Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program Serving the Silicon Valley Area

Our intensive outpatient programming is available for young people ages 14-17 who are battling a variety of behavioral health concerns, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder.  

An intensive outpatient program can be an ideal option for adolescents who do not require round-the-clock supervision but can benefit from participating in several therapeutic sessions each week. With flexible scheduling, IOPs provide young people with the opportunity to engage in the transformative therapy and services they need while residing at home and attending school regularly. Patients can enter the IOP offered at our San Jose, California, location directly or as a step-up or step-down from another level of care.  

Most young people spend an average of eight to 12 weeks in our intensive outpatient programming, although the actual length of program duration depends on each patient’s needs, goals, and progress. Adolescents participate in programming three hours a day, three days a week in a highly supportive atmosphere. We are committed to maintaining a warm environment where patients can step away from the stressors of teenage life and focus on making strides toward meaningful personal growth. 

At San Jose Behavioral Health, our mission is simple: to provide superior care for every person who turns to us in their time of need. When your child or loved one engages in programming with our team, you can rest easy knowing that they’ll receive focused care from compassionate professionals. We understand the unique challenges adolescents face today, and our staff is prepared to provide young patients with resources, education, and encouragement that can help them overcome obstacles and build a strong foundation for a bright future. 

We recognize the importance of meeting each young person in our care where they are on their journey to better health, which is why we offer services that are developmentally appropriate and highly individualized. Prior to admission, we conduct an in-depth evaluation for every potential patient to learn more about any previous behavioral healthcare services they’ve received as well as their health history and goals for their time in our intensive outpatient program. Using these details, we can provide each adolescent with a care plan that incorporates only the therapies and services we believe will yield the best results. 

At San Jose Behavioral Health, we take a strengths-based approach to care that encourages our patients to build on their inherent talents and existing skills. We urge those in our care to take notice of their best qualities and work to build on them during their time with us. This approach can be especially rewarding for young patients because it helps them realize their resiliency, value, and self-worth. We believe that when adolescents have a healthy level of self-confidence and a positive mindset, they can perform better at home, in the classroom, and socially. 

An adolescent in our intensive outpatient program may engage in a variety of therapies and services based on their individual needs. The therapeutic interventions we offer can teach young people how to practice mindfulness, deal with the effects of trauma, and develop important strategies for coping with emotional distress. They include: 

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR is a form of therapy that helps people heal from stressful emotions or disturbing memories of trauma. 

Seeking Safety: This treatment model is an evidence-based method that can help people manage the effects of trauma by teaching them how to focus on the present and effectively cope with triggers.  

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a solution-oriented form of therapy that helps people address the connection between their thoughts and actions. During CBT sessions, participants explore negative beliefs and thought patterns and work to change them. CBT can lead to improvements in an adolescent’s ability to regulate emotions, cope with stress, and problem-solve.  

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT is a form of therapy that helps people increase mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills. DBT sessions can help adolescents identify feelings and learn to respond to negative situations in a healthy, productive way.  

Additionally, adolescents may receive the following therapies and services: 

• Motivational interviewing 
• Somatic experiencing 
• Medical care 
• Medication management services 
• Individual therapy 
• Family counseling 
• Experiential therapies 
• Group sessions 

Group sessions are an essential component of our intensive outpatient program and occur three times each week on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. These meetings provide adolescents with the chance to meet other teens who understand what they are going through and establish a network of support. For young people who have been bullied or are battling feelings of rejection or loneliness, the camaraderie that can be formed during groups may be immensely beneficial. Group sessions offer a safe space where adolescents who are struggling to interact socially can begin to let their walls down and connect with peers. Through groups that focus on process therapy and skill-building, they can enhance communication and social skills while also learning about important topics for healing. 

We recognize that when a young person is struggling with symptoms of a mental illness, it can take a heavy toll on their family. And when it comes to navigating the care options available for your loved one, the process can often be complicated and overwhelming. At San Jose Behavioral Health, we go the extra mile to ensure that you have the details and resources you need to confidently advocate for your loved one. We want you to be able to make an informed decision about your child’s care, which is why we are committed to providing excellent customer service and a seamless admissions process.  

Our dedicated admissions team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week so that people in need can promptly access the services they deserve. To determine whether your child or loved one can benefit from the intensive outpatient program at our hospital, please contact a member of our helpful admissions team today. You can reach us by phone or visit us in person to learn more about the programs we offer and schedule a free assessment for your loved one. 

To be admitted to our adolescent IOP, a young person must meet the following criteria:  

• Be between the ages of 14 and 17 
• Have a diagnosis of a behavioral health disorder 
• Have a stable living environment 
• Not be a danger to themselves or others 
• Be able to actively participate in therapy 
• Require a more structured level of care than traditional outpatient therapy  
• Be able to commit to attending three sessions a week 
• Have a guardian who is willing to participate in programming as needed 

We make admissions decisions on a case-by-case basis. During the adolescent’s initial assessment, our team reviews their medical history, strengths, needs, and goals to decide whether our programming can help them get on a path to sustained wellness. If we determine that our adolescent IOP isn’t the best fit for your loved one, we can provide you with a referral to another trusted, vetted provider in the area.  

An adolescent’s stay in our intensive outpatient program is just one phase of their healing journey, which is why we start planning for their eventual discharge at the time of admission. Aftercare plans are comprehensive and involve input from the patient, their family, and the entire treatment team, including the psychiatrist, social worker, and nursing staff.  

While discharge planning begins at the time of admission, we continuously monitor the progress of each adolescent and adjust their plan as needed along the way. By preparing them for the future during programming, we can help young people in our care continue to achieve success well beyond their time in our IOP. Aftercare plans commonly include recommendations for step-down programs, follow-up therapy, and community resources. 

At San Jose Behavioral Health, we strive to help adolescents return to their day-to-day lives with the skills they need to flourish academically, socially, and at home. Whatever your child’s next step is after they complete our intensive outpatient program, we want them to feel supported as they work toward long-term healing.  

This content was written on behalf of and reviewed by the clinical staff at San Jose Behavioral Health.