Partial Hospitalization Rehab Program (PHP) in Atlanta

A partial hospitalization rehab program offers you intensive addiction treatment services on an outpatient basis. If you are stable and do not need inpatient rehab, but still require daily monitoring and management, a PHP may be a great choice. The PHP environment is recovery-oriented, and services are provided by a team of licensed professionals, including medical, psychological, psychiatric, laboratory, toxicology, and emergency services.1 In a partial hospitalization program you still receive all of the same services and care as an inpatient stay, but you can also return home at night. 

PHP vs IOP Rehab programs

There are three types of outpatient rehab services, including standard outpatient, intensive outpatient programs (IOP), and partial hospitalization programs. While IOP is the middle tier, PHP rehabs are the most intensive form of outpatient treatment. IOPs and PHPs offer similar services. However, time requirements differ with PHPs requiring more hours and days of treatment per week.1

IOPs require 9 to 20 hours of programming per week while PHPs require at least 20 hours of treatment per week or more. The exact time requirements and programs will depend on the patient’s individual treatment needs. PHPs are often for people just starting their treatment journey or stepping down from an inpatient program, who may still need intensive medical and psychiatric care.1

If you enter a PHP rehab near you, you will likely be expected to attend the program for a minimum of 20 to 30 hours per week. The programs are structured with set attendance times.2 At our PHP in Atlanta, the program runs five days a week, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with breaks for lunch.

During your time in a PHP rehab, you can participate in individual and group therapies, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), family therapy, educational groups, holistic groups, treatment for co-occurring disorders, and more.2

In our PHP at Empowered Recovery Center Atlanta, you will receive treatment during the day and return home in the afternoons. If you do not have a supportive or safe home environment, you may want to consider staying in a sober housing facility in Atlanta.

PHP Addiction Treatment Services

The addiction treatment services you receive at Empowered Recovery Center’s partial hospitalization program in Atlanta will be based on your individualized treatment plan, created by you and your team of recovery professionals. There is no one-size-fits-all addiction treatment plan, but patients can expect some combination of services like therapy, mental health treatment, and more. We ensure that you receive effective evidence-based therapies and treatment methods, including but not limited to the services below.3

Medication Assisted Treatment

If you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms and cravings, you may find it challenging to focus on learning new recovery skills. Medication-assisted treatment can help ease withdrawal symptoms, curb cravings, and allow you to participate in treatment. MAT for opioid use disorder may include methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone, while MAT for alcohol use disorder may include acamprosate, disulfiram, and naltrexone.3 Your exact medications will depend on your treatment plan, substance use history, where you’re at in recovery and more. 

Behavioral Therapies

Through individual, group, and family therapies, you can increase your knowledge and skills, learning how to overcome triggers for relapse, unhealthy thinking patterns, and behaviors that may lead to relapse. Examples of behavioral therapies for addiction treatment may include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): One of the most recognized therapy modalities to break addictive patterns. CBT teaches you how to identify and change problematic thoughts that lead to unhealthy behaviors, such as substance use.3
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): Uses mindfulness and emotional regulation to develop healthy coping mechanisms. DBT promotes skill-building in mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.4
• Trauma-informed therapy: Traumatic events are at the heart of many maladaptive behaviors and the inability to cope with certain situations.5 Using state-of-the-art techniques, our clinical team helps patients address unresolved trauma that fuels addiction.
• Holistic therapies, or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM): Rather than only focusing on the physical side of addiction, a holistic perspective factors in emotional, mental, and spiritual health to help a person heal. 6

Dual Diagnosis

Having a dual diagnosis means you have a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder simultaneously. Treating co-occurring disorders must also happen simultaneously for successful recovery and long-term stability. Your treatment team will create a dual diagnosis treatment plan that considers your age, mental health condition, and the substance you use.7

At Empowered Recovery Center, we treat many mental health disorders that often accompany substance use disorders, including but not limited to the following:

• Bipolar disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Schizophrenia
• Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• Depression
• Anxiety and panic disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Our clinicians use various individual and group therapies to teach you coping and relapse prevention skills to help you handle potential triggers and difficulties caused by any underlying mental health disorder. Effective dual diagnosis treatment methods can include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), trauma therapy, medication management, lifestyle changes, and more.

Yes. Two major acts help ensure you receive the coverage and services you need to overcome a substance use disorder. First, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires insurance providers to consider mental health and substance use treatment the same as they would any other medical or surgical treatment.8

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) also expanded coverage for substance use disorders and mental health treatment, recognizing them as essential health services. The act even covers pre-existing disorders.9

The cost of treatment will depend on several factors, including your insurance plan and the type and duration of treatment required. Our Empowered Recovery Center Atlanta staff can assist you in verifying your insurance coverage and benefits, as well as help you understand the costs of treatment.

You do not have to endure this journey alone. If you are ready to start treatment in our PHP rehab in Atlanta or want to learn more, contact our rehab admissions team at Empowered Recovery Center. Our staff can explain all of your treatment options and help you get a comprehensive assessment to determine if a PHP is the right level of care for your needs.

Our staff is available to help you understand the cost of rehab in Atlanta and verify your insurance coverage. Additionally, they can help you discover ways to get the treatment you need, even if you don’t have insurance.

Contact our drug and alcohol rehab center in Atlanta. Whether you’re seeking services for yourself or a loved one, Empowered Recovery Center is ready to provide the support, comfort, and medical care needed to begin recovery.

Sources

1. IAP Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program. (2017). Overview of substance use disorder (SUD) care clinical guidelines: A resource for states developing SUD delivery system reforms. Retrieved on October 10, 2025, from https://www.medicaid.gov/state-resource-center/innovation-accelerator-program/iap-downloads/reducing-substance-use-disorders/asam-resource-guide.pdf.
2. Pennsylvania Government. (2020). Level 2.5 partial hospitalization services by service characteristics self-assessment checklist. Retrieved on October 10, 2025, from https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/ddap/documents/documents/asam/level%202.5%20self%20assessment.pdf.
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Principles of drug addiction treatment: A research-based guide (third edition). Retrieved on October 10, 2025, from https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/podat-3rdEd-508.pdf.
4. National Association of Addiction Treatment Professionals. (2025). Treatment methods and evidence-based practices. Retrieved on October 10, 2025, from https://www.naatp.org/treatment-methods-evidence-based-practices.
5. Yadav G, McNamara S, Gunturu S. (2024). Trauma-informed therapy. Retrieved on October 10, 2025, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK604200/.
6. Mortada E. M. (2024). Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Current Medical Practice. Cureus, 16(1), e52041. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.52041. Retrieved on October 10, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10857488/.
7. MedlinePlus. (2023). Dual diagnosis. Retrieved on October 10, 2025, from https://medlineplus.gov/dualdiagnosis.html.
8. U.S. Department of Labor. (2025). Mental health and substance use disorder parity. Retrieved on October 10, 2025, from https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/laws/mental-health-and-substance-use-disorder-parity.
9. Health Insurance Marketplace. (2025). Mental health and substance abuse coverage. Retrieved on October 10, 2025, from https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/mental-health-substance-abuse-coverage/.