Levels of care, explained
From weekly therapy to residential treatment: what each option means and who it's for.
Care is matched to how much support you need right now. Many people move between levels over time, stepping up when things get harder and stepping down as they get better.
- Outpatient
- Regular appointments (therapy, counseling, medication management, or substance use groups) while you live at home, work, or go to school.
- Intensive outpatient (IOP)
- More hours per week than standard outpatient, often several sessions a week, including evening options.
- Partial hospitalization & day treatment
- Structured treatment for much of the day, several days a week, while sleeping at home.
- Residential treatment
- You live at the program for a period of time with daily treatment and 24-hour staff.
- Withdrawal management (detox)
- Medically supported care while alcohol or drugs leave your body.
- Inpatient psychiatric care
- Hospital care for people who need round-the-clock treatment to stay safe.
- Community-based support
- Services like psychiatric rehabilitation and skills coaching, ACT teams, case management, and peer support help people live well in the community. Names for these programs vary from state to state.
For substance use treatment, most states and insurers use levels of care defined by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), from outpatient through residential and hospital-level care. Your assessment recommends the level that fits.