Everyone’s journey looks different, but many people choose to attend a partial hospitalization program (PHP) at some point during their recovery. A PHP is a highly structured outpatient program that typically follows detox and an intensive residential stay. At the same time, it offers a fair amount of flexibility, something that allows clients to keep up with their daily life commitments.
This article will answer the question how long is a PHP program? It will also walk you through a typical day of PHP treatment at La Fuente Hollywood Treatment Center and break down the benefits of choosing our LGBTQ-focused program.
If you’d like to learn more about our Southern California addiction treatment programs, call us today at 888.903.9898.
What Is a PHP Program?
A PHP program, also called a partial hospitalization program, is a type of outpatient addiction treatment. As the name suggests, a PHP program requires clients to spend part of each day in a hospital or treatment facility. At the end of each treatment day, clients return home, go to work, or attend school.
Time spent in treatment focuses on addressing mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD, as well as addiction. This is done through a combination of therapy (individual, group, or family), medication-assisted treatment, and life skills training.
Many clients enter a PHP following detox and/or an intensive residential stay. Because PHPs are less of a time commitment, they’re considered one step down from 24-hour inpatient programs.
At the same time, PHPs are a bigger commitment than Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs). Although both programs share the goal of evaluating and treating mental health and substance abuse concerns, IOPs require fewer hours and often take place in the evening or via telehealth services.
How Long Is a PHP Program?
The time commitment is one of the biggest considerations when mapping out your recovery plan. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how long a PHP program typically lasts.
In general, the length of a PHP program depends on individual circumstances. It comes down to the severity of your case, your ability to live alone without the fear of relapse, and your capacity to manage triggering situations.
Given all of these personal considerations, there isn’t an exact answer when it comes to deciding how long to stay in a PHP program. The best option is to follow the treatment center’s recommendations.
That said, the federal government does regulate the length of PHP programs. These regulations stipulate that partial hospitalization programs must provide a minimum of four hours of treatment five days a week. In setting this minimum, clients are guaranteed to receive a standard level of care regardless of where they seek treatment.
Keep in mind that 20 hours per week is the minimum. Some PHP programs offer up to six hours of daily care five days a week, for a total of 30 hours a week.
Beyond this weekly requirement, there aren’t any rules about the duration of this type of program. Still, it’s helpful to note that most clients spend between three and four weeks in a PHP program. Following this period, most people complete the remainder of their 90-day treatment in an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP).
While stepping down to a more flexible IOP after three to four weeks is common, it’s not right for everyone. If your situation is severe, you can stay in a PHP for months. Thankfully, most private programs allow you to stay in a PHP as long as you need.
Ultimately, the amount of time you spend in a PHP isn’t what matters long-term. What matters is that you learn coping skills to help you deal with life’s ups and downs without substances.
A Typical Day of PHP Treatment at La Fuente Hollywood
La Fuente’s PHP program takes place at our treatment center in Hollywood, California, and lasts approximately six hours per day.
Morning sessions are dedicated to therapy. These include a combination of individual, group, and family sessions. Our therapists practice a range of techniques including:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectal behavior therapy (DBT)
- Meditative therapy
- Trauma therapy
- Psychotherapy
Outside of formal therapy, our PHP clients use the morning to complete motivation and skill-building exercises, socialize with other PHP participants, and access educational resources.
Following the morning session, we serve a healthy lunch. Afterward, clients participate in a range of holistic treatment activities including life skills training, meditation, art therapy, and yoga.
Once the treatment day ends, clients return home, go to work, or head to school. Some days clients may be asked to complete homework assignments in their free time. These assignments reinforce what they’ve learned during the day and give them a chance to practice coping skills in the real world.
Benefits of a PHP Program
If you’re still unsure whether a PHP program is right for you, knowing the benefits may help you decide.
Some of the main benefits of PHP programs include:
- Flexible – PHP programs allow you to access a high level of care while still allowing you the flexibility to attend to your professional or personal duties.
- Effective – PHPs help clients develop new schedules and better coping mechanisms so they can stay sober long-term.
- Short duration – Compared to IOPs that take eight to 12 weeks to complete, most PHPs last just three to four weeks.
- Build community – PHPs allow clients to tap into the local sober community, something that allows them to connect and socialize outside of bars or clubs.
- Maximize insurance – Insurance companies are more likely to cover PHP costs than residential rehab.
- Cost-effective – Because clients sleep at home, PHP programs are significantly cheaper than residential programs.
Even though partial hospitalization programs come with a lot of benefits, they’re not right for everyone. Indeed, some people need the enhanced structure and support of residential treatment. That’s especially true if they come from an unstable home or need to take a break from professional responsibilities to focus on healing.
Why Choose an LGBTQ Partial Hospitalization Program?
Partial hospitalization programs may be regulated by the federal government, but that doesn’t mean the standard of care is the same between treatment centers. For that reason, it’s important to do your research prior to enrolling in a PHP.
That’s especially true if you’re a member of the LGBTQ community.
To put it simply, most treatment centers simply aren’t equipped to handle the unique challenges that come with helping LGBTQ people overcome addiction. Discrimination, prejudice, and marginalization leave our community vulnerable to stress and trauma. This leads to drug and alcohol abuse as LGBTQ people try to cope.
LGBTQ addiction treatment recognizes the marginalization and discrimination that community members have faced. In validating these unique experiences, LGBTQ treatment is more effective at healing deep-seated wounds.
What’s more, LGBTQ-focused addiction treatment allows clients to build a sober community with people who can empathize with their experiences. More than just friends, these peers become accountability partners who are instrumental when it comes to achieving long-term recovery.
Discover Everything La Fuente’s PHP Program Has to Offer!
La Fuente Hollywood is a leading PHP provider for members of the LGBTQ community. Most of our staff members are part of the LGBTQ community and many are in recovery themselves. We understand better than anyone what you’re going through and we’re ready to help.
Learn more about La Fuente’s PHP program by calling 888.903.9898.
