Intensive Outpatient Program

The intensive outpatient program at Erlanger Behavioral Health Hospital serves adults age 18 and older who are struggling with behavioral health concerns such as depression, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and addiction.   

We may also provide care for adults age 65 and older who can function at a high cognitive level. 

While we make all admissions decisions for our IOP on a case-by-case basis, in general, this program may be right for you if you meet one of the following criteria:  

• You have completed a higher level of care, such as inpatient treatment or a partial hospitalization program (PHP), but you need continued support.  
• You need more intensive support than typical outpatient therapy provides, but you do not need the high level of structure and support offered via inpatient programming or a PHP. 

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may take part in IOP services at our hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, three to five days a week for about three hours a day.  

To offer participants additional flexibility, both daytime and evening options are available.  

We will determine your length of program participation based on a variety of factors, including the progress you’ve made toward achieving your therapeutic goals. 

At Erlanger Behavioral Health Hospital, we will carefully assess your situation so that we can customize your care to address your unique needs. 

Based on this assessment, we will create a personalized care plan that includes the therapies and services that can best serve your needs. 

Throughout your time with us, you may benefit from elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), which are approaches that can help you recognize harmful ways of thinking and make positive behavioral changes. 

Group therapy is the main method of care we use in the IOP at our hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with process, psychoeducational, and healthy living groups offered daily. During these sessions, you may gain valuable insights into important topics and learn from others who are in similar situations.  

Group therapy sessions may address a wide range of topics based on our participants’ varying needs, including:  

• Anger management  
• Disease/disorder education  
• Grief and loss  
• Relationships  
• Communication skills  
• Stress management  
• Healthy boundaries  
• Guilt and shame  

Some IOP participants may also benefit from taking certain prescription medications to help them function better. In those situations, we offer medication management services that include meetings with a psychiatrist, which we schedule on a case-by-case basis. 

Throughout your time in the IOP at Erlanger Behavioral Health Hospital, your care team will develop a thorough plan to guide you after discharge. Your aftercare plan will document your progress and identify the resources that can support your continued success.  

To learn more about the IOP at Erlanger Behavioral Health Hospital, or for answers to any questions you may have about any aspect of our outpatient programming, please contact us at your convenience. A member of our team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to speak with you. We look forward to helping you decide if our hospital is the perfect place for you.