Online mental health care options have expanded in recent years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Today, people are choosing Virtual Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHPs) due to key differences from traditional, in-person programs.
At Lightfully, we offer Virtual PHPs and three other levels of care: a Residential Treatment, an Intensive Outpatient Program, and a Virtual Intensive Outpatient program. Each is available to clients according to their unique circumstances, including whether in-person or online treatment may be more beneficial.
What is a PHP?
A PHP is a treatment program for people with mental health conditions. At Lightfully, we treat conditions including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, and personality disorders. We also work with individuals experiencing suicidality or engaging in self-harming behaviors.
On a spectrum between outpatient therapy appointments and inpatient mental health care, a PHP is in the middle. A person in a PHP attends treatment during the day and stays in their own home at night. In a Virtual PHP, they use telehealth technology to participate in treatment online.
We provide 6-7 hours of programming daily, two weekly appointments with a primary therapist and one weekly appointment with a psychiatrist. Programming includes four clinician-led group meetings and a weekly family meeting.
Find out why people choose virtual PHPs
Finding a Partial Hospitalization Program near them is a challenge for many people. PHPs may be far away, inaccessible or too difficult to fit into the rest of their day-to-day life. Participating in a Virtual PHP is a strong alternative for many people seeking mental health care. It can provide benefits comparable to an in-person PHP, as one PHP provider found when they moved care online during the pandemic.
Factors in choosing a Virtual PHP include:
1. Distance from in-person care providers
If someone types “Partial Hospitalization Program near me” into a search engine, they might find that the nearest option is hours away. Unfortunately, that’s the case for some people seeking mental health care, like those in rural areas.
Virtual care provides an alternative that meets them where they are. Lightfully serves people in cities and towns throughout California.
2. Constraints of physical or mental health
Finding an accessible place to participate in a PHP can be difficult for people with chronic illnesses or disabilities. It can also be challenging for those with certain mental health conditions like agoraphobia. Others, with conditions like social anxiety disorder, may find in-person participation challenging.
In a Virtual PHP, they can begin treatment at home without physical barriers to access. Participating in treatment at home may be easier to manage with their mental health condition.
3. Demands in other parts of their life
Maybe someone has enough time to participate in 6-7 hours of treatment, but not enough to make the commute to and from treatment. Perhaps they have other obligations, like staying with a family member at home. They may choose a Virtual PHP to integrate it more easily into their daily routine.
4. Needs for an alternative to outpatient or inpatient care
Many people who participate in mental health care meet with therapists, psychologists or psychiatrists for regularly-scheduled appointments. Others, with severe symptoms requiring more intensive care, participate in inpatient treatment in a hospital or mental health care facility.
What can people do when outpatient therapy isn’t meeting their needs and inpatient care feels like too big of a step? They can choose an online or in-person PHP. A Virtual PHP allows them to participate with less disruption to everyday life.
5. Benefits of connecting with other participants in a mental health program
It’s easy to feel alone when dealing with a mental health condition. Some conditions, like depression, can amplify feelings of disconnection. In a PHP, participants connect with other patients going through similar experiences. Lightfully’s Virtual PHP includes daily group meetings led by clinicians. Many find that sharing experiences and growth with peers enhances their treatment journey.
Find out more about Lightfully’s Virtual PHP
If you’re considering a PHP for yourself or a loved one, Lightfully’s professionals can provide more information. We can discuss signs that someone might benefit from outpatient care. You can discuss your mental health, symptoms, prior diagnosis and other factors in your decision to seek care. We can create a treatment approach with our Precision Care Model (PCM).
Ready to take the next step? Reach out to our team — we’re here to support you. Contact our team today to step into a fuller, brighter version of you.
