At Palmetto’s Shreveport IOP, we rely on the disease model of addiction, which sees addiction as a chronic, progressive disease that requires specialized treatment. Addiction is a disease that affects the individual and family on a physical, psychological, and spiritual level. We provide intensive outpatient treatment for clients who are either struggling with a substance use disorder or a substance use disorder along with a co-occurring mental health issue. While participating in our IOP, clients will learn about the disease model of addiction, how to identify their own stage of substance use or addiction, how to recognize and manage the stressors that lead to substance use, how to use the 12-step model to overcome addiction, and how to avoid relapse.

An IOP is one option from a continuum of treatment ranging from early intervention to medically managed intensive inpatient treatment. IOP is just about in the middle. There are several reasons a client may choose an IOP. First, an IOP client will have serious substance use issues, possibly along with a co-occurring mental health issue. Common dual diagnoses include major depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, PTSD, personality disorders, ADHD, and others. However, these mental health issues won’t be so severe that the client requires 24-hour supervision. Neither will an IOP client have serious medical issues that require 24-hour care. An IOP client should also have a relatively stable home life that doesn’t interfere with recovery.

Other clients may choose an IOP mostly for practical reasons. While some clients might benefit from entering an inpatient program for 30 or 90 days, not everyone is able to do that for a variety of reasons. They may have children to take care of or they may have financial responsibilities they can’t put on hold. An IOP is a way to get intensive addiction treatment while still meeting those responsibilities.

Does an IOP have a place in the larger treatment process?

An IOP is also a good idea for many clients stepping down from a higher level of treatment. Making the transition from inpatient treatment back to regular life can be a rough time. Inpatient treatment is highly structured and supportive. Clients are mostly shielded from the stress of their regular lives. Going from that kind of environment straight back into normal life can be a big adjustment and relapse rates are high in those early weeks. It’s often a good idea for clients to continue in an IOP after leaving inpatient treatment to make the transition easier. An IOP can provide continuing support and help clients apply the lessons of treatment to real life.

How do you know when you’re done with an IOP?

There’s no set time for participation in an IOP but usually clients participate for three or four months. Progress in addiction treatment depends on a number of individual factors including addiction history, relapse history, family support, co-occurring mental health issues, and individual motivation. There’s no way to know ahead of time how these factors will affect an individual’s recovery. Length of participation is based on assessments from the counselor and the client’s physician. Studies show that longer treatment periods are more effective because they give clients more time to cement the positive habits they learn in treatment.

How much time does an IOP take every week?

Our IOP meets three hours a day for three days a week. The Shreveport IOP program meets Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., allowing most clients to meet family, work, and school obligations while participating in the program.

How can I pay for an IOP?

We work with most forms of insurance. We are committed to making quality addiction treatment affordable and accessible. Contact us so we can discuss payment options.

Substance use in Shreveport

The opioid crisis continues to get worse in the US and Louisiana has been hit harder than most states. Nationwide in 2017, 21.7 out of every 100,000 Americans died of an overdose but in Louisiana the rate of fatal overdoses was 24.5 out of every 100,000. In 2017, more than 70,000 Americans died of an overdose and nearly 48,000 of those deaths were opioid-related. That same year, there were more than 1100 overdose deaths in Louisiana. As Louisiana’s third most populous city, it has borne a substantial number of those deaths, with 14 in Bossier Parish and 33 in Caddo Parish. If you struggle with substance use and you live in Bossier Parish or Caddo Parish, Palmetto’s Shreveport IOP can provide you with intensive substance use treatment while still allowing you to meet family, work, or school obligations. We provide no-cost assessments. Call us at 318-728-2970 or use the contact form below to request more information or schedule an assessment.