What do I need to join virtual IOP?

Three things: a laptop, tablet, or smartphone with a camera; a reliable internet connection; and a private space where you can talk openly for the length of a session. No special software purchase or technical skill is required — the team walks you through the secure video platform before your first group.

Virtual IOP in Los Angeles | Golden State Rehab

Real Treatment, Real Structure

The Same IOP — Delivered Live to Your Living Room

Virtual IOP is not an app, a self-paced course, or a library of recorded videos. It's our full intensive outpatient program in Los Angeles — the same licensed clinicians, the same group curriculum, the same weekly individual sessions — delivered live over secure video instead of in our Westwood group rooms. You show up at a set time, your therapist and group see you, and the work happens in real time.

That distinction matters. Recovery doesn't come from watching content; it comes from structure, accountability, and relationships with people who know your name and notice when you're struggling. Virtual IOP keeps all three. Sessions run on a fixed schedule, attendance is expected, and your treatment plan is built and adjusted by a clinical team — exactly as it would be if you drove to Westwood.

What changes is the commute: there isn't one. If you live in the Valley, in San Diego, in Sacramento, or three blocks from our office and simply can't get here, you join the same program from wherever you are in California.

Verify My Insurance

Private therapy room at Golden State Rehab, where virtual IOP clinicians hold their video sessions

The Program

How Virtual IOP Works

Live Video Groups

The core of the program is live group therapy — 3-hour video sessions, 3 to 5 days a week, led by licensed clinicians. You choose a morning track or an evening track, and your group meets at the same times each week, so treatment becomes a rhythm rather than an interruption.

Weekly Individual Therapy

You meet privately with your primary therapist by video at least once a week. These sessions go where group can't — the specific history, relationships, and patterns behind your substance use or mental health symptoms — and they anchor your individual treatment plan.

Psychiatry by Video

When your plan calls for it, our psychiatric team provides evaluation and medication management over the same secure platform — including care for the anxiety, depression, or insomnia that so often travels with substance use.

Private, HIPAA-Secure Platform

Sessions run on an encrypted, HIPAA-compliant video platform — not a consumer app. The tech asks very little of you: a laptop, tablet, or phone with a camera, a decent internet connection, and a private space where you can speak freely. We walk you through setup before your first group.

Open to All of California

Our clinicians are licensed in California, which means any California resident can enroll — you don't need to live near Westwood, or near Los Angeles at all. Admission works the same as in person: a confidential assessment by phone, then a start date, usually within days.

A Clear Step-Down Path

Virtual IOP isn't forever. As you stabilize, you step down to our outpatient rehab program — fewer weekly hours, continued support — and eventually to standard weekly therapy and alumni connection. The structure loosens as your recovery strengthens.

Quiet reading lounge at Golden State Rehab in West Los Angeles

Who Virtual IOP Is For

When Coming to Us Isn't the Right Ask

For some people, the distance between needing treatment and getting it is literally distance. Virtual IOP was built for them:

You live outside the Westside — or outside Los Angeles entirely — and the right program shouldn't depend on your zip code
Transportation or mobility barriers make a daily commute to treatment unrealistic
You're a parent or caregiver who can't leave home for hours at a stretch
You're a professional who travels for work and needs treatment that travels with you
You started in person with us and need to switch — a move, an injury, a schedule change — without losing your group or your therapist
Privacy matters deeply to you, and joining from your own home feels safer than walking into a clinic

One honest caveat: virtual IOP isn't right for everyone. If you're drinking or using heavily enough to need medical detox, that comes first — we don't provide detox, but we can help you arrange it and reserve your place for when you're ready. And if you need more structure than IOP's 9 to 15 hours a week, in-person partial hospitalization (PHP) is usually the better starting point. The assessment call sorts this out honestly before you commit to anything.

Related Programs

Frequently Asked

Virtual IOP: Common Questions

Is virtual IOP as effective as in-person treatment?

Virtual IOP uses the same clinical programming as our in-person tracks — same group curriculum, same weekly individual sessions, same access to psychiatry — delivered by the same licensed team. What research and our clinicians agree on is that the strongest predictor of outcomes is consistent participation, and for many people the version they can actually attend every week is the version that works. If your clinical picture calls for in-person care, we'll tell you that at assessment rather than enroll you in the wrong format.

What do I need to join?

Three things: a laptop, tablet, or smartphone with a camera; a reliable internet connection; and a private space where you can talk openly for the length of a session. That's it — no special software purchase, no technical skill beyond joining a video call. Our team walks you through the platform before your first group, and we troubleshoot with you if anything glitches.

Can I do virtual IOP from outside Los Angeles?

Yes — from anywhere in California. Our clinicians are licensed statewide, so whether you're in Fresno, San Diego, the Bay Area, or a small town hours from the nearest treatment center, you can enroll in the same program as our Westwood clients. The one boundary is the state line: we can treat California residents wherever they are in the state, but not clients located outside California.

Does insurance cover virtual IOP?

Most major plans may cover IOP delivered by telehealth when it's medically necessary, and California law generally requires insurers to cover telehealth services on par with in-person care — but the details depend on your specific plan, deductible, and network. We work with most major PPO plans. The fastest way to know is to verify your insurance — it's free, confidential, and doesn't notify anyone.

What's the difference between virtual IOP and telehealth?

Telehealth is the delivery method — video sessions instead of in-person ones — and at Golden State Rehab it spans every level of our care, from IOP down to standard weekly therapy. Virtual IOP is one specific program delivered that way: the intensive outpatient level of care, meaning 3-hour groups 3 to 5 days a week plus weekly individual therapy. If you're comparing levels of care, start with how many hours of structure you need; if IOP is the answer, this page is the virtual version of it.

Prefer to come in person, or want to see where your clinical team works? Visit our Westwood location and the areas we serve.

Paying for Treatment

We Work With Most Major PPO Plans

Coverage varies by plan. Our admissions team verifies your exact benefits for free and explains your options honestly, without pressure.

Insurance logos are shown to help you identify your plan and are trademarks of their respective owners; they do not imply endorsement. Coverage varies by plan — verification is free and confidential.