Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) in Montana

What is an intensive outpatient program for substance use in Montana?

An intensive outpatient program for substance use disorders in Montana is a level of care that provides group and individual therapy on a set weekly schedule with no overnight stay. Under the criteria of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), the national framework for matching people to care, the program counts as ASAM Level 2.1.

Level 2.1 means at least 9 hours of structured services a week for adults and at least 6 for adolescents. Montana licensing rules on weekly hours are not covered here, so ask each program how many hours it schedules and whether it runs day or evening groups.

Montana Medicaid uses the same label. Its fee schedule for substance use disorder services, effective July 1, 2025, lists intensive outpatient ASAM 2.1 under code H0015 at $398.17 per week, which is what Medicaid pays the provider rather than a price you pay.

Some intensive outpatient programs treat mental health conditions only, and one for substance use disorders is a separate service. People managing both conditions can look at dual diagnosis programs in Montana, and anyone facing risky withdrawal from alcohol, benzodiazepines or opioids usually needs withdrawal management first.

How many hours a week does IOP take, and how long does it last?

Adult IOP takes at least 9 hours a week under the ASAM Criteria, and your assessment sets the length rather than a fixed number of weeks. The table shows how IOP sits between two neighboring levels of care.

Most Montana programs build a written plan after intake and review it as you go. IOP can last from several weeks to several months, depending on progress and goals. Many people step down to standard outpatient sessions once the plan’s goals are met.

Is IOP the right level of care, or is PHP or residential needed?

IOP generally fits people who are medically stable, have a safe place to live and can attend sessions, and an assessment is how you find out where you fit. Stopping alcohol, benzodiazepines or opioids can cause risky withdrawal. In that case, withdrawal management in Montana usually comes before IOP. When home is not a safe place to stay sober, an assessor may suggest residential treatment first.

Montana requires a chemical dependency assessment for every DUI defendant through the ACT program, and treatment is required for second and later offenses. See DUI programs in Montana for that path. For younger people, state law (41-1-402 MCA) lets a minor consent to drug and alcohol treatment with no minimum age. Families can browse teen programs in Montana.

Does Montana Medicaid or private insurance cover IOP?

Montana Medicaid covers substance use IOP, which appears as ASAM Level 2.1 on the state’s substance use fee schedule. DPHHS runs the program as Montana Healthcare Programs. Medicaid expansion began January 1, 2016, under the HELP Act, so many adults with lower incomes qualify. Montana has no Medicaid managed care plans. Most members are enrolled in Passport to Health, a primary care case management program, so ask the IOP whether you need a referral first. For more, see programs that accept Medicaid.

The Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Division (BHDD) at DPHHS manages federal block grant funds for substance use treatment, which can help people without coverage. Listings for these programs are on the state-funded rehab in Montana page. Medicare coverage of intensive outpatient care depends on the setting, so ask whether the program bills Medicare, and see Medicare rehab in Montana. Private plans often require prior authorization, so ask your insurer about in-network IOPs and per-session costs.

Can I attend IOP in the evenings or online in Montana?

Montana IOPs may run day or evening groups, and some hold sessions online. The listings show the format wherever providers have supplied it. Montana Medicaid covers telehealth by live video and by telephone when medically necessary and clinically appropriate, under a policy effective May 12, 2023. That coverage matters on the eastern plains, where in-person providers are sparse. Online options are gathered on the telehealth rehab in Montana page.

Montana’s IOP listings sit mostly in towns: 72 percent are in town settings and 28 percent are rural. Nearly nine in ten lie within 25 miles of a river, most often the Clarks Fork Yellowstone River, at a median distance of 8.2 miles. Billings Logan International is the most common nearest airport, and the median distance to the nearest airport is 4.0 miles. Median elevation is 3,460 feet.

Checking a program’s Montana license

Montana licenses substance use disorder facilities through Health Care Facility Licensure in the DPHHS Office of Inspector General. Separately, the BHDD Treatment Bureau grants state approval to treatment programs under 53-24-208 MCA, and DPHHS publishes a list of providers holding it. Ask any IOP for both credentials, then compare them with that list. You can browse every Montana listing from the Montana locations page.

If you need help now

Anyone in crisis can call or text 988 at any hour. DPHHS pages list no separate Montana substance use helpline. The national treatment referral line, 1-800-662-4357, gives free referrals around the clock.