Intensive outpatient rehabilitation is a non-residential substance abuse program, requiring frequent attendance. In many cases, the daily meetings last several hours. For example, one program in Tennessee requires participants to attend group sessions from 9 A.M. - 1 P.M., Monday through Thursday with a two-hour meeting on Saturdays for 12 weeks. Outpatient intensive rehab allows participants to live at home and maintain employment. If your loved one needs rehab, but is not willing or able to go to a residential program, intensive outpatient might work in its place. For the most part, the following groups are enrolled in such programs:
Voluntary Participants: If your loved one is not being court-ordered to go, or sent through an employer help program, he or she can still attend on a voluntary basis, as long as it is funded through cash, insurance or some other means. Some programs have grant funding to pay for participants who cannot otherwise afford it. Because it is a voluntary participation, he or she can stop attending at any time. Problems such as a failed drug test or non-attendance are not reported to any authorities.
Transition: For those coming out of long-term residential treatment facilities, intensive outpatient programs provide a transition back into society. If your loved one has been at a residential rehab, he or she may feel more comfortable attending intensive outpatient meetings while getting used to being home again. Sometimes, intensive outpatient rehab is required to complete the residential program.
Court-Ordered: In some cases, intensive outpatient rehab is court-ordered in place of a jail sentence or as part of probation or parole. Once probation or parole are involved, if your loved one fails a drug tests or stops attending meetings, it may be reported and could trigger a probation/parole violation. If intensive outpatient treatment was in place of a jail sentence, a failed drug test or not attending could cause your loved one to have probation revoked and be put in jail to serve out his or her sentence.
Refreshers: If your loved one went through a residential rehab and later relapsed, an intensive outpatient program might be recommended. Most residential facilities either offer their own intensive outpatient programs or have relationships with local programs that they can send your loved one through.