Pavillon has provided outpatient services for decades.  Originally, the outpatient service was one small aftercare group for in-person attendees, located in Columbus, North Carolina.

Currently, Pavillon has grown its outpatient programming to be a virtual service available and accessible across all of North and South Carolina.  And the programming includes the following options:

• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) 3 times a week. One of these is a daytime IOP and the other is held in the evenings.  These IOPs are 8 weeks.
• Continuing Care group 2 times a week. This group continues for 8 weeks.
• Recovery Management group 1 time a week. This group is open-ended in how long people can continue to attend.
• A special Relapse Prevention Therapy 12 month program held on Monday nights.

Toxicology testing is used in our outpatient services.  Our favorite example of this is someone coming to an individual session or group and being happy about and maybe even bragging about a “positive” urine test that shows they have not been drinking or using.  When substance use is detected, that usually confirms the person needs help and support – and makes timing of that important.  And that’s why we also have individual counseling and recovery coaching that we can add if we need to – flourishing is the goal for everyone.

Lots of things make outpatient services attractive and convenient; one of those is that outpatient services are convenient in the first place.  People can live at home and continue their daily living as-is, compared to entering a residential treatment program.  And with our outpatient services being virtual, it’s even more convenient and accessible.

Many people wonder if IOP “counts” as treatment.  The short and simple answer is “Yes”.  Research shows, lived experience shows, and clinical experience of professional addiction counselors shows, that IOP definitely “counts”.  That is to say, many people find that IOP and other outpatient services are effective at all stages of the recovery journey.  For example, some people use IOP as their primary treatment, and others use it as a step-down from a detox or residential program.  Others benefit from continuous weekly groups for long periods of time.

The sense of community, weekly accountability, space to check-in, and get some clinical counseling about maintaining recovery all make a great recipe for longer term care.  Good care is individualized, and good care “counts” as we build resiliency and wellbeing.  Overall, outpatient services are beneficial to so many people for so many reasons, and fit so many parts of different people’s life journey.

The clinical staff in Pavillon’s outpatient services each have many years of clinical experience, including some with decades, some with licensure also in mental health counseling, and various kinds of lived experience.  Not to mention they all genuinely care about recovery and the success of our patients.  It’s a truly amazing team.

Overall, outpatient services are a great place to start, a great place to continue to do well, and a great bridge into carrying on with living well.