drug abuse counselors can help people who formerly had addiction identify their triggers, identify motivations for recovery, and learn supportive coping strategies to replace harmful habits.
Group Counseling
Group counseling can offer a range of benefits within a rehab program. This can be facilitated through several formats, depending on the type of group and the addiction treatment center. Groups may be peer-led or facilitated by a substance use or mental health professional.
Groups within IOP may include:
- cognitive behavioral therapy
- dialectical behavioral therapy
- 12-step facilitation
- skills learning
- psychoeducational
- peer support groups
- stress management
- relapse prevention techniques
Dual Diagnosis Treatment Services
Dual diagnosis is the most effective treatment for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. This integrates evidence-based treatments for mental health issues and drug use, such as medication management and behavioral therapy.
Case Management
Case management services facilitate personalized treatment planning and aftercare coordination. A case manager at a rehab center may help coordinate aftercare for patients and connect patients to community-based social services to support ongoing recovery during and after graduating from an intensive outpatient program.
Medication-Assisted Treatment
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an evidence-based treatment for opioid addiction that combines the use of medication with behavioral therapy. This type of treatment is offered on an inpatient and outpatient level and may be recommended on a short-term or long-term basis.
People who formerly had alcohol addiction or abused cocaine may also benefit from MAT. This type of treatment can help reduce drug cravings, treat protracted withdrawal symptoms, and reduce the risk of relapse in people recovering from chronic or severe addiction.
Find Intensive Outpatient Treatment At Recovering Champions In Falmouth, MA
If you’re searching for intensive outpatient treatment for yourself or a loved one in Massachusetts, consider Recovering Champions in Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Our accredited rehab center offers residential rehab, intensive outpatient, and dual diagnosis treatment services for residents with mental health and substance use disorders.
Located in the beautiful Cape Cod area, our tranquil treatment campus is located just over an hour by car from Boston and serves many nearby Massachusetts areas, including Worcester, Springfield, Fitchburg, and Lowell.
Our behavioral health care team is dedicated to helping patients break the cycle of addiction for good and achieve lifelong recovery. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Recovering Champions has remained operating in order to provide a high quality of care for people as they begin or continue on their addiction recovery journey.
Contact Recovering Champions today to learn more about our outpatient programs and the types of addiction treatments we offer.
