Can Outpatient Treatment Work for Me?

Many people who decide it’s time to get help for addiction mistakenly believe inpatient rehab is their only path to recovery. However, this isn’t true. Outpatient treatment can be a very effective option for those seeking help for substance abuse.1 In fact, outpatient treatment at Greenhouse Treatment Center offers many of the same services as inpatient treatment.

If you’re unable to attend an inpatient or residential rehab program due to insurance limitations, family obligations, professional commitments, or other reasons, you may fare very well in an outpatient program.

Types of Outpatient Treatment at Greenhouse

Outpatient treatment comes in several forms, varying in intensity, so that you can get the level of support that you need. Forms of outpatient care at Greenhouse include:

  • Partial hospitalization program (PHP). This is the highest level of outpatient care, and the one that most closely resembles an inpatient program. You’ll attend treatment in 6- or 8-hour blocks of time for 3-7 days per week. This offers you a great deal of support while affording you the opportunity to live at home and attend to your personal responsibilities.
  • Intensive outpatient program (IOP). In an IOP, you’ll attend treatment in 3-hour blocks of time for 3-7 days per week. A slightly less intensive program than a PHP, an IOP still gives you a solid foundation for recovery with programming available many days per week.
  • Standard outpatient therapy. The lowest level of outpatient care, you’ll attend treatment a minimal number of hours per week. Standard outpatient may be right for you if you’ve attended a higher level of care in the past or you have a mild substance use disorder and/or a great deal of support at home.

Same Services, More Freedom  

Outpatient programs at Greenhouse Treatment Center incorporate many of the same core components of addiction treatment as our inpatient rehabilitation program, while at the same time providing more flexibility.

Our outpatient offerings, which may differ slightly based on the specific program you choose, include:

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  • Therapy. Regular sessions with an assigned therapist are an integral part of our outpatient programs. Your therapist will work with you to uncover the issues that keep you reaching for drugs and/or alcohol and help you learn new tools and coping mechanisms that don’t involve substance use. Higher outpatient levels of care involve more visits.
  • Process groups. You’ll work in a group setting to examine the emotions and thoughts that create unhealthy behaviors and change destructive patterns.2
  • Co-occurring disorder care. If you suffer from a mental health disorder, you’re welcome in one of our outpatient programs. Both our inpatient and outpatient programs support treatment for those with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
  • 12-Step meetings. Mutual support groups are central to the recovery efforts of many individuals and are part of both our residential and outpatient programs.
  • Relapse prevention. We’ll help you stay sober while living at home by helping you learn to identify and manage your triggers. Should you experience a relapse, we have a 3-day intensive program to help you get back on track.
  • Medications. Both our residential and outpatient programs incorporate medication-assisted treatment (MAT) when needed. Medications (e.g., Suboxone, Vivitrol) used in combination with therapy have been shown to be very effective for alcohol and opioid use disorders.
  • Health & wellness classes. In outpatient treatment, as in residential rehab, we’ll focus on helping you become the healthiest you possible. Our programs include meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and various forms of exercise—all healthy habits to help you sustain recovery outside treatment.
  • Case management. Your care is important to us. We’ll give you a case manager to follow your progress, help you adjust as needed, and create a discharge plan to create a smooth transition out of treatment at the appropriate time.
  • Focus on life after rehab. Our outpatient programs help you gear up for life in recovery. We incorporate life skilling training, job hunting, aftercare planning, and recovery-related assignments so that you feel ready to leave treatment when the time comes.

Understanding Your Options

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There is a continuum of care for addiction treatment with programs ranging from very intensive (inpatient rehab) to least intensive (standard outpatient). While you may assume you need to enter an inpatient or residential program, it may not be necessary for you to recover.

Typically, insurance plans will pay for what they deem is “medically necessary.”3 They may assess your needs and determine that you don’t need inpatient treatment because you have a high probability of success in a PHP or IOP, for example.

If this is the case but you had your heart set on residential rehab, don’t give up just yet. They may be right—outpatient treatment may be appropriate for you. If you’re worried about living at home, there are steps you can take to bolster your recovery.

You can ask for the support of your sober loved ones, for example, by asking them to check in on your regularly, drive you to and from treatment, or even provide you with a place to stay. You can also attend mutual support meetings outside of treatment and seek the support of a sober sponsor.

If you feel strongly that residential rehab is right for you, but your insurance won’t cover it, there are ways you can pay for it without insurance. For example, you may set up a payment plan, seek out a loan, or even fundraise/crowdfund to pay for your care.

For questions about our programs and our payment options, please call us today at . If you’re not sure what your insurance covers, you may

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