Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

With a partial hospitalization program (PHP), people with substance use disorders and mental health issues can enhance their overall functioning and attain and maintain sobriety. The specific rehabilitation process will change depending on the program and the severity of the patient’s condition. A healthcare practitioner will create a treatment strategy customized to each person’s requirements and objectives.

A PHP treatment plan normally includes participation in the program for a predetermined period each day, multiple days a week. This enables the patient to receive intense care while retaining a degree of independence. For those who must attend work or school, PHPs could also provide more flexible scheduling.

Below is a general overview of what to expect during PHP treatment:

• Intake Assessment: Before beginning treatment, a comprehensive intake assessment is conducted to gather information about the individual's medical and psychiatric history, substance use history (if applicable), and treatment requirements. This assessment is essential for developing a personalized treatment plan.
• Treatment Plan: After conducting an intake assessment, a team of healthcare professionals, such as physicians and therapists, will work with the person to develop a custom treatment plan that considers their specific requirements and goals.
• Therapy: PHPs commonly provide therapy sessions for individuals, groups, and families. The type of therapy sessions a person participates in will depend on their treatment plan.
• Medication Management: PHPs can provide medication management services to individuals who need medication to manage their symptoms and optimize their medication regimen.
• Psychoeducation: PHPs may provide education about mental health and/or substance use disorders, as well as tools and coping strategies for managing symptoms and relapse prevention.
• Life Skills: PHPs can provide training and support to develop essential life skills, including stress management, communication, and problem-solving.
• Aftercare Planning: Before leaving the facility, the PHP team will collaborate with the person to establish a plan for post-treatment care, which could entail continuing therapy, medication management, and joining support groups.

• Significant symptom severity reductions and enhancements in several aspects of cognitive functioning were seen across two distinct acute PHPs. Findings suggest that acute PHP therapy may result in moderate-sized treatment effects over a week that don't appear to be tied to particular psychotherapeutic methods.¹
• Among all 12,275 mental health treatment facilities in 2020, 15% offered less-than-24-hour partial hospitalization/day treatment service settings.²
• Mood disorders were the number one clinically classified diagnosis when combining the volume of episodes of care in all PHPs in the United States in 2021.³
• The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) advises PHPs to devote 20 hours weekly to programming.⁴
• In one study on alcohol use disorder, patients in a PHP showed heightened levels of psychological distress and problematic drinking. In addition, nearly half of them reported having chronic pain.⁵
• Researchers concluded that when two-thirds of program participants continued to abstain from drinking one month after program discharge, baseline drinking and psychological traits had little impact on the outcomes. Planning for aftercare is essential.
• Numerous studies have proven that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) effectively assists patients in achieving their treatment objectives. It may be modified and works well with different therapeutic approaches.⁶
• There is little doubt that family therapy techniques are essential for developing collaborative relationships with families that historically present significant barriers to delivering mental health or substance abuse treatment. Although, research has not yet examined which combination of collaboration strategies is most effective in engaging families.⁷
• According to studies, those taking part in relapse prevention programs have greater avoidance skills that result in long-term sobriety.⁸

A pilot study was conducted to see if covering partial hospitalization with the same coverage as inpatient treatment was a practical way to reduce the cost of psychiatric care. According to the authors, on the assumption that the PHP patients would have received inpatient care for the same number of days, the insurer saved more than $255,000 from using day treatment.⁹

1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US). “2 Settings, Levels of Care, and Patient Placement.” Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment - NCBI Bookshelf, 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64109
2. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “Find Out What Marketplace Health Insurance Plans Cover.” HealthCare.gov, www.healthcare.gov/coverage/what-marketplace-plans-cover. Accessed 30 Apr. 2023.
3. Stilkind, Joseph. “Average Cost of Drug Rehab [2023]: By Type, State and More.” NCDAS, 1 Jan. 2023, drugabusestatistics.org/cost-of-rehab
4. Lieberman, Paul M., et al. “Outcomes of Acute Partial Hospital Treatment: Comparison of Two Programs and a Waiting List Control.” Journal of Psychiatric Practice, vol. 23, no. 6, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Nov. 2017, pp. 401–08. https://doi.org/10.1097/pra.0000000000000271.
5. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. “National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS): 2020: Data on Mental Health Treatment Facilities.” Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Sept. 2021, www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35336/2020_NMHSS_final.pdf.
6. “Data Resources for Partial Hospitalization Programs: PHP National Top 10 Diagnoses.” Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER), 20 June 2022, pepper.cbrpepper.org/Data/Partial-Hospitalization-Programs.
7. “About the ASAM Criteria.” American Society of Addiction Medicine, 2023, www.asam.org/asam-criteria/about-the-asam-criteria.
8. Blevins, Claire E., et al. “Alcohol Treatment Outcomes Following Discharge From a Partial Hospital Program.” Journal of Substance Use, Taylor and Francis, Mar. 2017, https://doi.org/10.1080/14659891.2017.1296041.
9. David, Daniel, et al. “Why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Is the Current Gold Standard of Psychotherapy.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 9, Frontiers Media, Jan. 2018, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00004.
10. Tuerk, Elena Hontoria, et al. “Collaboration in Family Therapy.” Journal of Clinical Psychology, vol. 68, no. 2, Wiley-Blackwell, Feb. 2012, pp. 168–78. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.21833.
11. Farabee, David, et al. “An Analysis of Relapse Prevention Factors and Their Ability to Predict Sustained Abstinence Following Treatment Completion.” American Journal on Addictions, Wiley-Blackwell, May 2013, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1521-0391.2012.00328.x.
12. Guillette, W., et al. “Day Hospitalization as a Cost-Effective Alternative to Inpatient Care: A Pilot Study.” Psychiatric Services, vol. 29, no. 8, American Psychiatric Association, Aug. 1978, 525–27. https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.29.8.525.