Mental health intensive outpatient program (IOP) at Kolmac
Whether you are stepping down from inpatient care or working to avoid hospitalization, our mental health IOP delivers the clinical support you need in a setting that fits your life. It sits between individual counseling and inpatient care on the continuum, providing more structure than weekly therapy without requiring a residential stay.
What is a mental health IOP?
A mental health IOP is a structured level of care that provides several hours of clinical treatment per week without requiring you to live at a facility. At Kolmac, the program combines individual therapy, skills-based group work, and psychiatric services within a single coordinated care team. It is designed for people whose symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or mood disorders, significantly affect daily functioning but do not require round-the-clock care.
Individualized treatment plans
Our licensed clinicians work with each patient to develop a personalized treatment plan that reflects their symptoms, diagnosis, and goals. Plans are reviewed at 30, 60, and 90-day intervals to ensure continued progress. Goals typically include:
Stabilizing mental health conditions and symptoms such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and mood disorders
Promoting emotional regulation and building healthy coping strategies
Preventing hospitalization or supporting stabilization after discharge
Improving daily functioning at work, school, in relationships, and at home
Program structure
Our mental health IOP provides clinically intensive treatment in a flexible format:
- Days per week: 3 to 4 days
- Hours: 9 to 12 hours per week, 3 hours per session
- Schedule: evening sessions 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., or day sessions 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Delivery: hybrid, offered both in person and virtually
- Length: typically 8 to 12 weeks, depending on progress, medical necessity, and insurance
Who mental health IOP is for
Our mental health IOP is appropriate for individuals who:
- Are adults 18 and older, or adolescents 13 to 17 enrolling in our adolescent track
- Have a diagnosed mental health disorder
- Experience moderate symptoms that impair daily functioning
- Are medically stable
- Are able to participate in and benefit from group therapy
Who may need a different level of care
This level of care is not appropriate for individuals who are experiencing active suicidal or homicidal ideation or psychosis requiring inpatient care, who have a primary substance use disorder without a co-occurring mental health diagnosis (see our substance use IOP), or who have cognitive impairments that prevent participation in treatment. If a different level of care is more appropriate, our team will provide referrals to trusted partner programs.
Adolescent mental health IOP
Kolmac offers a dedicated mental health IOP track for adolescents ages 13 to 17, designed for the distinct developmental, academic, and social pressures of that stage of life. Programming keeps families informed and involved while supporting young people through structured group and individual care. Adolescent availability varies by location, and our admissions team can confirm the nearest option.
Three phases of treatment
Kolmac’s Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) follows a structured, three-phase approach designed to support long-term healing.
Phase 1: Evaluation and stabilization
Treatment begins with a comprehensive psychiatric and clinical evaluation that establishes your diagnosis, identifies immediate priorities, and sets the foundation of your treatment plan. Early sessions focus on stabilizing acute symptoms and establishing safety and routine.
Phase 2: Active mental health IOP
The core phase combines skills-based group therapy, individual sessions, and psychiatric services several days per week. This is where the daily work happens, building coping skills, regulating emotions, and addressing the patterns driving your symptoms while you continue living at home.
Phase 3: Step-down and continuing care
As you stabilize, you step down to less intensive support, such as individual counseling or continuing care, so progress is reinforced over time rather than ending when the program does. For patients managing both mental health and substance use, dual diagnosis care keeps both supported in one coordinated plan.
