How Do You Know Which Level of Mental Health Treatment Is Right for You?

You can determine which level of mental health treatment is right for you based on the severity of your symptoms, your environment, safety risks, possible co-occurring conditions, and previous treatment history. Typically, a mental health professional will conduct an assessment to ensure treatment meets your needs. Learn more about the different levels and the matching process.

Key Takeaways

• Mental health care typically consists of various levels of care, ensuring it meets clients where they are on the treatment spectrum.
• With outpatient therapy, levels typically include partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient care, and traditional outpatient services.
• Mental health professionals typically work with clients to determine the appropriate level of intensive treatment based on symptom severity, home environment, safety risks, co-occurring conditions, and previous treatment history.

Table of Contents

• What Should I Know About the Different Levels of Care?
• What Is Partial Care?
• What Are Intensive Outpatient Programs IOP?
• What Is Traditional Outpatient Mental Health Care?
• What Factors Determine the Right Level of Care?
• How Is Level of Care Assessed?
• BlueCrest Counseling Offers Various Levels of Care for a Personalized Approach
• FAQs

Introduction

Mental illness can be challenging to treat, but it is easier to manage with the appropriate level of care. A study published in the Journal of Addictive Diseases reveals that well-matched care leads to better outcomes: undermatching yields 45% success rates, overmatching 62%, while well-matched care improves well-being for 70% of individuals.

Treatment centers must meet clients where they are on the care spectrum to ensure the right approach is taken. But how do they determine what’s suitable?

Typically, various assessments are used to evaluate the client’s symptoms, environment, safety risks, co-occurring conditions, and previous treatment history. This helps them determine whether the client should begin residential programs, partial care programs (AKA partial hospitalization program PHP), or outpatient treatment. This article discusses what all levels involve and what evaluations entail.

What Should I Know About the Different Levels of Care?

When learning about the different levels of care, it’s important to understand that mental health treatment doesn’t exist on one plane. A continuum of intensity applies. And there are various tiers to consider.

Residential programs are typically the highest tier. Then there’s outpatient care, offered at the BlueCrest Counseling New Jersey facility, which allows clients to receive treatment while living at home. Because clients split their time between treatment and home, a safe home environment is crucial. If clients don’t have a safe home environment, they may consider staying at our supportive housing facility during treatment.

This type of care also exists in different levels, including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs, and traditional outpatient therapy. Care is not linear, and patients often step up and down between levels as their progress changes.

What Is Partial Care?

Partial care is the most intensive type of outpatient care. Clients attend several hours a day, several days a week. The program consists of individual and group therapy, evidence-based approaches, family therapy, and life skills training, addressing mental health conditions and helping individuals improve daily functioning. Medication management services may be included if needed.

This program may be right for you if:

• You are stepping down from inpatient treatment
• You require a step-up from intensive outpatient treatment
• You require a significantly structured program, but your symptoms are stable enough to allow you to live at home

What Are Intensive Outpatient Programs IOP?

IOPs are a mid-level of care with fewer hours than partial care. Clients typically attend sessions, which involve group and individual therapy, about three hours a day, 3-5 days a week.

This program may be right for you if:

• You are stepping down from partial care
• You require a step up from traditional outpatient services
• You need more support than weekly therapy, but your symptoms are stable enough to maintain daily responsibilities
• You can’t step away from work or school for treatment (BlueCrest has an evening IOP ideal for individuals in this situation)

What Is Traditional Outpatient Mental Health Care?

Traditional outpatient care is the least intensive form of outpatient care. It typically involves short weekly or biweekly sessions, lasting just 30-45 minutes.

This program may be right for you if:

• You are stepping down from IOP treatment and require ongoing maintenance
• You have stable symptoms and a strong support system
• You are newly seeking help and have manageable symptoms

What Factors Determine the Right Level of Care?

Factors that determine the right level of care include symptom severity, safety risks, daily functioning, home environment, co-occurring substance use, and previous treatment history, as follows:

• Symptom Severity: Licensed mental health professionals will determine the severity of symptoms based on how often they occur and how they impact functioning.
• Safety Risks: Individuals engaging in self-harm and suicidal ideation require higher levels of care; inpatient hospitalization is often recommended.
• Daily Functioning: Are mental health issues impacting the individual’s ability to work, go to school, or maintain healthy relationships?
• Co-Occurring Substance Use: According to 2024 SAMHSA research, 21.2 million people have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. People often use substances to self-medicate emotional dysregulation. This can complicate treatment, necessitating a higher level of care.
• Home Environment: A safe home environment supports individuals throught outpatient care.
• Previous Treatment History: Individuals who have been unsuccessful with a specific level of care may require a more intensive program.

How Is Level of Care Assessed?

Mental health professionals typically assess individuals to determine the appropriate level of care using clinical screening tools. Levels of Care Utilization System (LOCUS) criteria are commonly used to evaluate mental health needs and focus on the following dimensions:

1. Risk of harm
2. Functional status
3. Medical, Addictive, and Psychiatric Co-Morbidity
4. Recovery environment
5. Treatment and recovery history
6. Engagement and recovery status

When addiction is a concern, American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria are widely used and evaluate these six dimensions:

1. Acute intoxication/withdrawal potential
2. Biomedical conditions and complications
3. Emotional, behavioral, or cognitive conditions (this is where co-occurring mental health issues come in)
4. Readiness to change
5. Relapse, continued use, or continued problem potential
6. Recovery/living environment

BlueCrest Counseling Offers Various Levels of Care for a Personalized Approach

BlueCrest Counseling of New Jersey recognizes the importance of a personalized approach and provides tailored therapy by assessing each client and matching them with the appropriate level of care. Once properly placed, they benefit from effective treatment that uses a whole-person approach, combining conventional talk therapy with alternative care. After clients stabilize, we continue to support them with aftercare services, ensuring they maintain a high standard of well-being.

Contact us to learn more about what our program entails.

FAQs

What is the difference between partial care (PHP programs), IOP, and traditional outpatient?

Each level of care varies in intensity. PHP is the most intense treatment level, requiring several hours of therapy each day. Traditional outpatient is the least intense, with clients attending short weekly or biweekly sessions.

How do I know if I need a higher level of care?

You may require more comprehensive support if your symptoms are worsening or your current level of care is not helping you reach your treatment goals. Your provider will offer professional support, helping you determine if a higher level of care is needed and matching you with the proper services.

Can I work or go to school while I’m in treatment?

It may be difficult to balance treatment with partial care. However, intensive and traditional outpatient programs are designed for individuals who can’t step away from work to receive psychiatric care.

Is outpatient treatment effective for severe mental health symptoms?

Partial care may be effective for severe symptoms, especially if the individual has a supportive home environment. Otherwise, residential treatment may be recommended.

Can I move between levels of care as my needs change?

Absolutely. The tier system was designed to provide a personalized approach, allowing clients to move between levels of care as their needs evolve.

Sources

1. SAMHSA. “Release of the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Leveraging the Latest Substance Use and Mental Health Data to Make America Healthy Again.” https://www.samhsa.gov/blog/release-2024-nsduh-leveraging-latest-substance-use-mental-health-data-make-america-healthy-again.
2. SAMHSA. “SAMHSA Releases Annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health.” https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/20250728/samhsa-releases-annual-national-survey-on-drug-use-and-health.
3. American Society of Addiction Medicine. “About the ASAM Criteria.” https://www.asam.org/asam-criteria/about-the-asam-criteria.
4. American Society of Addiction Medicine. “ASAM Criteria 4th Edition.” https://www.asam.org/asam-criteria/asam-criteria-4th-edition.
5. American Association for Community Psychiatry. “LOCUS Training Manual: Level of Care Utilization System.” https://www.transformationsllc.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Locus-training-manual.pdf.
6. Journal of Substance Use / Addiction Research & Theory. Stallvik, M., Gastfriend, D.R. “Predictive and Convergent Validity of the ASAM Criteria Software in Norway.” https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/16066359.2014.910512.
7. Journal of Addictive Diseases. Gastfriend, D.R. “Predictive Validity of the ASAM Patient Placement Criteria for Hospital Utilization.” https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J069v22S01_06.