Mental health
Intensive outpatient program in Orange County
IOP gives you structured mental health treatment on several days a week, so you can keep up with work, school and home.
(714) 862-19074.9 from 448 Google reviews
Clinically reviewed by Christina Khouie, MA, LMFT, our founder, on September 30, 2026. Enhance is accredited by The Joint Commission and certified by the California Department of Health Care Services.
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Send us three details and we’ll check what your plan covers, then call you back.
What it means
What is an intensive outpatient program?
An intensive outpatient program (IOP) gives you structured mental health treatment on several days a week, while you keep living at home and keep up with your daily responsibilities.
It sits between a partial hospitalization program (PHP) and weekly outpatient therapy, so it suits people who need more support than one appointment a week.
Weekly therapy is one appointment a week, and IOP brings group and individual sessions together on several days.
Intensive outpatient (IOP)
Treatment runs a few hours a day, several days a week, so many people keep working or studying. Many people move to it after partial hospitalization.
Outpatient therapy
You meet with your therapist on a regular schedule, on your own or with your family. It suits people who feel steadier and want support to keep their progress going.
Admissions can help you decide whether IOP, outpatient therapy or a full-day program is the right fit.
Levels of care
Where IOP sits among the levels of care
Enhance offers the intensive outpatient program Orange County residents can attend in Tustin, and it sits between PHP and outpatient therapy.
Inpatient
- Where you sleep
- On site, with clinical staff
- How much of your week
- All of it
- Who it suits
- Needs more than a day program
- What usually comes next
- PHP
Partial hospitalization (PHP)
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Most of each day
- Who it suits
- Can sleep at home safely
- What usually comes next
- IOP
Intensive outpatient (IOP)
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Part of the week
- Who it suits
- Keeping up work or school
- What usually comes next
- Outpatient
Outpatient
- Where you sleep
- At home
- How much of your week
- Regular sessions
- Who it suits
- Doing well with therapy
- What usually comes next
- Ongoing care
You can also do PHP, IOP or outpatient therapy through virtual care. Admissions can help you choose where to start.
When to consider it
Signs IOP may be the right level
IOP may be the right level of care if some of these signs sound like you, and admissions can help you decide.
- Weekly therapy is helping, but not enough to keep symptoms from building.
- You are finishing PHP or inpatient care and want support as you go back to work.
- You want to keep your job, classes or family routine while you get treatment.
- Anxiety or low mood is starting to affect your sleep, work or relationships.
- You want group sessions with other people facing similar problems.
- You can get to your sessions and stay safe in between them.
A full-day program may help if
- Symptoms fill most of your day.
- You need support on most days of the week.
- You've tried IOP and your symptoms kept getting worse.
If there is immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
What our IOP includes
Your treatment team builds your plan from these parts, based on what you need and how treatment is going.
Group therapy
Groups led by a licensed therapist, where you learn and practice coping skills alongside other people in IOP.
Individual therapy
One-to-one sessions with a licensed therapist, where you work on the goals in your treatment plan.
Family therapy
Sessions that include parents, partners or other family members, when involving them would help.
Medication management
A licensed psychiatrist prescribes medication when it is part of your plan and reviews how it is working.
CBT, DBT and EMDR
Our therapists use cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy for emotional regulation, and EMDR with trauma-informed care.
Dual diagnosis care
When drinking or drug use is part of the picture, we treat it and the mental health condition in one plan.
What we treat
Conditions treated in our IOP and outpatient care
Our IOP and outpatient therapy treat the same mental health conditions as our full-day and inpatient programs, from anxiety disorders to trauma.
What happens when you call
See what happens when you call admissions or send us the form.
You call, or send the form
You tell admissions what is happening and whether you think IOP might fit.
We check your benefits
With your permission, we contact your insurer and find out what your plan covers.
You hear what it means
Admissions explains your deductible, your copay and which level of care your plan supports, in plain terms.
You decide
If you want to go ahead, admissions walks you through what happens next.
Benefits vary from plan to plan, and checking them does not guarantee coverage.
(714) 862-1907Cost and coverage
Insurance and what IOP costs
What you pay for IOP depends on your deductible, your copay and the level of care your insurer approves. Admissions checks your benefits with your insurer and tells you what you'd pay before you decide anything.
We're in network with most insurance plans. If your plan isn't listed, call us and we'll check it for you.
Some plans we accept
- Ambetter
- MHN
- CalPERS
- Covered California
Common questions about IOP and outpatient care
If your question is not answered here, call admissions at (714) 862-1907.
Can I keep working during IOP?
Yes, that's what IOP is for. Sessions run on several days a week, and admissions can talk through how they fit around your job or classes.
What happens in IOP?
IOP combines group therapy with individual sessions, and family sessions when they help. Our therapists use methods such as CBT, DBT and EMDR.
How long does IOP last?
It depends on how you're doing in treatment. Your clinical team works out a timeline with you during your assessment and adjusts it as you go.
Is medication part of outpatient care?
It can be. When medication is part of your plan, a licensed psychiatrist prescribes it and reviews how it is working.
What comes after IOP?
Most people step down to regular outpatient therapy at Enhance. If things get harder, you can move up to PHP without changing providers.
Are intensive outpatient programs worth it?
IOP is worth considering when weekly therapy isn't enough but you can manage daily life at home. An assessment with our clinical team helps you decide whether it fits.
What's the difference between IOP and regular therapy?
Regular therapy is usually one appointment a week. IOP brings group and individual sessions together on several days a week, with more structure and more support.
How many days a week is IOP?
IOP runs on several days a week, and the exact schedule depends on your plan. Admissions can explain the schedule before you decide anything.
How do clinicians decide between IOP and a higher level of care?
An assessment looks at your symptoms, your safety and how daily life is going. Your clinical team recommends a level of care, and you decide whether to go ahead.
Is IOP right if I'm having thoughts of suicide or self-harm?
If you may not be safe right now, call 988 or go to the nearest emergency room first. A higher level of care may be safer, and admissions can help you find it.
Can I do IOP online?
Yes. IOP also runs virtually, so you can take part from home if travel is hard.
Does insurance cover IOP?
Coverage depends on your plan: your deductible, your copay and what your insurer approves. Call (714) 862-1907 or send the form above, and admissions checks your benefits before you decide anything.
What should I look for in an IOP in Orange County?
Look for accreditation you can check, licensed clinicians, treatment for mental health and substance use together, and a plan for what comes after. Enhance is accredited by The Joint Commission, and one team runs PHP, IOP and outpatient care.
Talk to admissions about IOP
Admissions can check your benefits and help you decide whether IOP fits. Nothing is decided until you say so.
Enhance Health Group14742 Newport Ave STE 208, Tustin, CA 92780