A partial hospitalization program (PHP) in behavioral health is a structured, full-day mental health treatment program you attend most days of the week, while going home or to nearby housing at night. It’s for people who need much more support than weekly therapy but don’t need 24-hour care. A good PHP gives you a coordinated team, and you leave with an aftercare plan already in place.
Many people first hear the term when a therapist or doctor suggests it, and the word “hospitalization” can make it sound more drastic than it is. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) describes a PHP as treatment that runs for most of the day but doesn’t need an overnight stay in the hospital [1]. You keep sleeping in your own bed, or in local housing if you travel for treatment. For many people, a few weeks of this kind of focused care can help them start moving again after months of feeling stuck.
What is a partial hospitalization program in behavioral health?
Federal regulations define partial hospitalization as “a distinct and organized intensive ambulatory treatment program that offers less than 24-hour daily care” outside an inpatient or residential setting [2]. “Ambulatory” simply means you come and go each day.
Schedules vary. The ADAA’s 2023 overview describes PHPs as meeting several days a week for 6 to 8 hours a day [1]. Insurers and individual programs set their own requirements, so ask how many days a week a program runs.
Treatment typically includes individual and group therapy along with medication management [1]. Programs differ in which conditions they specialize in, so check that a PHP treats what you’re dealing with.
Who is a PHP for?
Admission criteria vary by program. Brown University Health’s adult partial hospital program, for example, looks for people who [3]:
- have significant symptoms that make daily life hard to manage
- need more support than a weekly appointment can give
- can take part in group therapy
- aren’t at immediate risk of acting on thoughts of suicide or of harming someone else
- can get emergency help if a crisis happens outside program hours
That often describes someone whose weekly therapy has stalled, or who is stepping down after a hospital stay. If you’re in immediate danger, or you’re facing withdrawal that needs round-the-clock medical monitoring, a higher level of care comes first.
How does a PHP compare with other levels of care?
The levels differ mainly in the number of hours and where you sleep. According to the ADAA overview [1]:
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP): about 3 hours per day, 3 to 5 days per week.
- PHP: several days a week for 6 to 8 hours a day.
- Residential treatment: you live on site, often for 30 to 90 days or longer.
- Inpatient hospitalization: 24-hour monitoring in a secure unit, often for 3 to 7 days.
Because you go home each evening, you get to try new skills in your real life the same day you learn them.
What does a typical day in a PHP look like?
Days follow a set schedule, and the first few usually involve an assessment and the development of your treatment plan. At our program, for example, a day includes:
- individual therapy
- group therapy
- meals
- fitness or recreation
Other programs weigh these differently. Some put more hours into groups, and how often you see a psychiatric provider varies a lot, which is why it belongs on your list of questions.
Length of stay varies too. At UCSF Health, for example, PHP usually lasts about two weeks [4]. At The Center • A Place of HOPE, most people stay two to six weeks. Expect to be tired at first. A full day of therapy is demanding, and it can take a few days to settle into the rhythm.
Does partial hospitalization work?
Two systematic reviews point the same way. A Cochrane review of 10 trials involving 2,685 people found that care in acute day hospitals was as effective as inpatient care for many people with acute psychiatric conditions [5]. It estimated that at least 1 in 5 people admitted to inpatient care could feasibly be treated in a day hospital instead [5]. An earlier review in the American Journal of Psychiatry found outcomes no different from inpatient care, with some advantage in patient satisfaction within a year of discharge [6].
Much of this evidence is old. The Cochrane review’s searches ended in 2010 [5], and the earlier review covered studies from 1957 to 1997 [6]. Results also depend heavily on the individual program, so the way you choose one matters.
How do you choose a PHP?
SAMHSA’s FindTreatment.gov lists state-licensed mental health and substance use providers [7]. You can look up accreditation through the CARF provider search [8] or the Joint Commission’s Quality Check [9]. Then ask each program:
- Which conditions do you treat, and how will you treat any co-occurring conditions?
- How many hours a day, how many days a week, and how many individual therapy sessions?
- Which therapies do you use, and who delivers them?
- How often will I see a psychiatric provider?
- What happens if I’m struggling in the evening, overnight, or on a day off?
- How can my family be involved, if I want them to be?
- How do you track whether I’m improving?
- What does a typical length of stay look like for someone like me?
- Can you verify my insurance, and is housing available if I’m traveling?
Pay attention to how a program answers as well as what it says. Be cautious if a program:
- pushes you to commit or pay before anyone has assessed you
- can’t say who delivers your therapy or how often you’ll see a prescriber
- has no clear plan for a crisis outside program hours
- doesn’t mention aftercare until your last week
A program that answers clearly and in detail, without pressuring you on the first call, is usually worth a closer look.
Will insurance cover a PHP?
Often, yes. Under the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, most health plans that cover mental health care can’t set copays, coinsurance, or treatment limits for mental health care that are more restrictive than those for medical and surgical care [10]. The law doesn’t require every plan to cover mental health, though non-grandfathered individual and small-group plans must include it as an essential health benefit under the Affordable Care Act [10].
Coverage for a PHP usually depends on medical necessity and whether the program is in your plan’s network. Ask any program to verify your benefits before you start, and find out what you’ll owe out of pocket, including for local housing if needed.
What happens after a PHP ends?
A PHP is usually one step in your care. In Brown University Health’s program, people generally improve enough to return to work and day-to-day life by the time they complete the program [3]. When people finish, they often step down to an intensive outpatient program or weekly therapy.
Planning for that step should start early. Before you leave, you should have an aftercare plan that names your next providers and your appointments. It should also say what to do if symptoms return.
What is the PHP at The Center • A Place of HOPE like?
At The Center • A Place of HOPE in Edmonds, Washington, clients attend full-day therapy sessions six days a week, including four individual therapy sessions. Evenings and Sundays are their own time. Most clients stay two to six weeks, and some stay up to eight. People traveling from other states can stay in supportive local housing nearby, and one-day admissions are available.
Through our Whole Person Care model, a team of counselors, psychiatric providers, naturopathic doctors, dietitians, and fitness specialists works from one coordinated plan. That way, overlapping conditions such as depression and anxiety get treated together, along with trauma and PTSD. You’ll have an aftercare plan before you leave, and our team is available for check-ins after discharge.
One client, a man in his late 20s dealing with grief and burnout alongside depression and anxiety, spent five intensive weeks with us. For more background, read our articles on what a PHP is and whether a PHP is right for you.
We’re in-network with Premera, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser, Regence, and many other insurers, and we offer financing options. We don’t accept Medicare, Medicaid, or state-funded plans. You can contact our admissions team or call (425) 670-9102.
Frequently asked questions
Is a PHP the same as inpatient treatment?
No. Inpatient treatment means staying in a hospital unit around the clock, usually for a short, acute stay [1]. In a PHP, you attend treatment during the day and sleep at home or in nearby housing [2]. A PHP is often used as an alternative to inpatient care or as a step-down after a hospital stay.
What happens if I’m in crisis outside program hours?
A PHP isn’t staffed around the clock, so programs expect you to be able to get emergency help if a crisis happens outside program hours. Brown University Health, for example, makes this a requirement for admission [3]. Ask each program about its after-hours plan before you start, including who to call. If you’re thinking about suicide or can’t stay safe, call or text 988 or call 911 right away.
Can my family be involved in a PHP?
Usually, though programs handle it differently. Some hold family sessions, while others offer education or a call with your care team. Ask how a program involves families, and tell your team how much involvement you want. At The Center, we encourage family involvement and offer family therapy sessions in many of our programs.
Do I need a referral to start a PHP?
Not always. Many programs, including ours, accept calls directly from you or a family member and start with an assessment. Your insurance plan may have its own rules about referrals or prior authorization, so check with your insurer or ask the program to verify your benefits.
If you need support right now
If you’re in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, don’t wait for a program to start. Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or chat at 988lifeline.org [11]. It’s free and confidential, and it’s open 24/7. Veterans can dial 988 and press 1. If you’re in immediate danger, call 911.
Reference sources
- Schiffer M. Understanding Levels of Care in Mental Health Treatment. Anxiety and Depression Association of America. 2023. https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/professional/understanding-levels-care-mental-health
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 42 CFR § 410.2, Definitions. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/chapter-IV/subchapter-B/part-410/subpart-A/section-410.2
- Schmidhofer S. Mental Health Treatment Through a Partial Hospital Program. Brown University Health. 2023. https://www.brownhealth.org/be-well/mental-health-treatment-through-partial-hospital-program
- UCSF Health. Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs: Patient Guide. https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/partial-hospitalization-and-intensive-outpatient-programs-patient-guide
- Marshall M, et al. Day hospital versus admission for acute psychiatric disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2011. https://cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004026.pub2/pdf/CDSR/CD004026/CD004026_abstract.pdf
- Horvitz-Lennon M, et al. Partial versus full hospitalization for adults in psychiatric distress: a systematic review of the published literature (1957-1997). American Journal of Psychiatry. 2001. https://hcp.hms.harvard.edu/publication/partial-versus-full-hospitalization-adults-psychiatric-distress-systematic-review
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. FindTreatment.gov. https://findtreatment.gov/
- CARF International. Find a Provider. https://carf.org/find-provider/
- The Joint Commission. Quality Check. https://www.qualitycheck.org/
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). 2026. https://www.cms.gov/marketplace/private-health-insurance/mental-health-parity-addiction-equity
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Get Help. https://988lifeline.org/get-help/
