What This Treatment Is
Outpatient MAT means Medication-Assisted Treatment delivered inside an outpatient level of care — usually Intensive Outpatient (IOP) or Outpatient Program (OP). The patient lives at home and comes to campus (or logs in via telehealth) for scheduled clinical activity. It’s the standard delivery model for MAT for adults who don’t need a residential level of care.
How Outpatient MAT Differs from Residential
Residential treatment means living at the facility 24/7. Outpatient means living at home and coming in for scheduled care. Both can deliver the same medications, therapy modalities, and psychiatric oversight. The difference is intensity and containment. Outpatient MAT is appropriate for patients whose home environment supports recovery, whose safety is stable, and who benefit from applying skills in real-world contexts between sessions.
Who Outpatient MAT Is For
Adults with opioid or alcohol use disorder who can maintain safety and stability outside a residential setting. It’s a fit for people stepping down from higher levels of care, patients whose first treatment level should be outpatient based on clinical picture, and patients balancing recovery with work, school, or caregiving responsibilities. Level of care is a clinical decision reviewed at intake and adjustable as treatment progresses.
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
At our Woodland Hills campus, outpatient MAT is delivered by board-certified psychiatric providers and licensed therapists across IOP (3–5 sessions per week) and OP (weekly therapy plus regular psychiatric follow-up).
What patients typically experience:
- Psychiatric evaluation and MAT initiation at intake.
- IOP: three to five group and individual therapy sessions per week, plus MAT management visits.
- OP: weekly therapy plus regular MAT follow-up (weekly initially, monthly once stable).
- Concurrent evidence-based therapies: CBT, DBT, motivational enhancement, EMDR when trauma is a factor.
- Care coordination if a mental health condition is also present (separate primary tracks, structured coordination).
- Aftercare planning that maps a step-down and long-term maintenance path.
Access at Our Woodland Hills Campus
Our campus is at 21250 Califa St, Ste 114, Woodland Hills, CA 91367, in the West San Fernando Valley. Access is straightforward:
- From the 101 (Ventura Freeway) — exit at De Soto Avenue or Winnetka Avenue and drive a short distance north.
- From the 118 (Ronald Reagan Freeway) — take Winnetka or De Soto south into the West Valley.
- Nearby communities — Warner Center, Winnetka, West Hills, Canoga Park, Tarzana, and Encino are all a short drive.
- Telehealth — after your initial in-person assessment, most follow-up psychiatric visits can be done by video for California residents.
Parking and check-in details are provided at intake. If accessibility accommodations are needed, tell our admissions team when you call.
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 PHPIntensive Outpatient (IOP)
Three-to-five sessions per week that allow work or school to continue.
Learn about IOPOutpatient (OP)
Weekly therapy plus regular psychiatric visits — well-suited to step-down maintenance.
Learn about OPTelehealth Follow-Up
Video visits with the psychiatric provider, available across California for eligible patients.
Learn about telehealthInsurance, Cost, and Getting Started
Most commercial insurance plans cover outpatient mat 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 outpatient mat 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
How do I know if outpatient is right for me instead of residential?
Can I keep working while in outpatient MAT?
What if outpatient isn't enough and I need to step up?
How is telehealth used in outpatient MAT?
What if I have a co-occurring mental health condition?
Does insurance cover outpatient MAT?
If You’re in Crisis
If you or someone you love is in immediate crisis, help is available 24/7. You are not alone.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 (24/7, free, confidential)
- SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-HELP (4357) — mental health & substance use referrals
- The Trevor Project — 1-866-488-7386 — LGBTQ+ youth crisis support
Trusted External Resources
Independent, evidence-based sources on the topics covered on this page:
SAMHSA’s clinical overview of MAT.
NIH institute publishing research on addiction and treatment.
APA’s public-facing guidance on substance use disorders.
FDA drug information on OUD medications.
CDC data and prevention resources for opioid overdose.
Ready to Talk About Outpatient MAT?
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.
Schedule Your Consultation