What is an intensive outpatient program?
An intensive outpatient program (IOP) is a level of care for substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions that is more structured than standard outpatient therapy and takes less of your day than PHP. It typically means treatment several days a week for a few hours at a time. You live at home and keep much of your daily routine.
People come to IOP from different places. Some are stepping down from PHP or from a partner inpatient program. Others start here because their assessment shows they need more than a weekly session but can stay safely at home. Wherever you are coming from, you may be at an important decision point, and IOP is designed to meet you there.
Your schedule is set at assessment, and the team works with you on timing so treatment fits around work and family responsibilities as much as possible.
What happens in IOP?
Skypoint’s IOP balances two settings that do different jobs. In group, you work alongside people who have walked a similar road, and hearing their stories, and telling your own, makes the work less lonely. In individual therapy, you have space to go deeper on what is personal to you. Both matter, and your plan includes each.
- Group therapy: Skills and process groups focused on recovery skills, coping with cravings, and relationships.
- Individual counseling: Regular one-on-one sessions to set goals and track your progress.
- Relapse prevention: A written plan for your personal warning signs, high-risk situations, and what you will do about them.
- Life skills and stress management: Practical tools for handling the setbacks and sudden changes that used to lead back to substance use.
- Family therapy: When it is appropriate, sessions that help repair relationships and build a supportive home.
- Evidence-based approaches: CBT, DBT skills, and motivational interviewing, with MAT as part of your plan when clinically appropriate.
Your progress is reviewed regularly, so your plan keeps pace with you.
How is IOP different from PHP and standard outpatient care?
PHP is a full treatment day on most days of the week, which usually means stepping away from work or school. IOP is fewer hours, several days a week, so many people keep working while they attend. Standard outpatient care is a lighter schedule again, often one or two sessions a week.
IOP is also different from inpatient rehab, where you live at a facility. In IOP you go home every day, so you practice recovery in the places where it matters: your kitchen, your commute, your workplace. Because it does not include room and board, IOP is also generally less costly than inpatient care.
If IOP turns out to be too much or too little, your level of care can change. Stepping up to PHP for a stretch, or down to outpatient care when you are ready, is a normal part of treatment.
Does Medicaid cover intensive outpatient treatment in Virginia?
Virginia Medicaid covers intensive outpatient addiction treatment for members who meet the criteria for that level of care. Coverage and any costs depend on your specific plan and on medical necessity, which your assessment documents.
Skypoint Recovery accepts Virginia Medicaid and other insurance, and our admissions team verifies your benefits before you start. If you are uninsured, ask about payment plans.
What happens when IOP ends?
Finishing IOP is a milestone, not a finish line. As you approach it, your team helps you plan the next stage: often standard outpatient therapy, along with peer support and community recovery groups around Richmond. The goal is to keep support in place while you take on more on your own.
If housing is part of the picture, sober living can give you a substance-free home and a peer community while you complete IOP and afterward. We want you to leave treatment with a life that supports recovery, not only a certificate of completion.
Is this the right fit for you?
- People stepping down from PHP or a partner inpatient program
- People who need more than weekly therapy but can live safely at home
- People who want to keep working, studying, or caring for family during treatment
- People who have returned to use after a period of recovery and want to regain their footing
- People with co-occurring anxiety, depression, or trauma who need regular support
Frequently asked questions
Can I work full time while I’m in IOP?
Many people do. IOP is designed to leave room for work and family, and the team works with you on scheduling where it can. If your job makes attending consistently difficult, tell our admissions team up front so your plan is realistic.
How long does IOP usually last?
There is no fixed length. It depends on your goals, how you are progressing, and what your insurance authorizes. Your team reviews your progress regularly and talks with you before any change in level of care.
Can I start treatment in IOP, or do I have to do inpatient first?
You can start in IOP if your assessment shows it is safe and appropriate. Inpatient care is not a required first step. If you need medical detox first, Skypoint arranges it through a partner facility and you begin IOP afterward.
Is IOP confidential?
Yes. Your treatment is private, and substance use treatment records are protected by federal privacy law. You decide who is involved in your care, including whether family takes part.