Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

Our partial hospitalization program (PHP) in Thousand Oaks gives you hospital-level structure without an overnight stay. You spend about six hours a day in therapy, psychiatric care and skills groups, then go home to sleep in your own bed. PHP is the most intensive outpatient care we offer. It’s built for adults whose mental health or substance use symptoms are getting in the way of work, school, relationships or basic daily life, but who don’t need 24-hour supervision.

Many people come to us when weekly therapy is no longer enough. Others step down to PHP after a hospital stay or residential treatment, because going straight back to normal life feels like too big a jump. Either way, the goal is the same: steady you, give you real tools, and get you back to living on your terms.

What Is a Partial Hospitalization Program?

A partial hospitalization program, sometimes called day treatment, is a structured outpatient level of care. It sits between inpatient treatment and an intensive outpatient program (IOP). You attend several days a week for most of the day, and your care team watches your progress closely, which outpatient therapy alone can’t do.

PHP at Ventura Wellness Behavioral Health treats both mental health conditions and substance use, separately or together. You don’t need an addiction diagnosis to join. Plenty of our PHP clients come for depression, anxiety, trauma or a mood disorder alone.

Who Our Thousand Oaks PHP Is For

PHP is usually a good fit if one or more of these sound familiar:

Symptoms have gotten worse despite weekly therapy or medication.
You’ve recently left a psychiatric hospital, residential program or medical detox and need daily support while you adjust.
Drinking or drug use keeps coming back, and you want more than a weekly session.
You’re struggling to get through a workday, keep up with classes or care for your family.
You have a safe place to live and can get to the program, or join it online.

PHP is not an emergency service. If you’re at immediate risk of harming yourself or someone else, call or text 988 or call 911. If you need medical detox first, we’ll help coordinate a referral and plan your start with us once you’re medically stable.

What a Day in PHP Looks Like

Each PHP day runs about six hours and follows a predictable rhythm. That structure is part of the treatment. A typical day mixes:

Morning check-in on mood, sleep, cravings and anything that came up overnight.
Skills groups built on CBT, DBT and other behavioral therapies, where you practice handling stress, emotions and triggers.
Process groups led by a licensed clinician, where you work through what’s happening in your life with people who get it.
Individual therapy with your own therapist during the week.
Psychiatric care, including medication management when it helps.
Wellness practices such as yoga, breathwork and sound baths, to calm the nervous system and rebuild healthy routines.

We offer morning, afternoon and evening tracks, so you can pick the schedule that fits around family or other obligations.

Your Care Team and Treatment Plan

From day one you have a dedicated therapist, a case manager and a psychiatric team. Within your first three days, we put together a treatment plan based on your history, your symptoms and what you want to change. You’ll see a psychiatric provider during your first week. Your team then reviews the plan every week and adjusts it as you progress, instead of running everyone through the same script.

Your case manager takes care of the practical side: coordinating with outside doctors, paperwork for work or school, and lining up the next step when you’re ready to leave PHP.

Conditions We Treat in Partial Hospitalization

Our PHP treats a wide range of conditions, including:

Depression and anxiety disorders
PTSD and complex trauma
Bipolar, personality and mood disorders
Alcohol, opioid, stimulant and prescription drug use disorders
Dual diagnosis, when mental health and substance use problems feed each other

See the full list on our mental health treatment page.

PHP vs. IOP: Which Level of Care Do You Need?

The main difference is time. PHP is about six hours a day; our IOP is about three. PHP fits when symptoms are heavy and you need close daily monitoring. IOP fits when you’re more stable and want to keep working, studying or parenting alongside treatment. Many clients start in PHP and step down to IOP once things settle, keeping the same therapist so nothing gets lost in the handoff. If you’re not sure where you fit, our admissions team will talk it through with you and recommend a starting point after a short assessment.

In Person in Thousand Oaks or Online

You can attend PHP at our Thousand Oaks center, a short drive from Westlake Village, Newbury Park and Simi Valley. California residents who live farther away can join our virtual PHP by secure video, and some people mix both. Online care follows the same schedule and treatment plan as in-person care.

Insurance and Cost

We’re in network with many major carriers, including Aetna, Cigna, Blue Shield of California, Kaiser, Tricare and UnitedHealthcare/Optum. Coverage for partial hospitalization depends on your plan, so we run a free benefits check, usually the same day, and tell you plainly what to expect before you start. You can verify your insurance online or ask about financing options.

Partial Hospitalization Program FAQs

How long does a partial hospitalization program last?

There’s no fixed length. Your time in PHP depends on how your symptoms respond and what your care team and insurance agree is clinically needed. Your team reviews your progress every week, and when you’re ready, you step down to IOP or standard outpatient care instead of stopping all at once.

Can I work while I’m in PHP?

PHP takes about six hours a day, so most people take leave or reduce their hours while they attend. Our evening track can make part-time work possible for some clients. Your case manager can help with leave paperwork and talk you through job protections such as FMLA or California disability benefits.

Do I need a referral to start PHP?

No. You can call us directly, and loved ones can call on your behalf. Some insurance plans ask for prior authorization, which our admissions team handles for you. If you’re coming from a hospital or residential program, we’ll coordinate with that team so your records and medications carry over smoothly.

Can PHP treat mental health and addiction at the same time?

Yes. Many clients deal with both, and treating one while ignoring the other rarely holds. Our PHP addresses substance use and mental health together in one plan, with your therapist and psychiatric team working from the same picture. You don’t need a substance use diagnosis to join for mental health care alone.

How quickly can I start?

Often within a day or two. Our admissions team is available 24/7, checks your benefits, completes a short assessment and, when it’s a good fit, schedules your first day. Same-day or next-day starts are often possible.

Ready to talk? Call us at 805-905-5483 or check your coverage. It takes a few minutes, and you’ll know your options the same day.