How Long is Outpatient Drug Rehab Usually?

Looking at the Timeline for Outpatient Addiction Treatment

When it comes to recovery from substance abuse, no two paths to recovery are the same. The pinnacle of sobriety looks different for anyone who reaches out for help, with different goals and benchmarks along the way.

That said, every path to recovery begins with the same initial effort—making the courageous call to locate a facility and support system to deliver the care you need.

No one stays in an inpatient treatment program forever. Even when beginning in residential rehab, many clients of Purpose Healing Center achieve lasting success through outpatient treatment, of which there are multiple varieties available at our facility.

One of the most common inquiries we receive from clients is this crucial topic: how long is outpatient drug rehab?

Multiple scenarios exist that warrant the need for an outpatient rehab program as opposed to inpatient treatment. Although long-term residency isn’t required, if you’ve made the choice to attend outpatient treatment, you probably have many questions.

The answer to this question is truly up to you, but we are happy to share our input. Many elements come into play, including whether your job is a factor, if medication-assisted treatment is involved, and more specifically, the exact level of outpatient treatment you’re willing to commit to.

In this article, we give you an inside look at our outpatient treatment programs at Purpose Healing Center, with a location in Scottsdale and a location in Phoenix, delivering valuable insights to help you determine the potential length of treatment, and which path might work best for you.

The 3 Most Common Types of Outpatient Treatment

Many of those who are new to drug or alcohol rehab aren’t aware of the fact that multiple forms of outpatient treatment exist. In fact, there are three distinct care levels available that fall under the designation of outpatient rehab.

At Purpose Healing Center, your options include:

Standard Outpatient Treatment

A traditional outpatient treatment program is the most standard form of care for those we treat on an outpatient basis. Normally, this level of care consists of 1 to 2 appointments per week, with varying degrees of counseling and education regarding drug abuse.

There are more specific treatment regimens available within our outpatient rehab, including group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and more. Each appointment generally lasts for about an hour or so, making up a total of about 1-2 hours weekly, on average.

Ideal Outpatient Rehab Criteria

• If your drug and alcohol addiction is less severe or in its infancy stages.
• The ideal option as a preventative measure for those who feel they are at risk of developing substance use disorders.
• If you’ve attempted AA or NA but fell short of your recovery goals.
• If you believe you can dedicate sufficient effort towards your recovery while still maintaining a life outside treatment (work, home duties, etc.).
• For those looking to experience recovery in smaller steps, using standard outpatient alcohol rehab is a stepping stone in a longer line of treatment options.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment or IOP

Intensive outpatient treatment is exactly as it sounds—a more intensive variety of outpatient rehab. During intensive drug or alcohol rehab, client participation is required 4 to 5 days a week, increasing the total group time to between 9 and 15 hours.

The same forms of therapy are available at intensive outpatient treatment, the primary difference existing solely on the increased level of attendance each week.

Many clients achieve great success using both varieties in continuation, creating a stepping-stone program of sorts to ensure a steady path to recovery.

Ideal Intensive Outpatient Care Criteria

• If you attempted standard outpatient and believe you need additional recovery efforts.
• A segue between a PHP and standard outpatient care programs.
• Likewise, a step down from inpatient before returning home full-time.
• As a beginner program for those who ultimately transition to standard outpatient for substance use disorder.
• If you believe you need additional help with substance use disorders but must maintain a life that allows time for work.
• If you consider yourself to have a mild substance use disorder.

Partial Hospitalization Program or PHP

Our most intensive outpatient program is known as PHP or partial hospitalization program. This type of outpatient rehab is one step below our residential inpatient treatment, providing the highest level of outpatient care available without actually residing at our facility.

Our PHP program requires attendance from Monday through Friday, for roughly 6 to 8 hours per day, with clients returning home at the conclusion of each day.

Using a PHP during the recovery journey affords increased efforts toward the recovery process, and can be a helpful segue after inpatient rehab to assist with relapse prevention.

Ideal PHP Criteria

• Ideal for clients who attempted one of the lower outpatient levels but require a stronger recovery effort.
• If you believe you need a level of care that provides the intensity of inpatient care but must be home in the evenings to care for children or a loved one.
• For those who require a high level of care but have reservations about residing for an extended period.
• Perfect as a step in a longer chain of recovery (inpatient to PHP, to IOP, to outpatient).
• For those who attempted outpatient substance use disorder treatment but fell short of recovery goals.
• If mental health services are required in addition to substance abuse recovery (i.e., dual diagnosis treatment).

Ultimately, the decision to attend outpatient treatment depends on the factors mentioned above. The next section provides an example of what our typical timeline looks like for our outpatient programs.

Keep in mind that the day-to-day outlook may vary depending on which level of care you choose and the treatment methods deployed. However, this provides a helpful roadmap of the overall journey, from start to finish.

A Typical Outpatient Treatment Program Timeline

The Evaluation Stage (Weeks 1 and 2)

During this period of our outpatient program, you will spend time getting acquainted with your counselor and our staff. Expect to complete an assessment as a pivotal element in your personalized treatment program.

Much of the first week consists of getting familiar with the environment and discussing your long-term plans for recovery. Week 2 is when the real focus of your treatment starts, as we’ll deploy the ideal form of therapy based on your assessment.

Recovery Therapy and Education (Weeks 3 to 6)

Between weeks 3 and 6, you’ll experience the “meat” of our drug and alcohol treatment. During this time, your outpatient program may consist of multiple evidence-based forms of therapy, peer-to-peer meetings, and other efforts to instill behavioral modification efforts and reinforce your education regarding the science of drug and alcohol addiction.

Support and Aftercare Prep (Weeks 7-12)

During Week 7, we will begin to introduce options for family meeting times in an effort to involve your aftercare support system in your recovery. This is a pivotal step, as your selected pillars of support play an important role during the aftercare phase.

Meetings focus on stress and behavioral management to assist you with preventing relapse and conquering real-life situations that might manifest triggers. We can also provide resources that include meetings, recommended counselors, and other helpful aftercare items.

Find Renewed Purpose at Our Outpatient Programs Today

At Purpose Healing Center, we believe that long-term recovery is possible with the right team by your side. That’s why we go the extra mile to provide our clients with the best addiction specialists in the industry.

We understand that not everybody has the option of attending the same level of care, and that every recovery case is different. Our personalized treatment plans ensure that you receive therapy that caters to your situation specifically.

Make a brave move toward recovery today and contact one of our admissions specialists for confidential support.