GUIDE · LEVELS OF CARE
What is an intensive outpatient program (IOP)?
An intensive outpatient program (IOP) is structured mental health treatment that gives you several hours of care a week while you keep living at home. It is more support than weekly therapy and less than a partial hospitalization program (PHP) or residential care.
Most IOPs meet several days a week for about three hours at a time, generally 9 to 19 hours a week, the range Medicare uses in its definition. Because you go home after each session, you practice what you learn in your real life the same week.
LEVELS OF CARE
Where an IOP fits
Weekly therapy
About one hour a week with one therapist. Enough for many people, and not enough when symptoms are getting in the way of work, sleep or relationships.
Intensive outpatient (IOP)
About 9 to 19 hours a week of group and individual care, with a treatment plan and a team. You live at home and keep your routine.
Partial hospitalization (PHP)
Usually 20 or more hours a week, most of the day, while you sleep at home. How IOP and PHP compare
Residential or inpatient
Round the clock care away from home, for people who need to be somewhere supervised right now.
WHO IT IS FOR
Who an IOP is for
Adults who need more than weekly therapy and can safely live at home while they get it.
An IOP can be a good fit when
Weekly therapy has helped, but not enough.
Anxiety, depression or trauma symptoms are affecting work, sleep or relationships.
You are stepping down from residential treatment or a PHP and want structure while you settle back in.
You need more care but cannot step away from your job or family.
When a different level of care is safer
You need medical detox or round the clock supervision.
You are in immediate danger. Call 911, or call or text 988.
Your main concern is substance use. Some IOPs focus on it; Kin Wellness runs a mental health IOP and does not treat substance use.
IOP at Kin Wellness
9 to 15 hours a week. Three hour sessions, three to five days a week. We set the number of days with you.
Morning or evening. 9 AM to 12 PM or 5 PM to 8 PM Pacific, Monday through Friday.
By video, anywhere in California. You need a private space and an internet connection. Groups meet by video. Individual sessions, EMDR and medication appointments can also happen in person at our Fountain Valley office.
WHAT HAPPENS IN AN IOP
What happens in IOP groups
SKILLS
Practical tools from approaches like DBT, CBT, ACT and mindfulness, for handling anxiety, low mood, strong emotions and conflict.
EDUCATION
What is happening in your mind and body, and why symptoms show up the way they do.
PROCESSING
Space to talk through what is going on with people who understand. Around the groups come individual therapy at least once a week, a treatment plan, and medication management when it is part of someone’s care.
QUESTIONS
Common questions about IOP
What is an IOP in mental health?
A structured program of group and individual therapy, usually 9 or more hours a week, for people who need more than weekly therapy but can live at home.
How many hours a week is an IOP?
Generally 9 to 19 hours. Kin’s IOP runs 9 to 15.
Is IOP the same as PHP?
No. A PHP is more intensive, usually 20 or more hours a week. Read how IOP and PHP compare.
Can I work while in an IOP?
Many people do, especially with an evening track. About our evening IOP.
How long does an IOP last?
It depends on what someone needs and what their insurance authorizes. Many people take part for several weeks to a few months. At Kin Wellness, most people take part for 30 to 90 days, then step down to weekly therapy with an aftercare plan.
Is a virtual IOP different from an in person IOP?
It follows the same structure, delivered by video. You need a private space where you can talk without being overheard and a device with a camera and an internet connection. Many people find it easier to keep up with a program they can join from home.
Does insurance cover an IOP?
Many health plans cover intensive outpatient care, including by video. Some plans need approval before you start, and what you pay depends on your deductible and copay or coinsurance. A program should check your benefits and explain the cost before you commit.
What if I am in crisis?
IOP is not an emergency service. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, at any hour.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. Our program is not an emergency service.
Related: Virtual IOP · Evening IOP · IOP vs PHP · Conditions we treat · Insurance and cost
Insurance: Aetna · Anthem · Blue Cross Blue Shield · Cigna · United Healthcare · All plans
Where we serve: Orange County · Los Angeles County · Inland Empire · San Diego County · Bay Area · Sacramento · Central Valley · Ventura and Santa Barbara · North State · All 58 counties
WHO YOU WOULD WORK WITH
A small team you will actually get to know
Kin Wellness is run by its clinicians. The people below are the people in your groups, and the full team is on the Team page.
Cofounder and Clinical Director, LCSW #80761, Ph.D Candidate
Paola Mercado Demeza, AMFT
Cofounder and Lead Clinical Therapist, Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #15190. Supervised by Angelina DeSanto, LCSW, Ph.D Candidate
Dr. Joe DeSanto, MD
Angelina DeSanto, LCSW
Medical DirectorLET US HELP
Tell us how to reach you
Tell us how to reach you and someone from our team will call you back. The first conversation is short and confidential: what has been going on, what your questions are, whether this is the right level of care for you, and what it would cost with your insurance. There is no obligation to enroll, and if it is a fit you can start right away.
Prefer to call?
949.706.8610
Office hours Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 8 PM Pacific. In person care at 8780 Warner Ave, Ste 11, Fountain Valley CA 92708.