What's day hospital & intensive outpatient program (IOP)?

We provide a Department of Human Services (DHS) licensed partial hospitalization program (PHP), also called intensive outpatient program (IOP) or day hospital, for children and teens experiencing moderate to severe emotional or behavioral distress.

With up to six hours of daily programming, individuals are offered a high volume of therapeutic intervention in a short amount of time. Treatments include group and individual therapy, coping skills training, medication management and family involvement.

Who is a candidate?

Our day hospital program for children and teens is for kids ages 5 to 18 years old who have a serious to severe mental health condition. They’re going through strong emotions and have trouble doing regular daily activities.

To be considered for this treatment, a child needs to understand what it's for and take part in creating and following their treatment plan.

We do our best to meet the needs of any individual referred to us; however, certain exclusionary criteria apply. Individuals may not enter our program if they have:

• a primary diagnosis of a substance use disorder or primary treatment need that’s substance-related
• physical or developmental disorders that would prevent them from participating in and comprehending program activities
• physical aggression or behaviors that could endanger the well-being of themselves, other program participants or program staff

If you think your child may be a candidate for our program, please reach out to your child's health care provider for more information and a referral.

Make a referral

Referrals to our programs can be made by contacting our Access Center at 1-800-932-0359. You must meet all the eligibility requirements listed above.

What to expect

Before treatment

• Your child will undergo an initial intake appointment with their family member or legal guardian to obtain relevant clinical information, determine if this is the most appropriate treatment, and identify initial treatment goals.

During treatment

• Youth in the day hospital track (partial hospitalization track) can attend up to six hours per day, five days per week, Monday through Friday.
• Youth in the intensive outpatient track may attend for three hours per day, usually three to five days per week, Monday through Friday.
• Programming includes:
• Daily group therapy that includes topics such as coping skills, dialectical behavior therapy skills (DBT skills), anger management, stress management, relationship skills, self-esteem and problem-solving
• Weekly individual therapy
• Weekly medication management
• Weekly family sessions or contact with the parent, child or teen, and case counselor
• One hour per day of academic instruction

After treatment

• Discharge planning is an integral part of the program, providing a smooth transition and access to appropriate aftercare programs.

Benefits of the day hospital program

Our program offers treatment that can improve your child or teen's mental health and well-being. Some benefits to this type of treatment include:

• Improved mental health: Children and teens can receive effective treatment for a variety of mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, anger management and emotional dysregulation.
• Enhanced coping skills: Children and teens can learn valuable coping skills that can help them manage their symptoms and improve their overall mental health.
• Stronger family relationships: Family involvement is an important part of the treatment process. We teach families how to support their child or teen and improve their relationships.