Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Program (MHIOP)
What is MHIOP?
Mental Health Intensive Outpatient Services (MHIOP) are highly structured clinical programs designed to provide a combination of interventions that are less intensive than Partial Hospitalization Programs, though more intensive than traditional outpatient psychiatric services. MHIOP are focused, time-limited treatment programs that integrate evidence-based practices for youth (ages 6-17 years) and adults (18 years +). MHIOP can serve as a transition program, such as a step-down option following treatment in a Partial Hospitalization Program. MHIOP focuses on maintaining and improving functional abilities through an interdisciplinary approach to treatment. This approach is based on a comprehensive, coordinated and individualized service plan that involves the use of multiple, concurrent interventions and treatment modalities. Treatment focuses on symptom and functional impairment improvement, crisis and safety planning, promoting stability and developmentally appropriate living in the community, recovery/relapse prevention and reducing the need for a more acute level of care.

Critical Features & Service Components:
MHIOP is an active treatment program of services that includes an individualized treatment plan describing the coordination of those services and how they will address the individual’s goals. MHIOP services include structured schedules for participants. Treatment goals should be measurable, person-centered, recovery oriented, trauma-informed, time limited, developmentally appropriate, medically necessary, and directly related to the reason(s) for admission.
MHIOP services are appropriate when an individual requires at least six hours of clinical services a week (for youth ages 6-17), or nine hours of clinical services a week (for adults 18 years and older) over several days a week and totaling a maximum of 19 hours per week.
The MHIOP receives psychiatric oversight with at least weekly medication management included in the coordinated structure of the treatment program schedule. MHIOP tapers in intensity as an individual’s symptoms improve as evidenced by their ability to establish community supports, resume daily activities or participate in a lower level of care.
Critical features of MHIOP include:
- The integration and documentation of evidence-based practices to address family, social and community risk factors and provide coping skills to improve symptoms and functioning;
- The promotion of behavior changes in the individual’s natural environment, with the overriding goal of empowering the individuals, their identified family natural supports to promote improved functioning;
- The inclusion of rigorous quality assurance mechanisms that focus on achieving individual outcomes through monitoring treatment fidelity and progress and adjusting treatment goals and plans to address individual needs and barriers as they arise.
This service is appropriate for individuals who do not require the intensive level of care of inpatient, residential or partial hospitalization services, but do require more intensive services than traditional outpatient psychiatric services and would benefit from a structured setting.


Admission Criteria:
Individuals must meet all of the following:
• Must exhibit symptoms consistent with a DSM diagnosis
• Within the past 30 days, has experienced persistent or increasing symptoms associated with their primary DSM disorder which has contributed to decreased functioning in their home, school, occupational or community settings that has led to negative consequences and difficulties maintaining supportive, sustaining relationships with identified family and peers due to a psychiatric disorder.
• At risk for admission to inpatient hospitalization, residential treatment services, residential crisis stabilization or partial hospitalization
• Has a community-based network of natural supports who are able to ensure individual’s safety outside the treatment program hours and a safety plan has been established;
Admission Criteria:
Individuals must meet all of the following:
• Requires access to an intensive structured treatment program with an onsite multidisciplinary team;
• Reliably attend, and actively participate in, all phases of the treatment program;
• Has demonstrated willingness to recover in the structure of an ambulatory treatment program; and
For youth: Family/caregiver commitment to engage with treatment providers and support and reinforce the tenets of the MHIOP services.
For more information or to schedule an assessment email us at info@lifestagescs.com or call our main line at (276) 632-2080
