Partial Hospitalization Program | Alcohol & Drug Addiction

A partial hospitalization program (PHP), also known as a partial care program, may be right for you if you need structured addiction treatment without 24-hour supervision. It’s considered the middle phase between inpatient and outpatient treatment.

What Is Partial Hospitalization?

In some ways, a PHP is the best of both worlds: inpatient and outpatient. You’ll receive intensive clinical support and services. At the same time, you’re free to live on your own and work or go to school.

You will attend programming five days a week for six hours each day (9 AM to 3 PM, generally), and you have the option to live on your own or with your family, or in a sober living home. The program includes several essential components:

Individual Therapy

You’ll work with a licensed mental health professional for one-on-one sessions. This has numerous benefits. Therapy is a compassionate space where you can talk about your thoughts and feelings freely. You can learn new ways to cope with your triggers, and you can work on related issues, like:

Trauma
Self-esteem and self-worth
Family dynamics
Depression or anxiety
Relationships
Goal-setting

Group Therapy

Trained facilitators run various groups each day. In these groups, you’ll learn a variety of skills related to:

Relapse prevention
Social skills
Creative expression
Addiction education
Life skills

Group therapy offers a unique chance for building meaningful connections with others. That’s because you will be participating with other people struggling with the same issues.

Family Therapy

It’s no secret that addiction can ravage family systems. Many times, loved ones feel lost and don’t know how to best provide support. Family therapy teaches everyone new tools and ways of communicating with each other.

If you’re in a relationship, your therapist may also recommend couples or marital counseling to ensure both of you can support your recovery and each other.

Medication Management

Addictive drugs change your brain at the cellular level. Severe damage can make it hard for you to focus on your therapy and lessons. Medications like buprenorphine, methadone, and acamprosate can help amend those chemical imbalances. You might get doses each time you come to your PHP, and you might have some you can take at home too.

It’s important that you take your medications on time and as prescribed because taking too much or stopping on your own can be dangerous. Your treatment team can support you in helping you stay on track with any prescriptions you have.

Drug Testing

Relapses can and do happen while in treatment. Drug testing helps keep you accountable to your recovery. All clients will receive routine and randomized drug testing to screen for drugs and alcohol. That may be a urine or saliva sample.

How Is PHP Different Than Other Programs?

PHP is a form of outpatient addiction treatment, which means it doesn’t require you to live in a treatment facility. You’ll learn to balance your programming with your independence. This balance is significant; at some point, everyone must learn how to cope with life stressors. However, PHP also provides consistent accountability should you become triggered or overwhelmed.

Some people start their recovery in PHP. Others start PHP after completing medical detox or residential programming. When you first arrive to treatment, your treatment team will assess you to determine the best level of care.

How Long Do I Have to Be in PHP?

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Your PHP timeline may vary depending on several factors, including:

The intensity of your addiction
Your compliance with the program and your motivation to stick with it
Your outside support system
How you manage any co-occurring mental illness(es)
History of past treatment episodes and relapses

Your treatment team will discuss your length of treatment with you. It’s important that you commit to finishing the program. Leaving treatment early can increase your chances of relapse.

Consistent support helps strengthen your recovery. Research also shows that long-term treatment spanning at least 90 days can increase your chances for long-term success.

What Happens After PHP?

Most clients don’t finish treatment when they finish PHP. Instead, they “step down” into a lower level of care, usually an intensive outpatient or basic outpatient program (OP). This maintains your accountability and clinical services, while also giving you an opportunity to exercise more freedom.

Most addiction professionals recommend transitioning into the real world slowly. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the stressors and triggers. That’s why many clients benefit from IOP or OP care. As you continue strengthening your skills in the real world, you’ll have the support and tools from therapy and groups.

Does Insurance Cover PHP?

In many cases, your health insurance will cover some or all of your addiction treatment. That said, every policy is different, and you may need to meet certain requirements. For example, you might need prior authorization from your primary care physician (PCP) before coverage for a PHP is approved.

At Footprints to Recovery, you can start the process of verifying your insurance online; just click here. Our admissions staff will review your insurance, deductibles, and copays. Then they’ll let you know what to expect regarding coverage.

Insurance isn’t a viable option for some clients. In some instances, the treatment center is out-of-network. Other times, the insurance company denies the claim. If that’s your situation, don’t worry! You may be able to finance your treatment through a loan or pay for services privately.