Residential treatment means you live at the program and have support around the clock. A partial hospitalization program (PHP) gives you full days of treatment, about 5 to 6 hours a day, 5 to 6 days a week, and you go home or to sober living at night. An intensive outpatient program (IOP) is part-time, about 3 hours a day, 3 to 5 days a week, so you can keep up with work, school and family.
At Fountain Hills Recovery, residential treatment takes place in our private home in north Scottsdale, and our PHP and IOP run at our outpatient center in Fountain Hills. All three treat substance use, mental health conditions or both together.
Side by side
| Residential | PHP | IOP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you sleep | At the program | At home or sober living | At home |
| Support | 24/7 | Treatment days | Treatment days |
| Treatment time | Full days, every day | About 5 to 6 hours a day, 5 to 6 days a week | About 3 hours a day, 3 to 5 days a week |
| Work or school | Paused during your stay | Usually paused | Possible alongside treatment |
| Often fits | Early recovery, relapse after outpatient care, or needing distance from triggers | A step down from residential, or symptoms that need daily structure without overnight care | A step down from residential or PHP, with a stable, supportive home |
| At Fountain Hills Recovery | Private home in north Scottsdale, around 10 clients | Outpatient center, Fountain Hills | Outpatient center, Fountain Hills |
Which level of care is right for you?
The right level depends on how you are doing right now, not on how serious your problem feels. Our clinical team looks at your substance use, your mental health, your safety, your home environment and what you have already tried. Residential care is often recommended when outpatient treatment has not worked, when home is a hard place to stay sober, or when anxiety, depression or trauma make day-to-day life hard to manage. PHP and IOP fit people who are medically stable and have a safe, supportive place to live.
Many people move through the levels in order. They start in residential care, step down to PHP, then IOP, so support continues as they return to daily life. Others start directly in PHP or IOP, depending on their clinical needs.
What none of these are
Residential treatment is not a hospital. People who need hospital-level medical care, or who are in a psychiatric emergency, should start in a hospital. In an emergency, call 911, or call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Fountain Hills Recovery does not provide on-site detox services. If you need medically managed withdrawal first, our admissions team will help you plan your move into treatment once you are medically cleared.
