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Acute Psychiatric Outpatient Program

Acute Psychiatric Outpatient Program (APOP)

At Sage, we recognize that some behavioral health conditions can ebb and flow in intensity and duration. Our Acute Psychiatric Outpatient Program (APOP) is an enhanced program providing intensive, structured outpatient treatment for higher-level clinical needs, as a step-up from traditional intensive outpatient programming and as a step-down from inpatient/residential treatment.

We developed this special acute psychiatric outpatient program to help address the need for intensive, structured care for acute psychiatric cases in an outpatient setting. Inpatient or residential care is not always necessary, or possible, for certain individuals. If you do not require 24-hour supervision or hospitalization and you are struggling with uncontrolled symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health disorders, the ability to accomplish activities of daily living, and/or substance abuse, our APOP may be right for you.

Depending on your unique needs, you may be placed in either our Behavioral Health or Substance Use Disorder APOP track. Our APOP curriculum is two weeks, unless otherwise clinically indicated. APOP meets daily Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at our Albuquerque clinic. Following the completion of APOP, you will transition into either our Substance Use Disorder IOP or Behavioral Health IOP to continue your treatment journey at our clinic with our caring team.

The Acute Psychiatric Outpatient Program offers a suite of services, including:

  • Psychoeducation and skills groups
  • Process and support groups
  • Therapeutic movement
  • Social support
  • Psychiatric medication evaluation and management
  • Individual therapy
  • Rehabilitation recovery counseling
  • Substance abuse evaluation and counseling
  • Treatment planning
  • Other services as needed to be performed by our multidisciplinary team
Recovery is a unique journey for every individual. It is crucial that you choose a program that will be the most effective, not the most convenient.

What’s the difference between IOP and APOP?

There are various levels of care to address the needs of individuals living with mental health conditions. At Sage, we only offer outpatient care. Our current outpatient programs are our Substance Use Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program (SUDIOP), Behavioral Health Intensive Outpatient Program (BHIOP), and Acute Psychiatric Outpatient Program (APOP).

Name of Program Level of Care Typical Program
Acute Psychiatric Outpatient Program (APOP) Highly structured intensive outpatient program for severe and/or sudden onset of behavioral health issues 2 Weeks
20 hours total, Monday – Friday
8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Behavioral Health Intensive Outpatient Program (BHIOP) Structured intensive outpatient program for behavioral health issues 12 Weeks
3 hours a day/3 times a week
Telehealth available
Substance Use Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program (SUDIOP) Structured intensive outpatient program for individuals with a substance use disorder 12 Weeks
3 hours a day/3 times a week
Telehealth available

A typical day in any of our programs consists of individual and group therapy, psychoeducation, skill-building practice, and periodic evaluations. If medication is needed, you will meet with a psychiatrist for medication management. Patients can return home at night, which helps them practice their social skills and coping techniques in authentic situations and decreases the disruption to those who have obligations to school, employment, or family.

Who is APOP for?

APOP is specifically designed for the short-term, intensive treatment of severe mental health symptoms. The goal is to help you improve enough to be transferred to a lower level of care, such as our intensive outpatient programs (IOPs).

As an intermediary between residential and outpatient treatment, patients in APOP still have a significant amount of support from the facility, but can access the outside world. APOP can also help patients better adjust and transition to their normal routine after a recent inpatient discharge. Too much freedom too soon can be detrimental and increase the likelihood of relapse.

Still not sure if APOP is right for you or a loved one? Take our quiz.

Benefits of APOP

An intensive behavioral health program has many benefits for a wide range of patients. APOP addresses those individuals who are experiencing acute symptoms and are in need of a higher level of structure (without round-the-clock care).

Together, under the guidance of trained mental health professionals, you will work on a variety of topics including, but not limited to, impulse control, self-care and healthy habits, conflict resolution, mindfulness techniques, and other interpersonal skills.

APOP also relies heavily on group therapy, as many of our other intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) do. Group therapy gives patients the emotional and social support, connections, and community resources that are necessary for recovery and symptom management.

Other benefits of our APOP include:

  • Symptom relief
  • New coping skills
  • Ability to live at home and maintain other obligations or support systems
  • Opportunity to meet new people
  • Lower cost than an inpatient stay
  • Reduced inpatient recidivism
  • Easy transition to lower levels of care

Get the Integrative Care You Need in Albuquerque

Our carefully crafted treatment plans and multidisciplinary team will ensure you embark upon the right treatment journey for you. Throughout the process, you’ll be encouraged to actively participate in your own recovery and increase your chances of success. This isn’t a one-sided process – if you have the will, we have the way!

Contact us to get started as a new patient today.

For more information about our services, contact us today at

1 (505) 884-1114
or get started with our new patient intake process here:
Get Started Today

Our mission at Sage Neuroscience Center is to create collaborative teams of healthcare providers to engage those we serve to achieve sustainable wellness.

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