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Outpatient Rehabs

Outpatient Rehabs

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Substance abuse addiction is many things: painful, frightening, destructive, frustrating, heartbreaking. And sometimes deadly. There’s hope, however, with treatment. The key to successful treatment – beyond convincing the addict to commit to recovery – is finding the right program for the patient and substance involved. For those with a severe, long-term addiction problem, especially to substances like meth, heroin, or synthetic opioids, inpatient residential treatment is likely required. For those with a milder substance abuse issue, however, particularly one caught in an early stage, a quality outpatient program may be the best choice.

Outpatient rehab offers a number of benefits compared to other forms of treatment, including lower costs and easier access. If you or someone you know is struggling with an alcohol or drug abuse issue, the information below will help you decide if outpatient rehab is the right option for treatment and recovery.

Expert

Ben McCoy
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Substance abuse addiction is many things: painful, frightening, destructive, frustrating, heartbreaking. And sometimes deadly. There’s hope, however, with treatment. The key to successful treatment – beyond convincing the addict to commit to recovery – is finding the right program for the patient and substance involved. For those with a severe, long-term addiction problem, especially to substances like meth, heroin, or synthetic opioids, inpatient residential treatment is likely required. For those with a milder substance abuse issue, however, particularly one caught in an early stage, a quality outpatient program may be the best choice.

Outpatient rehab offers a number of benefits compared to other forms of treatment, including lower costs and easier access. If you or someone you know is struggling with an alcohol or drug abuse issue, the information below will help you decide if outpatient rehab is the right option for treatment and recovery.

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Fast Facts: Outpatient Drug Rehab Programs

There are over 10,000 providers of outpatient substance abuse treatment programs currently operating in the U.S. and its territories.[ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA)]

TOf those 10,000 outpatient providers, over 7,000 accept private insurance, over 6,500 accept Medicaid, over 3,500 accept Medicare, and over 3,500 accept military insurance (like TRICARE). [SAMSHA]

And of those 10,000 outpatient providers, over 1,300 offer sliding fee scale and/or payment assistance options to their clients. [SAMSHA]

Notwithstanding the tremendous number of people in need – and number of outpatient programs available – only about 2.6 million (11.2 percent) of Americans with an addiction problem actually received treatment at a specialty facility.[ National Institute on Drug Abuse]

According to a 2014 national survey, approximately one in twelve Americans over the age of 12 suffered from a substance abuse disorder in the previous year.[ SAMSHA: Behavioral Health Trends in the United States]

There are over 10,000 providers of outpatient substance abuse treatment programs currently operating in the U.S. and its territories.[ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA)]

TOf those 10,000 outpatient providers, over 7,000 accept private insurance, over 6,500 accept Medicaid, over 3,500 accept Medicare, and over 3,500 accept military insurance (like TRICARE). [SAMSHA]

And of those 10,000 outpatient providers, over 1,300 offer sliding fee scale and/or payment assistance options to their clients. [SAMSHA]

Notwithstanding the tremendous number of people in need – and number of outpatient programs available – only about 2.6 million (11.2 percent) of Americans with an addiction problem actually received treatment at a specialty facility.[ National Institute on Drug Abuse]

According to a 2014 national survey, approximately one in twelve Americans over the age of 12 suffered from a substance abuse disorder in the previous year.[ SAMSHA: Behavioral Health Trends in the United States]

What Is Outpatient Drug Treatment?

In general terms, outpatient rehab is rehabilitation treatment for substance abuse that does not entail a residential stay by the patient at a treatment facility. Patients live at home, and oftentimes continue to work at their regular jobs or attend school during the treatment period. Outpatient services may be provided at a dedicated outpatient addiction treatment center, community clinic, or even in a private therapist’s office.

In most cases, patients come to outpatient treatment after having completed detoxification and, in some cases, a stay at an inpatient residential facility. The main focus of outpatient rehab, therefore, is to provide the addict with an understanding of his or her addiction – its causes, triggers, etc. – and the knowledge and tools to help maintain sobriety and avoid relapse.

The Benefits of Long-Term Treatment Centers

The key to success for anyone entering a drug or alcohol rehab is finding a working program that best suits their circumstances and needs. For many, that will be the services provided at a residential inpatient facility. For others, outpatient treatment will be the better choice. Here’s a look as some of the basic benefits of outpatient rehab:

Cost

Regardless of the type of care sought, drug and alcohol rehab is expensive, but the cost can vary significantly depending on level of services, particularly between inpatient and outpatient programs. For example, depending on specific services provided, a standard 30-day residential inpatient program can cost between $10,000 and $20,000, while an intensive outpatient program of the same length can cost between $3,000 and $10,000. And basic outpatient addiction therapy and counseling may be provided for $1,000 or less, or even free of charge.

Living at Home

Individuals in an outpatient rehab program live at home throughout the treatment period, allowing them to continue to fulfill family responsibilities, like caring for children. The patient is also able to maintain close contact with family members, close friends, and others who make up his or her support system.

Work and School

Outpatient programs also allow patients the ability to remain employed and continue to earn a living during treatment. And high school and college students can receive the treatment they need without disruption to their education.

Responsibility/Accountability

Severely addicted patients may benefit from the security and regimen – and temporary isolation – that comes with a residential program. Others, however, will be better served by remaining within their communities during treatment, requiring them to apply, in real time and through real-life encounters and temptations, what they’re learning in their programs.

Privacy

It’s important for addicts to come to terms with their addiction and admit that they have a problem. That doesn’t mean, though, that everyone has to know about it. For many, the ability to maintain privacy during treatment is a major issue. Outpatient programs help patients receive the treatment they need without the attention drawn from being away in a residential setting for a long period of time.

How Outpatient Rehab Works

The level of outpatient services required depends on the degree and severity of the patient’s substance abuse issue. There are two major options for outpatient treatment:

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)
Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP)

Patients sometimes enter an IOP program following a stay at an inpatient residential facility, but often the IOP is the first primary form of treatment for substance abuse. Individuals in an IOP program spend several hours a day for a few days each week (three hours a day, three days a week is common) at an outpatient facility attending both individual and group counseling sessions with therapists or other members of the program’s staff.

What Happens After Outpatient Drug Rehab?

Every individual who completes an outpatient rehab program should be provided with a written aftercare plan geared to support his or her continued effort at long-term recovery. To those who have previously received treatment at an inpatient residential facility, an outpatient rehab program is considered a part of their aftercare strategy. For all persons exiting an outpatient program, their aftercare plan will include continued attendance at 12-step meetings and the building of a solid personal support system of family, friends, peers in recovery, and others. Additional aftercare elements include continued drug testing, and continued use of medications (such as methadone for recovering opioid addicts.)

What to do if You Relapse

Continued sobriety is the primary goal of any outpatient rehab program, but relapse is an unfortunate common occurrence on the path to permanent sobriety. If an addict relapses – that is, falls back for a period into his or her old substance abuse habits – it is important that he or she remembers that the relapse can be just a temporary setback, and that a swift return to the sobriety and the practice of recovery is key.

If you or someone you know suffers a relapse, the first step to take is to determine whether or not the relapse is severe enough to warrant a return to outpatient treatment, or even commit to an inpatient residential program. In all cases, the addict should immediately connect with his or her support system and – get to a meeting.

Spotlight: 5 Outpatient Rehab Programs

DENVER SPRINGS

ADDRESS:

8835 American Way
Englewood, CO 80112

PHONE:

720-573-1428

DENVER SPRINGS

Denver Springs offers two outpatient options for individuals seeking addiction and mental health treatment. In its partial hospitalization program, patients spend five to six hours a day, five days a week, participating in recreational therapy, and education and psychotherapy groups. Patients in the intensive outpatient program attend structured therapy activities three days a week, for a total of nine to fifteen hours per week.

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HOWARD CENTER

ADDRESS:

208 Flynn Ave., Ste. 3J
Burlington, VT 05401

PHONE:

802-488-6000

HOWARD CENTER

Howard Center provides a range of community services, including a number of substance abuse outpatient programs at various locations in Burlington, Vermont. Programs include: the Centerpoint School, serving students ages 12 to 18; the Chittenden Clinic Medication-Assisted Treatment Program; Pine Street Counseling Services, for adults with mental health and/or substance abuse issues; Safe Recovery, serving individuals currently using or in the early stages of recovery; and St. Albans Outpatient Substance Abuse Services, providing counseling to Grand Isle and Franklin County residents.

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PARK AVENUE CENTER

ADDRESS:

2649 Park Avenue S
Minneapolis, MN 55407

PHONE:

612-871-7443

PARK AVENUE CENTER

Park Avenue Center is a research-based, gender-specific drug and alcohol treatment facility serving less fortunate individuals at their location in South Minneapolis, Minnesota. Services include walk-in assessments, co-occurring and complex co-occurring programming, African American specific programming, family and concerned persons programming, and an on-site mental health clinic.

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SERENITY LANE – EUGENE

ADDRESS:

24211 West 11th Ave.
Eugene, OR 97402

PHONE:

541-485-1577

SERENITY LANE – EUGENE

Services available at Serenity Lane’s facility in Eugene, Oregon include clinical assessments, medical detox, addiction recovery programs, family programs, and mental health therapies for co-occurring disorders. Intensive outpatient groups meet three times per week, three hours per session, for ten weeks. Serenity Lane additionally operates five outpatient facilities throughout the State of Oregon and one outpatient facility in Vancouver, Washington, as well as one inpatient/residential facility in Coburg, Oregon.

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WILMINGTON TREATMENT CENTER – IOP WILMINGTON

ADDRESS:

2801 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 200
Raleigh, NC 27607

PHONE:

919-948-1150

WILMINGTON TREATMENT CENTER – IOP WILMINGTON

The Wilmington Treatment Center’s Intensive Outpatient Program in Wilmington, North Carolina serves two types of patients: those who have completed inpatient rehab or a PHP program, and can benefit from a step-down level of care prior to returning home; and those whose treatment requirements can be met without the need for inpatient or PHP services. The Wilmington Treatment Center additionally operates an inpatient/residential facility in Wilmington, and intensive outpatient program in Raleigh.

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Q&A with an Outpatient Addiction Treatment Expert

About Ben McCoy
About Ben McCoy

Ben McCoy is Director of Operations at Blueprints for Addiction Recovery in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Located in South Central Pennsylvania, Blueprints for Addiction Recovery offers a range of drug and alcohol continuing care outpatient services for both individuals and families, including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and traditional outpatient programs. Individual treatment plans are developed for each patient based on a comprehensive holistic evaluation spanning psychosocial, environmental, and environmental dimensions.

  • Q. Can you give me a brief description of the type of outpatient services you provide at Blueprints for Addiction Recovery?

    We are all adults, all range of continuing care addiction treatment services: partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, outpatient services, and family and individual therapy.

    Q. What is partial hospitalization?

    In the continuum of care, which would go from inpatient detoxification through short-term residential, everything after that is considered continuing care services. And there are various levels of intensity. Partial hospitalization is between intensive outpatient and inpatient rehab. So it’s five to seven days per week, five hours per day. Partial hospitalization is only one less hour per day of structured therapeutic supports [compared to inpatient residential], but it’s a less restrictive and more empowering environment. You’re in sober living or recovery support housing, where you have access to the recovery community and developing vital life skills outside of treatment. Some people even live at home and just come to treatment every day.

    Q. How about intensive outpatient?

    Generally, at least in our program, intensive outpatient is three sessions per week, three hours per session. So if I’m in daytime IOP, I would come for group therapy on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

    Q. A lot of your patients continue in their jobs, school, and other regular life activities while in treatment. Is that correct?

    In IOP and OP, yes. In partial hospitalization, sometimes no, because it’s between 9:00 am to 2:30 pm, Monday through Friday, so you really can’t hold a job unless you’re working in the evening. But in IOP and OP it’s actually highly recommended in most cases that you start seeking employment. Being able to get and hold a job, and still balance recovery, sanity, sobriety and life responsibilities is a big part of making sure we’re ready to discharge someone and be confident in their continuing sobriety.

    Q. How important is family participation in the recovery process of your clients?

    Absolutely essential. This is individualized treatment, and we co-create treatment plans with our clients, so we’re not going to force anybody to have a family session. But we do everything we can to schedule family therapy sessions on an ongoing basis to help plan for life, both during and after treatment. If I have the support of my family, I immediately have a significantly higher chance of establishing and maintaining lifelong sobriety than if I go out there on my own.

    Q. If you had one piece of advice you could give someone with a substance abuse issue that is considering treatment, or a family member or close friend, what would it be?

    The most important thing for you to do is to call and ask for help. Period. And if you’re a loved one, don’t try to fix it on your own, and don’t use any old-world attitudes. There’s none of this “stop it, just get it together and pull yourself up by your bootstraps.” That didn’t work in Reagan times and it doesn’t work now. Call and get help. There are professionals available and anxiously awaiting your call.