Drug & Alcohol Addiction Treatment in Palm Beach Gardens, FL

PHP (Partial Hospitalization) is the highest-intensity outpatient level — 25 hours per week of clinical programming, Monday through Friday, with a return home or to sober living each evening. IOP (Intensive Outpatient) runs 9–15 hours per week across 3–5 days. Residential treatment provides 24/7 on-site care for severe presentations. PHP is appropriate after detox or as a primary level of care when the home environment is stable. See the full PHP schedule.

Dual diagnosis is the default at Ascend — substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions are treated concurrently by the same clinical team, not sequentially. Our board-certified addiction psychiatrist manages medications for depression, anxiety, PTSD and complex PTSD (CPTSD), OCD, bipolar and other mood disorders, personality disorders, and ADHD alongside addiction treatment. Treating these conditions in separate programs is the single biggest predictor of treatment failure; we eliminated that gap. Learn how dual diagnosis works at Ascend.

Ascend is in-network with Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Healthcare, and Humana. Most commercial plans cover PHP and IOP at 70–100% of allowed charges after deductible under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). Our admissions team completes a confidential benefits check in 15 minutes — you'll know your copay, coinsurance, and authorization requirements before the first day of treatment. Verify your benefits in 15 minutes.

PHP runs Monday through Friday from approximately 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Each day includes a morning clinical check-in, two 90-minute group therapy sessions (one process group, one psychoeducation/skills group), a lunch break, a specialty therapy session (EMDR, trauma processing, expressive arts, or family therapy on rotating days), and an individual therapy or discharge planning session with your primary counselor. Read the full daily schedule breakdown.

Most clients complete 4–6 weeks of PHP followed by 6–12 weeks of IOP, then step down to standard outpatient or alumni programming. NIDA establishes 90 days of continuous treatment engagement as the minimum threshold for meaningful long-term outcomes. SAMHSA documents 58% of clients who complete 90+ days of outpatient treatment remain abstinent at 6-month follow-up. Our 3:1 client-to-staff ratio and continuous step-down model are designed to keep clients engaged through the 90-day threshold.

Ascend does not provide on-site medical detox — we are an outpatient PHP/IOP/standard outpatient program. Clients with alcohol, benzodiazepine, or high-dose opioid dependence typically require medically supervised detox before admission. Our admissions team coordinates detox placement with 14 DCF-licensed medical detox partners in Palm Beach County and arranges same-week transition into Ascend's programming upon medical stabilization. Learn about detox placement.

IOP clients maintain employment during treatment — sessions run 3 hours per day, 3–5 days per week, with morning (9 AM–12 PM) and afternoon (1–4 PM) tracks. PHP runs 5–6 hours daily and typically requires medical leave (FMLA provides 12 weeks of job-protected leave for SUD treatment). Standard outpatient places no employment restrictions. Family therapy is built into every level of care because family involvement is one of the strongest predictors of sustained recovery.

Three things: (1) Full continuum at a single facility — PHP, IOP, standard outpatient, and telehealth delivered by the same clinical team, so you don't change providers at each step-down. (2) Integrated dual diagnosis from day one — our addiction psychiatrist and clinical director coordinate medication and therapy together, not in parallel silos. (3) A 3:1 client-to-staff ratio that means your primary counselor knows your case in clinical depth, not just by name. Meet the clinical team.

Ascend's clinical team maintains two in-depth education hubs. The Mental Illness guide is a DSM-5-aligned library covering anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and co-occurring disorders — each with diagnostic criteria, evidence-based treatment, and a self-screening tool. Beyond these, Ascend's clinicians treat OCD, codependency, mood disorders, personality disorders, and process (behavioral) addictions as part of integrated dual diagnosis care. The Knowledge Center indexes every clinically reviewed guide on addiction, detox, recovery, and Florida treatment law in one place.