Levels of addiction treatment range in intensity: on the higher end, inpatient rehab involves acute supervision, structure and 24-hour care. On the lower end, outpatient drug or alcohol rehab offers a greater sense of autonomy for clients with minimal supervision needs. In outpatient rehab, clients take on more responsibility for managing their treatment and daily life.
What Is Outpatient Rehab?
Outpatient rehabilitation is a type of treatment program that allows for a higher degree of freedom and flexibility in recovery. Clients in outpatient treatment typically live at home or in a sober living community. They visit the rehab center a few times each week for therapy and medical support. This flexibility lets a person return to their work, school and home life with ongoing access to treatment and addiction resources.
Outpatient treatment programs are a good option for people who have completed an inpatient stay and want to receive continued support throughout their recovery journey. As clients become more confident in their ability to maintain their health and sobriety, they can step down to less intensive outpatient programs. In many cases, people who have mild to moderate symptoms of addiction, mental stability and a stable home environment are also good candidates for outpatient treatment.
What Happens During an Outpatient Treatment Program?
Clients have access to a wide variety of outpatient rehabilitation services, including:
- Medical services, which may include medication-assisted treatment
- Treatment for co-occurring mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety
- Individual and group therapy
- Aftercare and relapse prevention support
Inpatient vs. Outpatient Rehab
There are a few differences between outpatient and inpatient treatment programs. Inpatient treatment is much more intensive, usually involving a detox period and weeks or months of treatment at the facility. Clients live on-site and have scheduled meals, sleep times, recreational activities and more. Additionally, most facilities do not allow cell phones or other types of technology — inpatient treatment is about removing distractions and focusing solely on treating addiction and co-occurring mental health conditions.
Outpatient programs offer the same types of treatment as inpatient programs, but clients in outpatient treatment are not required to live at the facility. Clients may receive medical treatment and therapy programs through scheduled visits at the rehab center several times a week. Treatment may not include medical detox when the substance use disorder is mild to moderate. Those in outpatient treatment are also more responsible for maintaining their recovery and coping with the stressors in their environment.
Types of Outpatient Programs
There are different types of outpatient care, which each cater to different needs in a client’s recovery. Common substance abuse outpatient programs include:
- Outpatient day treatment: Day treatment programs have clients visiting the facility several times a week for several hours each time. Visits involve treatment through group and individual therapy as well as medical support.
- Continuing care: Also known as aftercare, continuing care provides services that help clients maintain long-term recovery after their rehab stay ends. Continuing care includes follow-up appointments, access to support groups, medication treatment and other resources for recovery.
- Intensive outpatient: Intensive outpatient treatment is a step up from a typical outpatient program, but it is not as rigorous as inpatient care. This type of program offers increased levels of support and structure. It is a good in-between for people who don’t quite need an inpatient stay but require more than standard outpatient care.
Aftercare is the final component of any treatment program with The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper. The resources provided during aftercare are proven to reduce rates of relapse. Though relapse is common during recovery, aftercare provides continuous support that helps clients after their inpatient or outpatient rehab program has ended.
Benefits of Outpatient Treatment
Outpatient programs provide more autonomy than inpatient options, allowing clients to continue their daily lives at home while receiving ongoing addiction treatment. Other benefits of outpatient treatment include:
- Greater flexibility in treatment scheduling and design
- More availability for work, school and family obligations
- Often lower cost than inpatient rehab
- Effectiveness at treating mild to moderate substance use disorders
Find Outpatient Care in South Jersey
If you’re looking for an outpatient care facility in the South Jersey area, you have many options to choose from. The best way to find treatment is to enter your location into the SAMHSA treatment services locator and contact a facility that suits your needs. You can also ask your doctor for recommendations or reach out to The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper to learn more about our outpatient programs.
Outpatient Treatment at The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper
The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper is a brand new, state-of-the-art rehab facility in the South Jersey area. Located close to Philadelphia, we offer a continuum of care ranging from intensive inpatient treatment to outpatient rehab for substance abuse. We also offer dual diagnosis outpatient programs that treat substance use and mental health disorders simultaneously.
If you’re ready to begin the treatment process or would like to learn more about our programs, The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about addiction recovery resources that can work well for your situation.
FAQs
Residential (inpatient) substance abuse treatment provides intensive addiction treatment for clients who live on-site. Outpatient programs are typically less intensive, less rigorous and allow clients to live at home.
Outpatient rehab is often more affordable than inpatient care, as clients do not need to live at the facility. However, the specific cost of outpatient treatment varies depending on each client’s needs.
Most private health insurance policies cover some or all of outpatient rehab costs. Visit your plan’s website, contact your insurance provider directly or reach out to The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper to verify your insurance.
The length of an outpatient care program depends on the individual. Intensive outpatient services typically continue for at least a month, regular services continue for three to nine months and aftercare can continue for years or indefinitely.
Many parts of the treatment process are ineffective if the client is still using drugs or alcohol. In addition, medications you receive may interact poorly with substances. For these reasons, many rehabs complete substance use evaluations regularly to ensure clients receive optimal treatment. Drug testing also helps clients hold themselves accountable while away from the facility.
Kadden, Ronald M; Litt, Mark D. “The Role of Self-Efficacy in the Treatme[…]tance Use Disorders.” Addictive Behavior, July 29, 2011. Accessed March 13, 2020.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator Map.” Accessed March 13, 2020.
The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.