A new Behavioral Health Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) now is available at Nebraska Medical Center to provide support to those suffering from addictions and psychiatric disorders.
“Mental illness and addiction can go hand-in-hand for many individuals,” said John Franzen, M.D., psychiatrist and medical director of the IOP. “However, most addiction programs have little or no psychiatric services and few work intensely with co-occurring disorders.”
This program helps support the needs of individuals with co-occurring disorders, who require more support than weekly or monthly outpatient services provide but do not require detoxification or other inpatient treatment.
Treatment entails a combination of individual and group therapy and may also include medication-assisted treatment provided by a multidisciplinary team of providers including a board-certified addiction psychiatrist, licensed therapists and a registered nurse.
Patients come to the clinic three to four days a week for a three-hour time frame in the afternoon or evening, allowing many patients to continue working while receiving comprehensive treatment. The treatment program typically lasts three to six weeks.
“Utilizing evidenced-based integrated treatment strategies, this program is intended to be a starting point for those struggling with co-occurring disorders to help them overcome their issues and achieve a better quality of life,” said Dr. Franzen, who is an adjunct faculty member in the UNMC Department of Psychiatry.