PHP Program: Your Guide to Partial Hospitalization for Mental Health & Addiction

When life feels unmanageable and weekly therapy sessions aren’t enough to steady the ground beneath you, it’s natural to wonder what options exist between outpatient care and an inpatient or residential stay. If you or someone you love is struggling with serious mental health conditions, you may have heard about something called a PHP program—and you’re probably looking for clarity about what it means and whether it could help.

This guide is here to walk you through everything you need to understand about partial hospitalization programs. We’ll explore how they work day to day, who they’re designed to help, the services you can expect, and the practical details that matter when you’re ready to take the first step toward healing. You’re not alone in this, and there are paths forward that meet you exactly where you are.

What Is a PHP Program?

A PHP program stands for Partial Hospitalization Program—a structured, intensive treatment option designed for people navigating serious mental health or behavioral health challenges. Think of it as a middle ground: you receive hospital-level care and services during the day, but you return home each evening. There’s no overnight stay required, which allows you to maintain connection with your family, home environment, and daily life while still receiving the intensive support you need.

Despite the word “hospitalization” in its name, a partial hospitalization program isn’t about being admitted to a hospital ward. Instead, it’s an outpatient level of care that provides the kind of comprehensive, coordinated treatment you might find in inpatient settings—but with the flexibility to sleep in your own bed at night. This model became more widely standardized in the United States after the 1980s, as community-based psychiatric care grew and experts recognized the need for treatment options that could bridge the gap between hospitals and traditional weekly therapy.

PHP programs treat a wide range of conditions, including:

• Major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression
• Bipolar disorder and mood instability
• Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder and generalized anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma-related problems
• Eating disorders requiring structured support
• Substance use disorders and co-occurring addiction issues

In terms of intensity, partial hospitalization sits directly between inpatient hospitalization—where you would stay around the clock under 24-hour supervision—and traditional outpatient therapy, where you might meet with a therapist once a week. For many people, a PHP is exactly what’s required to stabilize symptoms, develop coping skills, and build a foundation for lasting recovery without the need for inpatient care.

How a PHP Program Works Day to Day

Understanding what to expect from a PHP schedule can help ease the uncertainty that often accompanies starting intensive treatment. Most programs operate between 4 and 8 hours per day, typically running Monday through Friday. A common schedule might look like 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., though this can vary based on the treatment center and your individual needs.

Your day will be structured but not rigid. Treatment plans are created around you—your symptoms, your goals, your life circumstances. While every program is different, most include a combination of the following:

• Individual psychotherapy: Usually 45–60 minute sessions, often weekly, focused on your specific challenges
• Group therapy: Multiple sessions per week where you connect with others facing similar issues and learn from shared experiences
• Family sessions: When appropriate, bringing loved ones into the process to strengthen support and communication
• Psychiatric evaluations and medication management: Regular check-ins with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner to review and adjust treatment

The team working with you is multidisciplinary—meaning you’ll benefit from the expertise of psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed therapists, nurses, and sometimes peer specialists or case managers who help coordinate school, work, and community resources. Daily check-ins, safety assessments, and mood tracking are standard components, helping your team respond quickly to any changes in how you’re feeling.

Many PHPs now offer both in-person and telehealth options. Since the COVID-19 pandemic expanded virtual care in 2020–2021, plenty of programs have maintained hybrid models, making it easier for people who are unable to travel daily or who live in areas with fewer local resources to participate in treatment.

Who Is a PHP Program For?

A partial hospitalization program is designed for people whose symptoms are serious enough that they need more than weekly therapy—but who can remain safe without 24-hour supervision. It’s for those moments when outpatient care isn’t enough, but inpatient hospitalization isn’t necessary.

Here are some concrete examples of when a PHP might be the right fit:

• Someone leaving an inpatient psychiatric unit after a crisis, such as a suicide attempt, who needs continued intensive support as they transition back to daily life
• A teen whose anxiety has become so overwhelming they’re unable to attend school and need structured intervention
• An adult experiencing a relapse of alcohol use disorder who requires intensive treatment to regain stability
• A person with severe depression who isn’t responding to weekly therapy and needs more comprehensive care

Programs typically serve distinct age groups with dedicated tracks: young adults (18–25), adults (18–64), and older adults (65+). This allows treatment to address the unique developmental and life-stage issues each group faces.

Good fit for PHP:

• You need more structure than weekly sessions can provide
• You can stay safe at home overnight with support
• You’re motivated to participate in treatment daily
• You have some stability in housing and basic needs

Not appropriate for PHP:

• Active medical instability requiring 24-hour monitoring
• Uncontrolled violent behavior that poses immediate risk
• Severe cognitive impairment needing residential or inpatient care

Admission decisions are based on clinical assessments, risk evaluations, and sometimes standardized scales like the PHQ-9 for depression or GAD-7 for anxiety. The goal is to determine whether a PHP can meet your needs and keep you safe while providing the level of care that will help you heal.

Services and Therapies in a PHP Program

PHP programs are comprehensive by design, combining multiple evidence-based treatments within one coordinated plan. Rather than piecing together care from different providers, you receive integrated services under one roof—saving you time, reducing confusion, and ensuring that everyone on your team is working toward the same goals.

Core therapeutic components typically include:

• Individual therapy: One-on-one sessions using approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), or trauma-focused CBT, tailored to your specific experiences and needs
• Group therapy: Skills groups where you learn emotion regulation and coping strategies, process groups for deeper exploration of feelings, and psychoeducation sessions that help you understand your condition
• Family therapy: Sessions that bring children, adolescents, or adults together with family members to improve communication, rebuild trust, and create a supportive home environment
• Medication management: Assessment, initiation, and adjustment of psychiatric medications by a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner, with ongoing monitoring for effectiveness and side effects
• Skills training: Practical instruction in emotion regulation, relapse prevention, communication skills, and coping techniques you can use in everyday life
• Case management: Coordination with schools, employers, and community resources to support your return to normal activities and ensure continuity of care

Some treatment centers offer specialty tracks for specific populations. For example, you might find a dual diagnosis track for those dealing with co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions, an eating disorders track with nutritional support, or a trauma-focused track using approaches like EMDR or prolonged exposure therapy.

It’s worth noting that many of these therapeutic models have decades of research behind them. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), for instance, was developed in the 1990s by Dr. Marsha Linehan specifically to help people with intense emotional experiences and self-destructive behaviors. When you enter a PHP, you’re benefiting from treatments that experts have refined over years of helping people just like you.

PHP Programs vs. Other Levels of Care

Understanding where a partial hospitalization program fits within the broader continuum of care can help you and your family make informed decisions. Mental health treatment exists on a spectrum, from routine outpatient visits all the way to around-the-clock inpatient hospitalization. Each level serves a purpose, and the right choice depends on your current symptoms, safety needs, and life circumstances.

Inpatient Hospitalization

This is the highest level of psychiatric care, providing 24/7 supervision and safety monitoring. Inpatient stays are typically reserved for acute crises—situations where someone poses an immediate risk to themselves or others, or when they’re unable to care for their basic needs. The focus is on stabilization, and stays are usually brief, often lasting days to a couple of weeks. Once the crisis passes, many patients step down to a PHP to continue healing without the intensity of round-the-clock care.

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

An IOP offers structured treatment, but less than a PHP. Typically, you might attend 3 hours per day, 3–4 days per week—totaling around 9–12 hours of care weekly. IOPs work well for people who have some stability but still need more support than weekly therapy provides. Many people transition from PHP to IOP as they improve, gradually stepping down the intensity of their care.

Standard Outpatient Therapy

This is what most people picture when they think of mental health treatment: weekly 45–60 minute sessions with a therapist, sometimes supplemented by monthly psychiatric visits for medication. Outpatient therapy offers about 1–2 hours of care per week and works best for people with mild to moderate symptoms or those in the maintenance phase of recovery.

The PHP Difference

A PHP program typically provides 20–30 hours of care per week—significantly more than an IOP’s 9–12 hours or outpatient’s 1–2 hours. This intensity allows for deeper work, more support, and faster progress during times of crisis or transition. PHP is frequently used as a step-down after inpatient care or a step-up when outpatient therapy isn’t meeting your needs. It’s about finding the right level of support for where you are right now—and that can change over time.

Length, Outcomes, and Transition After a PHP Program

One of the most common questions families ask is: “How long does this take?” The honest answer is that the length of a PHP varies based on your clinical progress, safety, and life obligations. Many youth programs run around 10–15 treatment days, while adult programs often span 3–6 weeks. Some people need longer; others find they’re ready to step down sooner. Your treatment team will work with you to review progress and determine what makes sense for your situation.

Progress is monitored throughout your stay using symptom scales, safety plans, attendance records, and ongoing feedback from you and your family. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all process—your team will pay attention to how you’re responding, adjust your treatment plan as needed, and celebrate the small wins along the way.

Research consistently shows that structured, intensive outpatient care like PHP can reduce the risk of rehospitalization and improve functioning when combined with solid follow-up care. The key is that PHP isn’t the end of treatment—it’s a critical step in a longer journey toward well being and lasting recovery.

What happens at discharge:

• Gradual reduction of days per week as you stabilize
• Transition to an IOP or weekly outpatient therapy
• Ongoing medication follow-up with your prescriber
• Coordination with primary care, schools, or employers to support your return to daily life
• A clear safety plan and crisis resources in case problems arise

Consider this example: A 19-year-old student experiencing debilitating panic disorder had become completely unable to attend college. After six weeks in a PHP program with daily therapy, skills training, and gradual exposure work, she returned to school with accommodations and ongoing support from a school counselor. Her family and roommates participated in sessions that helped them understand how to support her at home without enabling avoidance. She’s now completing her junior year, and while she still has anxious days, she has tools to cope and a team she can reach out to when she needs help.

That’s the goal of a PHP: not to “fix” everything, but to stabilize, strengthen, and prepare you for the next chapter.

Practical Details: Access, Insurance, and Costs

Understanding the practical side of accessing a PHP program can feel overwhelming when you’re already dealing with a crisis. Let’s break it down into manageable steps.

Insurance Coverage

Most private insurance plans cover PHP when it’s deemed medically necessary. Medicare and Medicaid also typically provide coverage, though copays, prior authorization requirements, and covered services vary by plan and state. The verification process usually involves your treatment center contacting your insurer to confirm your benefits and determine what portion of the cost you’ll be responsible for. Legacy Healing Center offers free online insurance verifications and can quickly tell you about your insurance benefits and the levels of care covered by your insurance plan.

How to Find a PHP Program

• Call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask for in-network partial hospitalization options
• Search local hospital systems and behavioral health centers in your area
• Ask your current therapist, psychiatrist, or primary care clinician for referrals
• Look for treatment centers that specialize in your specific needs (substance abuse, dual diagnosis, trauma, etc.)

The Intake Process

Admission typically involves several steps:

1. An initial phone screening to discuss your situation and determine if PHP might be appropriate
2. Insurance verification and benefit review
3. An in-person or virtual clinical assessment
4. Creation of an initial treatment plan with your input
5. Proceeding to your first day of treatment

Questions to Ask Programs

Before completing your admission, consider asking:

• What is the average length of stay for someone with my concerns?
• How do you involve families in treatment?
• What specific therapies do you offer (CBT, DBT, trauma-focused)?
• How will you coordinate with my existing providers?
• What does transition planning look like after PHP?
• What is my estimated out-of-pocket cost after insurance?
• How do you handle a crisis if one occurs during treatment?
• Can I visit the center before my start date?

Taking Your First Step

If you’ve read this far, you’re already demonstrating courage. Seeking information about a PHP program means you’re willing to explore what might help—and that matters more than you might realize.

Recovery from serious mental health conditions isn’t a straight line, and there’s no shame in needing more support than a weekly therapy session can provide. Partial hospitalization exists precisely because human beings sometimes need intensive, comprehensive care that still allows them to stay connected to their homes, their families, and their lives.

Whether you’re supporting a loved one or considering this for yourself, know that healing is possible. The right program, with the right team, can help you move from surviving to thriving—one day at a time.

Your next step might be as simple as making a phone call. Contact your insurance provider, reach out to a local treatment center, or ask your current clinician for guidance. You don’t have to have all the answers today. You just have to take one step, and then the next.

You deserve support. You deserve hope. And with the right help, you can build a life that feels worth living.