What is IOP, and how does it work near Waco?
IOP is structured addiction treatment several times a week while you live at home. Near Waco, Stages offers it in person at its Robinson office, along with PHP and outpatient therapy. Texas residents can also do it online.
Where IOP fits among levels of care
| Level of care | What it generally means | Stages, per its public pages |
|---|---|---|
| Medical detox | Medically supervised withdrawal management. | Not provided by Stages; ask about outside providers. |
| Residential / inpatient | Living at a treatment facility around the clock. | Not provided by Stages. |
| Partial hospitalization (PHP) | Most of the day in treatment, returning home or to sober living at night. | Listed for the Texas offices (Lubbock and Robinson). |
| Intensive outpatient (IOP) | Several structured sessions a week while living at home and keeping work, school or family commitments. | In person in Lubbock, Robinson and Oklahoma City, and online for Texas and Oklahoma residents. |
| Outpatient counseling | Less frequent individual or group sessions, often as a step down from IOP. | Described as continuing care after IOP. |
What an IOP week can look like
The Stages Oklahoma City program page describes its in-person IOP as a 10-week program of group therapy in three-hour blocks, three days a week, using approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, trauma-specific therapy and 12-step integration, with random drug screening. Schedules for other locations and for the online program aren't published, so ask admissions for the current format.
IOP is usually a step, not the whole plan
IOP is outpatient care. Stages does not provide medical detox or residential treatment. Its Oklahoma City program page states that clients must be free from drugs and alcohol from their first session, and that people who have withdrawal symptoms need detox first. If that may apply to you, call admissions to talk through next steps and outside providers. After IOP, Stages describes outpatient counseling as a step-down level of care. Its home page describes a phased program lasting between 90 days and two years, combining clinical and 12-step approaches.
Moving between levels of care in Robinson
Because PHP, IOP and outpatient therapy are listed for the Robinson office, some people can step down from one level to the next in the same place. Ask admissions what that looks like for you.
Waco at a glance
- McLennan County, TX: 28 drug overdose deaths in the 12 months ending December 2025 (CDC provisional).
- From Waco: about 7 miles, about 15 min to the Stages Robinson/Waco office (700 N Robinson Dr, Robinson) (route map)
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, 24/7; Heart of Texas Region MHMR Center (McLennan, Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill and Limestone counties) 24/7 crisis line: 866-752-3451
Sources, checked November 9, 2026: CDC provisional overdose counts, OpenStreetMap/OSRM driving estimate (no traffic), Texas HHS. All local facts and sources