What This Treatment Is

Intensive Outpatient (IOP) is a structured outpatient level of care between PHP and standard weekly outpatient. Patients attend 3-5 sessions per week, typically 3 hours per session, while living at home and (for many) continuing work or school. For Calabasas residents, IOP runs at our Woodland Hills campus, about 15 minutes north via US-101.

Why IOP for Co-Occurring Conditions

IOP delivers enough structure and clinical touch to produce real progress — group therapy multiple times per week, individual sessions, regular psychiatric appointments — while preserving the patient’s connection to normal life. For working Calabasas adults with co-occurring depression, anxiety, PTSD, or bipolar plus substance use disorder, IOP often fits better than PHP practically.

What IOP Includes

Programming includes: group therapy sessions (3-5 per week) covering CBT skills, DBT distress tolerance, trauma-informed work, and substance use process groups; individual therapy weekly; psychiatric medication management every 1-2 weeks; MAT medication management for co-occurring SUD; family involvement (with authorization); and structured aftercare planning.

Our Care Model: Specialty-Led, Distinct Primary Tracks

Elevated Healing operates separate primary treatment tracks for Mental Health and Substance Use, each led by the appropriate clinical specialty from day one. When both are present, our teams coordinate care across tracks so the full clinical picture is addressed without collapsing treatment into a single generalized program.

This is different from a blended or generalized model. Read more on our Care Model page.

Elevated Healing’s Specialty-Led Approach

For Calabasas patients, IOP is delivered at our Woodland Hills campus (~15 min via US-101) through coordinated specialty-led tracks. Group scheduling includes evening tracks. Some individual therapy and psychiatric follow-ups can move to telehealth once stability builds.

What patients typically experience:

  • Full intake evaluation across both tracks.
  • Group therapy 3-5 times per week at the campus.
  • Individual therapy weekly (some telehealth-eligible).
  • Psychiatric provider visits every 1-2 weeks.
  • MAT medication management for co-occurring SUD.
  • Family involvement (with authorization).
  • Aftercare planning as IOP progresses.
Evidence base. IOP is an established, evidence-supported level of care for co-occurring conditions. Per SAMHSA, retention and outcomes are comparable to higher-intensity care for appropriately selected patients.

Access from Calabasas

Our physical location is at 21250 Califa St, Ste 114, Woodland Hills, CA 91367, about a 15-minute drive from Calabasas via US-101 in normal traffic.

  • From central Calabasas — US-101 East, exit at Winnetka Avenue or De Soto Avenue, then a short drive north.
  • From Hidden Hills or Woodland Hills-adjacent areas — many patients complete the trip in under 15 minutes.
  • From Agoura Hills or Westlake Village — allow about 20–25 minutes via US-101.
  • Telehealth — after your initial in-person assessment, most follow-up psychiatric visits can be done by video across California, reducing travel burden for maintenance and step-down care.

New patients typically complete their initial evaluation in person; ongoing follow-up can be scheduled remotely when clinically appropriate.

Program Levels That Deliver This Care

This service is delivered inside the level of care that matches your clinical need at intake. Level of care can shift over time as treatment progresses.

Partial Hospitalization (PHP)

Structured day program, five days per week, with psychiatric oversight and integrated therapy.

Learn about PHP

Intensive Outpatient (IOP)

Three-to-five sessions per week that allow work or school to continue.

Learn about IOP

Outpatient (OP)

Weekly therapy plus regular psychiatric visits — well-suited to step-down maintenance.

Learn about OP

Telehealth Follow-Up

Video visits with the psychiatric provider, available across California for eligible patients.

Learn about telehealth

Insurance, Cost, and Getting Started

Most commercial insurance plans cover co-occurring iop under mental health and substance use disorder benefits, which are subject to federal parity requirements under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. Parity means insurers cannot impose stricter limits on behavioral health services than they apply to physical health services — a real legal protection worth knowing you have when you call.

The first step is a conversation with our admissions team. This call is free, confidential, and carries no obligation. During it, we:

  • Verify your insurance benefits within one business day.
  • Confirm what’s covered, what your copay or coinsurance will be, and whether prior authorization applies.
  • Start any required prior authorization on your behalf so you’re not stuck on hold with your insurer.
  • Schedule a clinical evaluation — usually within a few business days of your first call, sooner when the situation is time-sensitive.

If insurance doesn’t cover the service or your plan design doesn’t fit, self-pay options can be discussed. There is no charge to have this conversation. Reach us at (747) 888-3000 or use our insurance verification form.

What Progress Looks Like

Recovery through co-occurring iop is not a straight line, and durable clinical outcomes rarely happen in weeks. Realistic timelines matter here more than optimistic promises. Most patients notice measurable improvement in the first month of consistent treatment — reduced cravings, more stable mood, better sleep, easier engagement with therapy. Substantive behavioral change typically takes root over three to six months.

Progress is reviewed at every clinical visit. We measure it in specifics: frequency of the target behavior, functional recovery in work and relationships, sleep quality, and — where medications are involved — how well the pharmacology is holding cravings and side effects. When something isn’t working, we adjust. That might mean a dose change, a therapy focus shift, or a step up or down in level of care. The plan follows the patient’s clinical picture, not the other way around.

Setbacks are treated as clinical data, not moral failure. If a relapse or symptom flare happens, the team’s job is to understand what led to it and refine the plan. Patients are not discharged for a relapse. Long-term recovery is often what happens after the acute treatment phase ends, and we plan for that from the first visit — through aftercare planning, coordinated hand-offs, and telehealth follow-up available across California.

Confidentiality and HIPAA Protections

Treatment records at Elevated Healing are protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and, for substance use records specifically, under 42 CFR Part 2 — a federal regulation providing additional protection for substance use disorder treatment information. That means treatment status and clinical details are not disclosed to family members, employers, or third parties without your written authorization, except in narrowly defined legal circumstances (imminent harm, court order).

Practical protections include HIPAA-compliant scheduling and communication systems, secure insurance verification channels, and billing structured to minimize what appears on statements. Patients with heightened confidentiality concerns can request specific accommodations at intake — arrival timing, check-in flow, telehealth-first scheduling — and our admissions team will confirm what’s available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work full-time during IOP from Calabasas?
Many patients do. IOP is typically 9-15 hours per week, often scheduled evenings or mornings. Adding the ~15 min commute each way, the total time commitment is workable for most jobs with some flexibility. This is discussed during intake.
Can any of IOP be done via telehealth?
Group therapy is typically in-person because group dynamics matter. Individual therapy and psychiatric follow-ups can often move to video for California residents once stability is established. Your team confirms what fits.
How long does IOP last?
Typical duration is 8-12 weeks. Length is driven by clinical progress, not calendar. Step-down to OP happens when the clinical team and patient agree reduced intensity is appropriate.
Is IOP enough for co-occurring conditions?
For many patients, yes. For patients with severe acute symptoms or safety concerns, PHP may be the right starting point. Level of care moves up or down as the clinical picture changes.
What happens after IOP?
Step-down to weekly outpatient (OP) is most common — continued therapy and psychiatric follow-up at reduced frequency. MAT continues at monthly cadence for stable patients.
Does insurance cover IOP?
Most commercial insurance covers IOP under parity-protected benefits. Prior authorization may apply — we handle it. Reach us at (747) 888-3000.

If You’re in Crisis

If you or someone you love is in immediate crisis, help is available 24/7. You are not alone.

Trusted External Resources

Independent, evidence-based sources on the topics covered on this page:

SAMHSA — Co-Occurring Disorders →

SAMHSA’s overview of co-occurring conditions.

American Society of Addiction Medicine →

ASAM’s Criteria for levels of care.

American Psychiatric Association →

APA’s guidance on substance use.

National Institute on Drug Abuse →

NIH institute research on addiction.

City of Calabasas →

Municipal community services.

Ready to Talk About Co-Occurring IOP?

Our admissions team can walk you through what treatment looks like, verify insurance benefits, and answer questions. Conversations are confidential.

Call us confidentially at (747) 888-3000 — or request a consultation online.

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