The intensive outpatient program (IOP) at Villa Treatment Center serves Woodland Hills and the greater Los Angeles area with structured treatment for mental health and addiction recovery. Three hours per day, three days per week, in-person at our Woodland Hills facility or by telehealth. Day and evening tracks. Most major insurance is accepted, and admissions answer 24/7.
Who IOP Is For
Intensive outpatient programs sit between weekly outpatient therapy and full-day partial hospitalization. IOP is the right level of care when you need more support than weekly sessions provide, but you can safely live at home and maintain work, school, or family responsibilities. The program is most often the right fit for:
- Step-down from residential or PHP, continuing intensive structure as you transition back to daily life
- People stepping up from outpatient therapy, when weekly sessions are not addressing symptom severity
- People starting treatment for the first time with mental health or substance use that does not require 24-hour care
- People in early recovery who need accountability and group support without leaving work or school
- People with co-occurring mental health and substance use, IOP is well-suited to dual-diagnosis treatment
- Adults 18+ with stable housing who can attend programming consistently
IOP is not the right fit when symptoms require 24-hour clinical observation, medical detox, or daily structure beyond a few hours. Admissions and the clinical team determine the right level during the initial assessment, and step-up to PHP or residential is available if IOP turns out not to be enough.
What IOP Looks Like At Villa
Villa’s IOP runs three hours per day, three days per week, for 8 to 12 weeks. Most clients attend three sessions per week, but program length and intensity flex based on clinical need. Sessions are scheduled in:
- Day track, morning to early afternoon, ideal for clients with flexible work schedules or those between jobs
- Evening track, late afternoon through early evening, designed for clients maintaining regular work hours
- Telehealth tracks, secure video sessions for clients across California who cannot travel to Woodland Hills
A typical week includes group therapy (process groups and skills-based groups), individual therapy with a primary clinician, family or couples sessions when appropriate, psychiatric medication management when needed, and structured psychoeducation on relapse prevention, mood regulation, and life skills.
The first appointment runs 90 minutes and covers a full clinical assessment, validated screening for depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance use, and other conditions, medical and medication review, and a recommended treatment plan. Most clients are scheduled within the same week.
Conditions And Concerns We Treat Through IOP
Villa’s IOP is integrated for mental health and addiction, the same program supports both, with clinicians trained in dual-diagnosis treatment. Conditions and concerns commonly addressed in IOP include:
Depression
Major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, postpartum depression, treatment-resistant depression
Anxiety Disorders
Generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, and other anxiety presentations
PTSD and Trauma
Post-traumatic stress disorder, complex PTSD, and trauma-related symptoms
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymia in stable phases or as step-down from a manic or depressive episode
ADHD
Adult ADHD with co-occurring conditions
Substance Use Disorders
Alcohol, opioids, stimulants, benzodiazepines, and other substances, including step-down from medical detox or residential
Co-Occurring Disorders
Dual diagnosis treatment where mental health and substance use are addressed in the same program
Early Recovery Support
First 30, 60, or 90 days after detox or residential treatment, when relapse risk is highest
Therapies And Modalities Offered
IOP at Villa is built around evidence-based therapies with strong research support for the conditions we treat. Modalities are matched to the client’s specific situation:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), first-line for depression, anxiety, and substance use; identifies and changes thought patterns that maintain symptoms
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness; widely used in IOP
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), values-based behavior change for chronic conditions
- Trauma-focused therapy (EMDR, prolonged exposure, CPT), for trauma underlying mental health or substance use
- Relapse prevention skills training, structured curriculum for substance use clients
- Motivational Interviewing, for clients in early stages of change or ambivalent about treatment
- Group therapy, process groups, skills groups, and condition-specific groups (mood disorders, trauma, substance use) led by licensed clinicians
- Individual therapy, weekly sessions with a primary clinician
- Family and couples sessions, when relationships are part of the treatment picture; see family therapy programs
- Psychiatric medication management, integrated with therapy when medication is part of the treatment plan
Clinicians are licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW). The program is medically reviewed by Dr. Courtney Scott, MD, our medical director. Villa Treatment Center was founded by Georgia Frabotta, who brings over 23 years of personal recovery experience to the program.
Step-up and step-down options
IOP is one part of a continuum of care. Most clients move between levels of care during their treatment journey:
- Step-up to partial hospitalization (PHP), when daytime symptom intensity needs more structured clinical support (5-6 hours per day, 5 days per week)
- Step-up to residential treatment, when symptoms become severe, when home is not stable, when there is suicidal ideation, or when medical detox is needed
- Step-down from PHP or residential, IOP is often the next step after intensive care, providing continued structure during transition home
- Step-down to outpatient therapy, weekly or biweekly sessions plus medication management, after IOP completion
- Aftercare and alumni support, long-term connection through alumni programs and aftercare planning
The clinical team coordinates transitions across levels so the treatment plan stays continuous as the level of care changes.
Insurance, Cost, And Admissions
Villa Treatment Center is in-network with Aetna, Cigna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Cross of California, Health Net, and MHN, and works with most other major carriers on an out-of-network basis. IOP is typically covered under the behavioral health benefit, often with lower cost-sharing than residential or PHP because the level of care is less intensive.
Verification takes 15 minutes by phone or 24 hours by online form. Self-pay rates and payment plans are available, and admissions can walk through what your specific plan covers and what your out-of-pocket costs would be on the same call.
To start: call (818) 639-7160 or use the insurance verification form. Same-week IOP intakes are usually available; the clinical assessment determines the right schedule (day or evening track) and start date.
Serving Woodland Hills, The San Fernando Valley, And Greater Los Angeles
Villa’s facility sits on Hood Drive in Woodland Hills, about a mile north of the 101 and accessible from Calabasas, Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Northridge, West Hills, Canoga Park, Reseda, Van Nuys, Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, Glendale, and the broader San Fernando Valley. Telehealth IOP tracks extend services across Los Angeles County and the rest of California for clients who cannot travel to Woodland Hills.
IOP works particularly well for clients who live within commuting distance and want the structure of in-person group sessions, plus the flexibility to maintain work, school, and family commitments outside of programming hours.
Essential Questions About Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) in Woodland Hills
What Is An Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)?
IOP is a structured outpatient treatment program that runs 9 to 15 hours per week, typically 3 hours per day for 3 days per week. Clients live at home and maintain daily responsibilities while attending group therapy, individual therapy, and other clinical programming. IOP sits between weekly outpatient therapy and full-day partial hospitalization (PHP).
How Is IOP Different From PHP?
PHP (partial hospitalization) is more intensive: 5-6 hours per day, 5 days per week. IOP is 3 hours per day, 3 days per week. PHP is for clients who need full-day clinical structure but do not need 24-hour residential care. IOP is for clients who need consistent support while maintaining work, school, or family responsibilities. Many clients step from PHP down to IOP as part of their treatment plan.
How Long Does IOP Take?
Most IOP programs run 8 to 12 weeks, though length varies based on clinical need and progress. Some clients continue with longer-term outpatient therapy or maintenance support after IOP completion.
Can I Work Or Attend School During IOP?
Yes. IOP is specifically designed to be compatible with work, school, and family life. Day and evening tracks are available so most clients can schedule programming around their commitments. Telehealth tracks extend that flexibility to clients who cannot commute to Woodland Hills.
Does IOP Treat Mental Health, Addiction, Or Both?
Villa’s IOP is integrated for both. The same program supports clients with depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, substance use disorders, and dual-diagnosis (co-occurring) presentations. Clinicians are trained in both mental health and addiction treatment, and treatment plans are individualized to each client’s situation.
Does Insurance Cover IOP?
Most major insurance plans cover IOP under the behavioral health benefit. Aetna, Cigna, Anthem Blue Cross, Health Net, MHN, and others are commonly accepted. IOP is typically covered with lower cost-sharing than residential or PHP because the level of care is less intensive. Verification takes 15 minutes by phone or 24 hours online.
Can I Do IOP By Telehealth?
Yes. Villa offers telehealth IOP tracks for clients who cannot travel to Woodland Hills. Same licensed clinicians, same group structure, same insurance coverage. Some clients combine in-person and telehealth sessions based on schedule and preference.
What Happens After IOP?
Most clients step down to outpatient therapy (weekly or biweekly sessions) plus medication management when applicable. Long-term aftercare support is available through Villa’s alumni and aftercare programs. The clinical team works with each client on a personalized step-down plan during the final weeks of IOP.
Do I Need A Referral?
No. Most insurance plans do not require a referral for behavioral health services, though some HMO plans do. Call (818) 639-7160 or use the verification form and admissions will confirm during the insurance check.