While there are common narratives, every person’s story of addiction is different. To accommodate the varying needs of people with addictions across the American population, several levels of care are obtainable, from intense inpatient treatment programs to weekly treatment sessions or peer group meetings.
Partial hospitalization, also known as day addiction treatment facilities, allow the client to eat and sleep at home in familiar surroundings with a supportive network of friends and family, while still receiving several hours per day of engaged care and treatment. This degree of care takes place in a hospital setting with access to a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals available, as needed.
These facilities are commonly stand-alone buildings or share physical space with a hospital in which inpatient addiction treatment is also available. Partial hospitalization can serve as a comprehensive treatment program for a patient with mild or moderate addictions, as well as a transition in a program that follows inpatient care as progress deems appropriate.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association points out, “Typically, whether these programs share space and staff with an acute care inpatient program or are physically distinct from a hospital structure, they have close clinical and/or administrative ties to hospital centers. Collaborative working relationships are indispensable in pursuing the goal of providing patients with the most appropriate level of care in the most cost-effective setting.”
