Understanding Different Levels of Mental Healthcare
You’ve decided to seek help for your mental health. But where do you go? The world of mental healthcare can seem confusing, with many different types of providers and settings. The type of care you need depends on the severity of your symptoms and the level of support you require. Understanding the different levels of care can help you to find the right starting point for your journey and to understand the recommendations your provider might make.
At Televero Health, we provide outpatient care, which is the most common level of mental healthcare. However, we believe it’s important for patients to understand the full spectrum of services that are available, from the least intensive to the most intensive.
Level 1: Outpatient Care
This is the level of care that most people are familiar with and the one that is appropriate for the majority of individuals. Outpatient care means you live at home and visit a provider’s office or connect with them via telehealth for regularly scheduled appointments. This level of care is suitable for people with mild to moderate symptoms who are generally stable and do not pose a risk to themselves or others.
Outpatient care can include:
- Psychotherapy: Regular sessions with a therapist, typically weekly or bi-weekly.
- Psychiatric Medication Management: Regular appointments with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner to manage your medication, typically monthly or every few months once you are stable.
This is the least restrictive level of care and allows you to continue with your daily life at work, school, and home while receiving treatment.
Level 2: Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
An Intensive Outpatient Program, or IOP, is a step up from standard outpatient care. It is for individuals who need more support than a weekly appointment can provide, but who do not need 24-hour supervision. In an IOP, you still live at home, but you attend a structured program of therapy and skills groups for several hours a day, several days a week (e.g., 3 hours a day, 3-4 days a week). An IOP can be a good option for someone who is struggling to function in their daily life or as a “step-down” transition after being discharged from a higher level of care.
Level 3: Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
A Partial Hospitalization Program, or PHP, is another step up in intensity. It is very similar to an IOP but more intensive. In a PHP, you attend the treatment facility for most of the day (e.g., 6-8 hours), 5 days a week, participating in a full day of therapy, group sessions, and psychiatric care. However, you still return home to sleep at night. A PHP is for individuals with more severe symptoms who need a high level of support to avoid a full hospitalization.
Level 4: Residential Treatment
In residential treatment, you live at the treatment facility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This provides a highly structured and supportive therapeutic environment. Residential treatment is often used for substance use disorders, eating disorders, or other complex conditions that require an immersive treatment experience, but where the person is not in immediate medical danger.
Level 5: Inpatient Hospitalization
This is the highest and most intensive level of care. Inpatient hospitalization is for individuals who are in an acute crisis and are unable to keep themselves safe. The primary goal of inpatient hospitalization is crisis stabilization. This level of care is necessary if a person is:
- An imminent danger to themselves (i.e., actively suicidal).
- An imminent danger to others.
- So gravely disabled by their symptoms that they are unable to care for their own basic needs, like food and shelter.
A person is admitted to a psychiatric hospital where they receive 24-hour medical supervision, intensive therapy, and medication management. The stay is typically short, lasting only until the immediate crisis has passed and the person is stable enough to be discharged to a lower level of care, like a PHP or IOP.
Knowing that this spectrum of care exists is important. If you are in outpatient care and find that you are struggling more than usual, your provider might recommend a temporary step up to an IOP or PHP to give you the extra support you need. The goal is always to match you with the level of care that is most appropriate for your current needs.
Key Takeaways
- There is a spectrum of different levels of mental healthcare, from outpatient appointments to inpatient hospitalization.
- Outpatient care is the most common level, involving regular appointments while you live at home.
- Intensive Outpatient (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization (PHP) programs offer more structured, daily treatment for those who need more support.
- Inpatient hospitalization is the highest level of care, reserved for acute crises when a person is a danger to themselves or others and needs 24-hour supervision for safety and stabilization.
Ready to take the first step? We can help. Get started with Televero Health today.