Learn More About
Rehab Programs
Structured recovery that fits around your life
North Jersey Recovery Center’s Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) gives you several hours of focused, evidence-based treatment each week while you continue to live at home, work, go to school, and stay connected to the people who matter to you. Our Fair Lawn program serves adults across Bergen County and North Jersey who are working through alcohol or drug use alongside anxiety, depression, trauma, or another co-occurring mental health condition.
IOP sits in the middle of our continuum of care. It offers more structure than weekly outpatient counseling and more flexibility than our Partial Care program, which makes it a common starting point for people entering treatment for the first time and a natural next step for people transitioning from Partial Care or from a residential or inpatient program. If you need medically supervised detox first, we coordinate it with accredited partners and hold your place.
Who IOP is designed for
Our IOP is a strong fit for adults 18 and older who:
- Want to address alcohol, opioid, heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepine, or prescription drug use with clinical support several days a week
- Are living with a co-occurring condition such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, bipolar disorder, ADHD, or a mood or personality disorder
- Have a stable place to live and a support system at home
- Are stepping down from Partial Care or from an inpatient or residential program
- Have tried once-a-week therapy and want a higher level of structure
Every client begins with a comprehensive clinical assessment, and your level of care is assigned using the ASAM Criteria, the national standard for matching each person to the right intensity of treatment. Your treatment plan is built around your history, your goals, and your schedule, and it is revisited regularly by your primary therapist and our clinical leadership.
What treatment includes
IOP at North Jersey Recovery Center integrates substance use and mental health care into one plan, so you are working with one team rather than juggling two.
Group therapy
Small, therapist-led groups meet on each program day. Groups cover relapse prevention, coping skills, emotional regulation, healthy relationships, and the connections between substance use and mental health.
Individual therapy
You meet one-on-one with your primary therapist every week to work through the issues that group is not the right place for, and if you need more individual time, we work to make room for it.
Evidence-based modalities
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Behavior Modification Therapy
- Trauma-informed care
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Holistic treatment approaches
Psychiatric care and medication management
Our medical team, led by Director of Medical Services Suzanne Salamanca, PhD, APN, PMHNP-BC, provides psychiatric evaluation and medication management for co-occurring conditions. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), including buprenorphine-based medications and naltrexone, can be woven into your IOP plan.
Family therapy
Family and couples sessions help the people closest to you understand what you are going through and learn how to support your recovery.
Case management and aftercare planning
Our case management team, led by Director of Case Management Courtney Bryant, helps with practical needs during treatment and builds your aftercare plan, including our Relapse Prevention Program and step-down to Outpatient care.
What a week looks like
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Program days | Sessions run Monday through Friday; many daytime clients attend all five days, others three or four — your treatment plan sets it |
| Session length | 3 hours |
| Day track hours | Morning session 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. or afternoon session 12:30–3:30 p.m., Monday–Friday. If neither works with your schedule, we can set up a shifted window such as 10:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m. or 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. |
| Evening track hours | Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 6:00–9:00 p.m. (see Evening IOP). Day clients can also attend an evening session to make up hours they miss during the day. |
| Individual therapy | Weekly with your primary therapist; more often when you need it |
| Psychiatric follow-up | As your treatment plan calls for; daytime or evening appointments |
| Typical length | Most clients spend four to sixteen weeks in IOP, depending on how many sessions a week they attend and how they progress |
| Transportation | Available for clients in Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex counties — ask admissions when you call |
A typical program day begins with a check-in, moves into a process or skills group, and closes with goal-setting for the time between sessions. Your schedule may shift as you progress, with fewer days per week as you prepare to step down to Outpatient care.
Why families in Bergen County choose North Jersey Recovery Center
- Joint Commission accredited and LegitScript certified, and a member of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP)
- Licensed by the State of New Jersey (license 2000822)
- One integrated team for substance use and co-occurring mental health care
- Clinical leadership from Rachel Sugerman, PhD, LPC, ACS, CCS, Clinical Director, and a staff of licensed clinicians, including LPC, LCSW, LCADC, and LAC credentials
- Day and evening IOP tracks so treatment fits your work or school schedule
- Transportation available for clients in Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Essex counties
- Confidential help by phone 24 hours a day
- Located at 22-08 NJ-208 Suite 2, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410, minutes from Paramus, Glen Rock, Hawthorne, Paterson, and Ridgewood
Paying for IOP
Most commercial health plans include benefits for intensive outpatient treatment. We work with plans from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Carelon Behavioral Health (formerly Beacon), UMR, and others. Our admissions team verifies your benefits at no cost, usually the same day you call, and explains what your plan may cover before you commit to anything. Learn more on our insurance page.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours a week is IOP?
Each IOP session is three hours. Sessions are offered every weekday — 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 12:30–3:30 p.m. — and Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., and clients attend three to five sessions a week — nine to fifteen hours of structured treatment — with many daytime clients choosing all five days to move through the program faster. Individual therapy and psychiatric appointments are scheduled in addition to group time.
How long does IOP last?
Most clients participate for four to sixteen weeks — sometimes less — and then step down to our Outpatient Program. How long depends on how many sessions a week you attend and how you progress. Your therapist reviews your progress with you regularly so you know what comes next.
Can I keep working while I am in IOP?
Yes. IOP is designed for people with jobs, classes, and families. Our Evening IOP meets Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. for people who work or attend school during the day, daytime clients can choose a morning or afternoon session or a shifted window like 10:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m., and if you miss a day session you can make up the hours at night.
Do you treat mental health conditions in IOP?
Yes. Our IOP treats substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions together. Psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and therapies such as CBT and DBT are part of the same treatment plan.
What is the difference between IOP and Partial Care?
Partial Care offers more hours per day and more days per week and is a good fit when you need a fuller day of structure. IOP offers several hours a few times a week. Many clients begin in Partial Care and step down to IOP.
Does insurance cover IOP in New Jersey?
Many commercial plans include IOP benefits. Coverage depends on your specific plan, so we verify it for you at no cost before you begin. Call (877) 632-5541 or use our online insurance verification form.
Take the next step today
Call (877) 632-5541 to speak confidentially with an admissions coordinator, or verify your insurance online. We answer 24 hours a day. Your assessment happens the same day you call — a confidential phone screening that our clinical and medical team reviews to recommend the right level of care — and once approved, you can start as soon as the next day.
North Jersey Recovery Center · 22-08 NJ-208 Suite 2, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
