Forrest Behavioral Health · Bedford, MA
Questions about our IOP and Day Treatment programs
Straight answers about schedules, what treatment actually looks like, insurance, and how to start — for our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), Evening IOP, and Day Treatment Program (PHP).
DAY TREATMENT · PHP
Most structured
Therapy through the day, typically five days a week. You go home each evening.
5 days / week · daytime
IOP
Several sessions a week
Group, individual, and family therapy in three-hour blocks, three to five days a week.
3–5 days / week · 3 hrs
EVENING IOP
Built around work & family
The same IOP program, scheduled after the workday. The one most people ask about first.
3–5 evenings / week · 3 hrs
The programs
What IOP and PHP are, how they differ, and who each is for.
What is an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)?
An IOP is structured treatment for substance use, mental health conditions, or both — without living at a facility. At Forrest, IOP means therapy sessions three to five days a week, about three hours at a time, combining group therapy, individual counseling, and family sessions. You live at home, keep your routine, and practice what you learn in real life between sessions.
What is a Day Treatment Program (PHP)?
Our Day Treatment Program — also called a partial hospitalization program, or PHP — is our most structured level of outpatient care. You attend treatment through the day, typically five days a week, then go home in the evening. It’s for people who need more support than a few sessions a week can provide, but who don’t need 24-hour care in a residential or inpatient setting.
What’s the difference between IOP and PHP?
Mainly time and intensity. PHP is a full-day commitment, usually five days a week. IOP is a few hours per session, three to five days a week, with day or evening options. PHP is often the starting point after a hospital or residential stay or when symptoms are significant; IOP is a step down from PHP or a step up from weekly therapy. Both use the same core approach — individual, group, and family therapy — and both let you sleep in your own bed.
How do I know which program is right for me?
You don’t have to decide on your own. When you call, we talk through what’s going on, what you’ve already tried, and what your week looks like. A clinical assessment then determines the level of care that fits. If we’re not the right place for you, we’ll say so and point you somewhere that is.
Do you treat mental health conditions, substance use, or both?
Both, and often together. We treat alcohol, opioid and fentanyl, prescription medication, and cocaine use, as well as depression, anxiety, PTSD and trauma, bipolar disorder, and OCD. When substance use and a mental health condition are both in the picture (a co-occurring or dual diagnosis), they’re addressed in the same treatment plan rather than one at a time.
Is IOP or PHP the same as rehab?
“Rehab” usually refers to residential treatment, where you live at the facility. IOP and PHP deliver a similar clinical intensity but you go home every day. For many people with a stable place to live and support at home, outpatient care is just as effective — and it lets you keep your job, school, and family life intact while you recover.
Schedules & daily life
The questions we hear most: can I keep working, and how long will this take?
Can I attend IOP during work hours? I can’t take time off.
You don’t have to. Our Evening IOP is designed for people with work, school, and family responsibilities during the day. Sessions run after the traditional workday, three to five evenings a week for about three hours each, so you can keep your job and income, be home with your kids during the day, and still get the full clinical intensity of an intensive outpatient program.
What does a typical IOP schedule look like?
Three to five sessions a week, each about three hours. We offer both daytime and evening tracks. Your specific days and times are set with our admissions team when you enroll, and we’ll help you find a start date that works around your commitments.
What does a day in the Day Treatment Program (PHP) look like?
Day Treatment runs five days a week for several hours each day. A day typically includes a check-in, group therapy, individual counseling on scheduled days, skills-based sessions like relapse prevention and coping skills, and medication management when it’s part of your plan. You go home each afternoon.
How long does the program last?
Length is based on your needs and progress rather than a fixed calendar. Many clients spend a few weeks in Day Treatment and then step down to IOP for several more, but your treatment team reviews your plan with you regularly and adjusts the length and intensity as you go.
Can I keep going to work or school while in treatment?
Yes. That’s the point of outpatient care. Evening IOP is built specifically for full-time employees, parents and caregivers, and students. Daytime IOP works well for people with flexible or part-time schedules. Day Treatment is a fuller commitment during working hours, so some people arrange a short leave. If you need documentation for an employer or school, let your team know — with your written permission, we can provide it.
Do I need to live nearby?
Our center is at 4 Preston Court in Bedford, MA, and most clients come from Bedford, Lexington, Burlington, Concord, and the greater Boston area. Because you attend several times a week, a reasonable commute matters — we’ll talk through that with you when you call.
What if I have to miss a session?
Life happens. Let your treatment team know as early as possible and we’ll work with you. Consistent attendance is what makes IOP and PHP effective, so we ask that outside appointments be scheduled around your program hours whenever you can.
What treatment looks like
What happens in a session, who you’ll work with, and what’s included.
What happens during a session?
Most of your time is in small-group therapy led by a licensed clinician, alongside regular individual sessions with your own therapist. Groups cover things like relapse prevention, managing anxiety and depression, coping with trauma, communication, and building a life you don’t need to escape from. Family sessions are woven in when they’ll help.
What kinds of therapy do you use?
Evidence-based, trauma-informed care: individual counseling, group therapy, and family therapy, using approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and related skills-based therapies. Every client has an individualized treatment plan — you’re not run through a script.
Do you offer medication management or medication-assisted treatment (MAT)?
Yes, when it’s clinically appropriate. Medication management for mental health conditions and medication-assisted treatment for opioid or alcohol use disorder can be part of your plan in both IOP and Day Treatment, including in the evening program.
Do I need to detox before starting?
IOP and PHP are not medical detox programs. If you’re likely to experience withdrawal that needs medical supervision, we’ll help you get to a detox first and then transition you into treatment with us afterward. Many clients come to us directly from detox or residential care.
Who will I be working with?
A team of licensed clinicians under the direction of our Clinical Director, Jillian Boyle, LMHC, along with prescribers for medication management. You can meet the team on our Our Team page.
Is treatment confidential?
Yes. Your treatment is protected by federal and state privacy laws, including HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 for substance use treatment. We don’t share anything with an employer, school, or family member without your written permission.
Are you accredited?
Forrest Behavioral Health is accredited by The Joint Commission, the national standard for quality and safety in behavioral health care.
Getting started
What actually happens when you call.
How do I get started?
Call (781) 570-5781 or fill out our confidential form. The first call is a short conversation — ten or fifteen minutes about what’s going on and what you’re worried about. We check your insurance while you’re on the phone, and you get a straight answer about which program fits, when you could start, and what it would cost. Nothing is decided on that call.
How quickly can I start?
Often within a few days of your assessment. After your call, we’ll schedule a clinical assessment and offer the soonest start date that works with your schedule.
Is there an assessment before I’m admitted?
Yes. A clinician meets with you to understand your history, current symptoms, substance use, medical needs, and goals. That assessment is what determines whether IOP or Day Treatment is the right fit and shapes your individual treatment plan.
Can I come to Forrest after inpatient, residential, or detox?
Absolutely — this is one of the most common paths. Day Treatment and IOP are designed as step-down levels of care that keep the structure going while you return to daily life. We coordinate with your discharging facility so there’s no gap.
Insurance & cost
Coverage, out-of-pocket costs, and what to do if you’re uninsured.
Does insurance cover IOP and PHP?
In most cases, yes. We accept most major insurance plans, and both IOP and PHP are recognized levels of care that plans are generally required to cover for mental health and substance use treatment under parity laws. Coverage details — deductibles, copays, and prior authorization — vary by plan, which is why we verify your benefits for free before you commit to anything.
How do I check my coverage?
Call us with your insurance card handy and we can usually verify it while you’re on the phone, or submit our online verification form and we’ll get back to you. It’s free, confidential, and doesn’t obligate you to anything.
Which insurance plans do you accept?
We work with most major commercial plans, including PPO, HMO, EPO, and POS products. The fastest way to find out about yours is to call us or use the verification form — we’ll tell you exactly what’s covered.
What if I don’t have insurance, or my plan won’t cover treatment?
Ask about self-pay rates and financial assistance. It’s a normal question, and it doesn’t change how we talk to you or the care you receive.
How much does IOP or PHP cost?
Your cost depends on your plan’s deductible and copay or, for self-pay, the program and length of stay. Once we verify your benefits we’ll give you a clear estimate of what you’d pay — before you start. Outpatient care is significantly less expensive than residential treatment because you’re not paying for room and board.
Family & support
For partners, parents, and friends.
Can my family be involved in my treatment?
Yes, and we encourage it. Family therapy is part of both IOP and Day Treatment when it’s helpful, and family members can be included in sessions with your consent. Recovery goes better when the people around you understand what you’re working on.
I’m worried about someone else. Can I call on their behalf?
Yes. Our admissions team talks with family members and friends every day. We can explain the programs, walk you through the process, and help you think about how to bring it up with the person you’re concerned about. We can’t share a client’s information without their permission, but we can absolutely help you.
Can I bring my children with me to sessions?
Children can’t be present during treatment sessions, which is one reason the Evening IOP exists — so a parent who’s home with kids during the day can still get care. If childcare is the barrier, mention it when you call and we’ll work with you on scheduling.
After the program
What happens when you finish.
What happens when I complete IOP or PHP?
Treatment steps down rather than stopping. Most clients move from Day Treatment to IOP, then from IOP to our standard Outpatient Program or to weekly therapy. Before discharge, your team builds an aftercare plan with you — ongoing therapy, medication follow-up, peer support, and a relapse-prevention plan.
Can I come back if I need more support later?
Yes. Recovery isn’t a straight line, and returning for a period of more structure is a sign of strength, not failure. Former clients can call us directly to talk about re-admission.
Do you require 12-step meetings?
We don’t require any particular recovery community. Many clients find AA, NA, SMART Recovery, or other peer groups valuable, and we’ll help you find one that fits — but your plan is built around what works for you.
The first call is the hard part.
Ten minutes, confidential, no obligation. We’ll check your insurance for free and give you a straight answer about what fits.
If this is an emergency, do not wait for us. If you are in immediate danger or thinking about hurting yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or go to your nearest emergency room. Our admissions line is not a crisis line.
