A PHP day is a full day of treatment, and then you go home or to supported housing at night. It packs in more clinical contact than any outpatient week. Partial hospitalization sits one step below inpatient care and one step above intensive outpatient, and it draws on individual, group and family therapy plus medication management.
Here's how those parts fit together, in the order most people meet them. We won't give you a clock-by-clock schedule, because session times aren't fixed and what your week includes depends on your treatment plan. What we can describe accurately is what each piece is for and how the pieces fit together.
Enhance Health Group is a Joint Commission accredited provider in Tustin, and our admissions team can explain how PHP would work for your situation. If you or someone you love is in crisis right now, call or text 988 before you read further. Otherwise, here's how the day comes together.
What is a PHP program like from start to finish?
A partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a structured day of treatment, with several kinds of therapy and medication oversight, that lets you go home rather than stay overnight at a facility. It's the most intensive level of care you can do without being admitted. With us, it sits between inpatient care and intensive outpatient (IOP) on the ladder of levels we offer.
Four parts make up a PHP day: individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and medication management. Not every person gets the same mix, and we won't pretend otherwise. What you need on a given week depends on your diagnosis, how severe your symptoms are, and what your clinicians see as you go.
Individual therapy is one-on-one time with a clinician, where the work gets specific to you. Group therapy puts you with other people in treatment, which tends to matter more than people expect, because hearing someone describe your own experience out loud changes how it feels. Family therapy brings the people close to you into the process. Medication management is where a prescriber reviews what you're taking, how it's working, and whether anything needs to change.
Program hours and session lengths are confirmed with you during admissions, so you'll know your own schedule before you start. What we can say now is that a PHP day has more structure and more contact with your care team than an outpatient week.
PHP also isn't limited to one kind of condition. Our team treats depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders, and dual diagnosis PHP addresses mental health and addiction together. Our programs are accredited by The Joint Commission.
If you're wondering whether your plan covers this level of care, our admissions team can check your benefits and walk through what they find.
Individual and group therapy during a PHP day
In a PHP day, individual therapy gives you one-on-one time with a clinician, and group therapy puts you in a room with other people working through similar problems. Both are core parts of partial hospitalization at our Tustin office, and they do different jobs.
Individual therapy is where your own situation gets the attention. You and your therapist work on what's driving your symptoms, whether that's depression, anxiety, trauma, bipolar disorder, an eating disorder, or substance use. Our clinicians include masters- and doctorate-level therapists, and sessions are confidential. This is also where you can say things you aren't ready to say in front of a group, and where your treatment plan gets adjusted as you learn what helps and what doesn't.
Group therapy is where you practice. Hearing how someone else handled a bad week, or finding out that your worst thoughts aren't unusual, tends to cut through isolation in a way one-on-one sessions can't always do. Groups also give you a place to try new skills with real people instead of only talking about them. If you're dealing with both a mental health condition and substance use, dual diagnosis PHP treats the two together instead of asking you to choose which one to address first.
The order and length of sessions depend on your care plan, so you'll hear the specifics from your team. The program is built from individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and medication management, and your clinicians set how those pieces fit your week.
If you're wondering whether you'd be expected to talk in group from the first day, the honest answer is that you'll be welcomed in, and your pace is something to raise with your therapist. Admissions can walk you through what to expect before you start. Call (714) 862-1907 to ask.
Where family therapy and medication management fit in
Family therapy and medication management are two parts of a PHP week that sit alongside individual and group therapy, and they usually happen on the days you're already attending rather than as separate appointments. The order and timing depend on your treatment plan.
Family therapy brings the people closest to you into the work. A clinician meets with you and one or more family members to talk about what's been happening at home, how the symptoms or substance use have affected everyone, and what support looks like once the day's program ends. These sessions aren't a place to assign blame. They give your family a clear picture of what you're working on, and they give you a chance to say what you need. If you're a parent, partner, or adult child reading this, expect to be asked about your own observations and boundaries too.
Medication management is the part that deals with prescriptions. Because PHP is a step up in intensity from outpatient care, medication conversations can happen more often than they would with a monthly appointment. You and the prescriber can review how a medication is working, what side effects you're noticing, and whether anything needs to change. Bring a current list of everything you take, including over-the-counter products and supplements, since that list shapes the discussion.
For people with both a mental health condition and a substance use disorder, our dual diagnosis PHP treats the two together instead of sending you to separate programs. That matters for medication decisions, because the symptoms and the substance use often influence each other.
Sessions are confidential, and what you share with your clinician isn't passed along to family without your involvement. If you want to know how family sessions and medication visits would fit into your own plan, admissions can walk you through it. The Tustin team can also check your benefits and explain what may be covered.
When PHP is the right step, and when you need crisis help instead
PHP fits when you need more daily structure than weekly therapy but can stay safe between sessions. If you're thinking about ending your life or can't keep yourself safe right now, reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline first, or call 911 if someone is in immediate danger. A PHP is a treatment program, not a crisis service, and it shouldn't be the first call during an emergency.
Once you're safe, PHP is often a reasonable step in a few situations. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, bipolar disorder, or substance use may be getting in the way of work, parenting, or sleep, even though you're not in danger. You may be stepping down from a hospital or residential stay and need support that still involves individual, group, and family therapy along with medication management. Or you may have tried weekly outpatient therapy and found that one hour a week doesn't hold you up. We also treat dual diagnosis, so a PHP can address a mental health condition and addiction together instead of sending you to two separate places.
PHP is usually not the right fit when the main need is medical detox or round-the-clock care. Detox, addiction residential care, and supported living happen at our sister facility, Embrace Treatment Center. Mental health inpatient and residential care happens at our other sister facility, Eden by Enhance. The same people own and run both, along with our Tustin office. Admissions in Tustin stays your first contact, so you don't have to work out the right level on your own. The team can talk through what you're facing and help plan a step down to PHP or IOP with us later.
Nobody can tell you the right level from a web page. A clinical assessment decides it, and your insurance plan decides what may be covered. Call (714) 862-1907 and we'll verify your benefits and explain your options. Verification isn't a guarantee of coverage or admission.
Frequently asked questions about a day in PHP
What does a typical day in a PHP program include?
A PHP day is built from individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy and medication management. Which pieces you get, and how often, depends on your clinical needs. Your schedule is set during your assessment, so admissions can explain how it'd apply to you.
Do I stay overnight in partial hospitalization?
No, PHP is a step below inpatient care, and you don't sleep at the program. You go home or to a supported living arrangement each day. Supported living means structured homes with staff oversight for people in PHP and IOP. If you're not sure you have a safe or stable place to stay, tell admissions, and they can talk through your options.
Will my insurance cover PHP?
It may, and admissions will check your plan before you start. We're in network with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Optum, United Healthcare, Blue Shield of California, MHN, Health Net, Ambetter, Multiplan and CalPERS. We also work with Covered California plans. Admissions contacts your payer, then explains your deductible, copay and which levels of care may be covered.
Can my family take part in treatment?
Yes, family therapy is one of the parts of a PHP day. It gives the people closest to you a structured place to understand what you're working on and to talk through what's been hard at home. If you'd like family involved, say so during intake so it can be planned with your clinical team.
Does PHP treat addiction and mental health together?
Yes. Dual diagnosis PHP is built for people who are dealing with a mental health condition and substance use at the same time. Treating them together matters because each tends to make the other harder to manage. If you also need detox first, that's a separate level of care, and our admissions team can help you plan the path into PHP.
What if I'm in crisis right now?
Call 911 if you're in immediate danger, or reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline any time. PHP is scheduled treatment, not an emergency service. Once you're safe, we're here to help you figure out whether PHP is the next step.
