What Is a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)?
Plain, fact-first answers about how care works here. Want to talk to a person? Call (888) 464-2144.
- The Archangel Centers is a licensed outpatient addiction treatment provider.
- The Archangel Centers operates clinics in Tinton Falls, NJ and Charlotte, NC.
- Partial Care (PHP) is part of the outpatient continuum at The Archangel Centers.
- Partial Care (PHP) is the highest level of outpatient care.
- Partial Care (PHP) delivers a full clinical day, Monday through Friday.
- Partial Care (PHP) includes cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy.
- Partial Care (PHP) treats substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions.
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) includes Suboxone, Vivitrol, and Sublocade.
- The Archangel Centers works with most major commercial insurance plans with free benefits verification.
A Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) is the highest level of outpatient addiction treatment. Clients attend the program a full clinical day, typically Monday through Friday, working through group therapy, individual sessions, and (where indicated) medication management. They go home or to sober living in the evenings. PHP fills the clinical space between residential (24-hour) treatment and intensive outpatient (a few hours, several days a week), and is often the right setting after detox or an inpatient stay, or for severe outpatient presentations that need more structure than IOP can provide.
A note on terminology in New Jersey. State regulators license this level of care as "Partial Care" or "Day Treatment," and many clinicians use the terms interchangeably. The acronym PHP appears in industry and insurance language. The clinical content is the same.
What PHP actually is
PHP, in the ASAM Criteria framework, is Level 2.5. It is defined by:
PHP is sometimes called "day treatment" or "day hospital" in older literature. The clinical content is what matters; the labels vary.
- 20 or more clinical hours per week
- A full clinical day structure (typically 9 AM to 3 PM, Monday through Friday, sometimes with a Saturday session)
- Group therapy as the primary modality, supplemented by individual therapy and medical management
- A multidisciplinary clinical team (therapist, medical provider, often a case manager)
- A clinical environment, not a residential one (clients return home each evening)
Who PHP is for
PHP is generally appropriate when:
- The client is stepping down from medical detox or an inpatient stay, and full clinical days are clinically necessary but a residential bed is not
- Substance use disorder severity is high enough that less than a full clinical day is insufficient
- Co-occurring mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, trauma responses) require significant clinical attention alongside SUD work
- A recent relapse or pattern of relapses has shown that lower-intensity care is not holding
- The client has the ability to attend a full day at the clinic (not always compatible with full-time work, though FMLA leave often makes this possible)
- The home environment is stable enough that nights and weekends will not actively destabilize treatment
What a PHP day looks like
A typical clinical day in a well-designed PHP includes:
For how this looks at our specific clinics, see Partial Care at Tinton Falls and PHP at Charlotte.
- Arrival and grounding (a short window before first group)
- Morning clinical groups, often covering CBT or DBT skill work, dual diagnosis, or relapse prevention
- Lunch
- Afternoon clinical groups, often including trauma-informed processing, 12-step facilitation alongside non-12-step content, and family programming
- Individual therapy slots interspersed across the week
- Medical provider consults early in admission and as needed for medication management
How long does PHP last?
There is no fixed length. A typical episode runs about 30 days. The length is clinically driven, set by the treatment team based on the client's progress and the broader continuum plan. Some clients step down to IOP sooner; others remain in PHP longer if the clinical picture requires it.
How PHP fits the continuum
PHP is rarely a standalone level of care. It almost always sits inside a longer continuum:
The Archangel Centers handles transitions within the same clinical relationship where possible, so progress is not lost in a handoff.
- Before PHP: detox or inpatient at an accredited partner facility, when needed; sometimes IOP intensifying upward
- During PHP: the most concentrated phase of treatment, with the clinical and behavioral work that anchors the rest of recovery
- After PHP: step-down to IOP, then to OP, then to alumni programming
What insurance covers
Most commercial insurance plans cover PHP at in-network rates when medical necessity is documented. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act applies; coverage for SUD PHP cannot be less favorable than coverage for medical or surgical day programs.
Length of stay authorization is typically reviewed periodically by the carrier, based on the clinical team's documentation of medical necessity. The Archangel team manages prior authorization and ongoing utilization review with the client's signed release.
For broader coverage information, see does insurance cover rehab and verify your specific plan at verify your insurance.
PHP vs IOP, briefly
The most common question at intake is whether PHP or IOP is the right starting point. The short version:
For the detailed comparison, see PHP vs IOP.
- PHP is a full clinical day, five (or six) days a week. Higher acuity.
- IOP is three clinical hours a day, three or five days a week. Lower acuity, or step-down from PHP.
PHP vs inpatient
PHP and inpatient (residential) treatment are different settings, not different intensities. Inpatient includes the residential component (24-hour clinical presence, structured housing, meals, sleep), which matters when the home environment is itself a barrier to recovery. PHP delivers the clinical content of inpatient without the residential piece; clients sleep at home or in sober living. For some clinical pictures, PHP is appropriate without an inpatient stay; for others, inpatient is the necessary starting point.
Looking for PHP in your area?
If you are ready to start treatment rather than learn more about it, you can jump directly to the clinic that serves your region:
Both clinics deliver the same evidence-based curriculum (CBT, DBT, MAT available, dual-diagnosis care). The intake process is identical: a single-call clinical assessment plus insurance verification, with same-week placement often available. To start, verify your insurance or call (888) 464-2144.
- New Jersey: Partial Care (PHP) at our Tinton Falls clinic, six-day clinical week, serving Monmouth County and the Jersey Shore. Call (888) 464-2144.
- North Carolina: PHP at our Charlotte clinic, five-day clinical week, serving Mecklenburg County and the Charlotte metro. Call (888) 464-2144.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I have to live at the clinic during PHP?
How is PHP different from a regular outpatient program?
Can I work while in PHP?
Will I need medication during PHP?
Can I do PHP virtually?
What happens if I miss days?
Why does Tinton Falls include Saturday programming?
How do I know when I am ready to step down from PHP to IOP?
Admissions are confidential and staffed 24/7 at (888) 464-2144. Or browse a specific clinic page for hours, address, and the full program.