Intensive Outpatient, Partial Hospitalization, and Inpatient Care: When Clients Need More

In the field of mental health, it is not always easy to distinguish the higher levels of care beyond traditional outpatient counseling services. At times, a client may require more services to address their needs. If so, how can a clinician distinguish between these services enough to know which is most appropriate for their client at the time? In situations involving a client, especially a crisis situation, time is of the essence when making clinical judgements. An informed clinical judgement puts the clinician in the best position to help their client in the most effective way. This brief guide will explain several types of treatment services beyond traditional outpatient counseling.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP’s)

An intensive outpatient program is a higher level of care for clients situated between needing more than traditional outpatient services, but not requiring the level of care of inpatient hospitalization services. IOP’s typically involve individual and group counseling for one to three hours each day, three to five days per week. For those at risk of relapsing into substance use, this can be the most effective form of outpatient care. IOP’s provide treatment for clients experiencing a wide range of mental health and substance abuse disorders including, but not limited to, trauma, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and grief or loss.  IOP’s can be a vital component for clients stepping down from inpatient care to everyday living. Here is a shortcut to a list of intensive outpatient programs in Oklahoma.

Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP’s)

This type of program possesses crucial elements of inpatient care while still allowing the individual to live at home. Also known as ‘day treatments’, these programs, as they pertain to children and adolescents, typically involve one part of the day spent engaged in therapeutic activities, such as individual, family, and group therapy and medication management, while the other part of the day is spent receiving academic instruction. PHP’s last anywhere from four to eight hours a day. Some programs even have a telehealth option, which allows clients to participate virtually. Depending upon symptoms, attendance in a PHP program can last from several weeks to several months or more. PHP’s can also be a very good option for children and adolescents who have been recently discharged from an inpatient hospitalization program if returning to a regular school program may be an unreasonable expectation for the child at that time. Here is a shortcut to a list of partial hospitalization programs in Oklahoma.

Inpatient Hospitalization (Inpatient)

Inpatient care exists to serve those in crisis, typically one involving the client posing a threat to themselves or others. Inpatient care is needed when the client’s symptoms have become so severe that they cannot manage them on their own. Behaviors that typically warrant an evaluation for criteria into an inpatient program include, but are not limited to, suicidal ideation, severe aggression toward others, self-harming behavior, substance abuse, and reckless and impulsive behavior.

Inpatient requires the client live in the treatment facility that includes 24 hour medical care and emotional support. Inpatient care typically involves psychopharmacological interventions overseen by a unit physician, weekly individual, family, and group therapy, and therapeutic or expressive activities like art and exercise.  The goal of inpatient treatment is stabilization, wherein the client is safe enough to return to the community and continue outpatient services. Here is a shortcut to a list of inpatient hospitalization programs in Oklahoma.