Intensive Outpatient · ASAM Level 2.1
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) in Lakewood & Tacoma
Structured substance use treatment that works around your job and your family — several sessions a week, in person in Lakewood or by secure telehealth anywhere in Washington.
An intensive outpatient program is for the situation where weekly counseling isn't enough structure, but stepping away from your life for residential treatment isn't realistic — or necessary. You keep working, keep sleeping at home, and build recovery around the schedule you already have.
Who IOP is for
Most people arrive here one of two ways: an evaluation recommended Level 2.1 care, or a court, attorney, or probation officer asked for something more structured than weekly treatment. Both are common, and the program is the same either way — the difference is only in what documentation we send out afterward.
IOP tends to be the right fit when you have tried outpatient counseling and it didn't hold, when substance use and mental health are tangled together, or when you need enough structure to show a court real progress on a deadline.
How the week is built
Level 2.1 means multiple group sessions each week alongside individual counseling and a treatment plan that belongs to you rather than a template. Groups are where most of the work happens — relapse prevention, coping skills, and the plain experience of sitting with people who understand the thing you're carrying.
Our clinicians know this work from both sides: professional training and their own lived recovery. That tends to matter more than any curriculum.
In person or by telehealth
You can attend at our Lakewood office — about fifteen minutes from downtown Tacoma, with free parking — or by secure telehealth from anywhere in Washington, or move between the two as your schedule demands. If transportation or work hours are the obstacle, say so at intake and we will build around it.
If the court is involved
We report attendance and progress to courts, attorneys, and probation officers on whatever schedule they require, and we send it on time. For people on the deferred prosecution pathway, IOP is typically where the two-year treatment requirement begins. If you are not sure what your paperwork is asking for, bring it to the phone call — reach us at (253) 279-7992 and we will read it with you.
What's included
- ASAM Level 2.1 intensive outpatient treatment
- Multiple group therapy sessions each week
- Individual counseling and treatment planning
- Relapse prevention and coping-skills development
- Co-occurring (substance use + mental health) support
- Progress reporting for courts, probation, and attorneys
- Secure telehealth and in-person attendance options
Common questions
- What is an intensive outpatient program (IOP)?
- IOP is ASAM Level 2.1 care — a structured treatment program you attend several times a week while continuing to live at home and keep working. It sits between standard weekly outpatient treatment (Level 1.0) and residential care, and it is the level most often recommended when weekly counseling alone is not enough structure.
- How many hours a week is IOP, and how long does it last?
- Level 2.1 care involves multiple group sessions each week plus individual counseling. Your exact schedule and the length of the program depend on your assessment, your progress, and anything the court requires — we set that out with you at intake rather than applying a fixed number to everyone. Call (253) 279-7992 for current group times.
- Can I do IOP by telehealth?
- Yes. Our IOP is available by secure telehealth to anyone in Washington, in person at the Lakewood office, or as a mix of both. Washington courts routinely accept telehealth participation, and we document attendance the same way either way.
- Will you report my attendance to the court or my probation officer?
- Yes. We send progress and compliance reports to courts, attorneys, and probation officers on the schedule they require, usually monthly. Keeping that paperwork moving is part of the service, not an extra you have to chase.
- Do I need an assessment before starting IOP?
- Yes. A substance use evaluation determines the appropriate level of care using the ASAM criteria. If you already have a recent evaluation from another provider we can usually work from it; if not, we complete the assessment first and can often schedule it the same week.
- How much does IOP cost, and do you take insurance?
- We are in network with most major Washington health plans, including Aetna, Wellpoint, Community Health Plan of Washington, Cigna / Evernorth, Coordinated Care / Ambetter, Kaiser Permanente, Washington Apple Health (Medicaid), Medicare, Regence / HMA, TriWest / VA, TRICARE for Life, and Wellcare. Self-pay rates are available. Call (253) 279-7992 with your plan details and we will confirm your coverage and current rates before you commit.
This page is general information about our program, not legal or medical advice. Level-of-care recommendations are made through an individual assessment, and court requirements vary by court, county, and case — confirm the specifics with your attorney, the court, or your clinician.
Related services & guides
- Substance Use EvaluationsThe assessment that determines whether IOP is the right level of care.
- Outpatient Program (OP)Standard Level 1.0 care — a lighter weekly commitment, or a step down from IOP.
- Deferred prosecution treatmentThe two-year treatment pathway that begins at this level of care.
- DUI assessments in WashingtonWhat happens at the evaluation that may recommend IOP.
Ask whether IOP is the right level for you.
Tell us what you're dealing with — or what the court is asking for — and we'll walk you through the assessment and get you scheduled.
Prefer we contact you? Skip voicemail. Submit an appointment request online and our team will contact you as soon as possible—often the same business day.