Matching Clients to the Right Level of Care

• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP):

  • IOP is best suited for clients who are symptomatic but stable.

  • These individuals may be experiencing worsening anxiety, depression, OCD symptoms, substance use urges, or disordered eating behaviors, but are still attending work or school, maintaining basic responsibilities, and able to keep themselves safe.

  • IOP is appropriate when weekly therapy is no longer sufficient, and the client needs more frequent touchpoints, skill-building, and accountability, but can still apply skills outside of sessions and benefit from remaining in their daily environment.

• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP):

  • PHP is indicated when symptoms begin to significantly interfere with daily functioning.

  • These clients may be missing work or school, struggling to get out of bed, experiencing heightened emotional dysregulation, or feeling unable to manage symptoms independently.

  • While they may not require 24/7 supervision, they often need daily, structured clinical support to stabilize.

  • PHP is also appropriate when clients are stepping down from residential care or when outpatient/IOP has not been enough to prevent further decompensation.

• Residential Treatment (RTC):

  • RTC becomes necessary when there are concerns about safety or the client’s ability to function in their environment.

  • This includes clients with suicidal ideation, inability to complete activities of daily living, previous inpatient, PHP, or IOP attempts, or environments that are unsafe or triggering.

  • RTC provides 24/7 therapeutic support, removing external stressors and allowing for full immersion in treatment for longer lasting change. 

When deciding on placement, it’s helpful to assess safety, functional impairment, environmental stability, and treatment responsiveness, and then match those factors to the structure of each level of care. A key clinical signal across all levels is treatment responsiveness. If a client is engaged in outpatient work but remains stuck, experiences frequent crises, or cannot implement skills outside of session, it may be time to step up care. 

At Newport Healthcare, clinicians and families have access to a full continuum of care including IOP, PHP, and residential treatment. Newport supports individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, school refusal, OCD, substance use disorders, and disordered eating, with individualized care across each level.

Newport Healthcare's Clinical Outreach Specialists, Roya Calabrese and Rachael Shepard, partner with clinicians and families to clarify level-of-care decisions and support a seamless referral process. Ultimately, effective referrals are about matching each client’s needs with the appropriate level of structure, support, and clinical intensity so they have the best possible opportunity to create meaningful and lasting change.