What is intensive outpatient treatment (IOP)?
IOP is structured addiction treatment you attend several times a week while you keep living at home. Amarillo-area residents can do Stages' IOP online, or in person at the Lubbock office.
Where IOP fits among levels of care
| Level of care | What it generally means | Stages, per its public pages |
|---|---|---|
| Medical detox | Medically supervised withdrawal management. | Not provided by Stages; ask about outside providers. |
| Residential / inpatient | Living at a treatment facility around the clock. | Not provided by Stages. |
| Partial hospitalization (PHP) | Most of the day in treatment, returning home or to sober living at night. | Listed for the Texas offices (Lubbock and Robinson). |
| Intensive outpatient (IOP) | Several structured sessions a week while living at home and keeping work, school or family commitments. | In person in Lubbock, Robinson and Oklahoma City, and online for Texas and Oklahoma residents. |
| Outpatient counseling | Less frequent individual or group sessions, often as a step down from IOP. | Described as continuing care after IOP. |
What an IOP week can look like
The Stages Oklahoma City program page describes its in-person IOP as a 10-week program of group therapy in three-hour blocks, three days a week, using approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, trauma-specific therapy and 12-step integration, with random drug screening. Schedules for other locations and for the online program aren't published, so ask admissions for the current format.
IOP is usually a step, not the whole plan
IOP is outpatient care. Stages does not provide medical detox or residential treatment. Its Oklahoma City program page states that clients must be free from drugs and alcohol from their first session, and that people who have withdrawal symptoms need detox first. If that may apply to you, call admissions to talk through next steps and outside providers. After IOP, Stages describes outpatient counseling as a step-down level of care. Its home page describes a phased program lasting between 90 days and two years, combining clinical and 12-step approaches.
Choosing between online IOP and Lubbock
In-person IOP in Lubbock offers face-to-face groups and some distance from home routines, but it means a long drive several times a week or staying in Lubbock. Online IOP keeps you at home in the Panhandle. Ask admissions about Stages' transitional housing, which is separate from clinical treatment. Availability isn't guaranteed.
Amarillo at a glance
- Potter County, TX: 16 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending December 2025 (CDC provisional).
- From Amarillo: about 126 miles, about 2 hr 15 min to the Stages Lubbock office (3513 50th St, Suite 200) (route map)
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, 24/7; Texas Panhandle Centers (Potter, Randall and other Panhandle counties) 24/7 crisis line: 800-692-4039
Sources, checked November 9, 2026: CDC provisional overdose counts, OpenStreetMap/OSRM driving estimate (no traffic), Texas HHS. All local facts and sources