Code of Colorado Regulations
500 - Department of Human Services
502 - Behavioral Health
2 CCR 502-1 - BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
Chapter 4 - Behavioral Health Outpatient and High Intensity Outpatient Services
Section 2 CCR 502-1-4.6 - Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) Services Standards

A. Individuals receiving this level of service meet diagnostic criteria of acute state moderate severity mental illness, substance use, or co-occurring disorder criteria, as defined in the DSM-5-TR. Individuals may also meet high severity, as defined in the DSM-5-TR, but are stabilized and/or receiving medication-assisted treatment, as defined in part 1.2 of these rules, or pharmacotherapy, as defined in part 1.2 of these rules.

B. IOP services are intended for individuals who require a higher level of intervention than can be provided in standard outpatient services.

C. All services must be adapted to the individual's developmental stage and physical and comprehensive needs.

D. Services may be delivered via in-person, audio-visual telehealth, or audio-only telehealth format in accordance with telehealth regulations found in part 2.9 of these rules.

E. Treatment groups must not exceed twelve (12) individuals receiving services.

F. IOP support systems

A. Treatment personnel, for the purpose of this Chapter, unless otherwise noted, means the following behavioral health professionals trained in mental health, substance use, and/or co-occurring disorder identification and treatment and acting within their scope of practice:

B. Agencies providing IOP must ensure treatment personnel have supervisor consultation available within eight (8) hours via in-person or by telehealth to discuss, when warranted, at minimum, psychiatric or medical concerns of individuals receiving services.

C. Personnel must have supervisor consultation available within one (1) hour via in-person or telehealth to discuss, when warranted crisis/emergency situations.

D. Services may include recovery support services rendered by peer support professionals in accordance with Chapter 3 of these rules.

E. Agencies providing IOP services must provide training appropriate to the treatment-type focus and best practice standards.

A. Services must be conducted in regularly scheduled sessions that follow a planned format of treatment services of nine (9) to nineteen (19) contact hours per week for adults and six (6) to nineteen (19) contact hours per week for children under the age of eighteen (18).

B. Services may include individual therapy, group therapy, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) monitoring and/or education, psychiatric medication education and/or monitoring, family therapy, peer professional services, educational/occupational groups, recreational therapy, and other therapies as deemed appropriate by assessment of the individual receiving services.

A. Agencies providing IOP services must document services pursuant to the standards set in parts 2.10, 2.11, 2.12, and 2.13 of these rules.

B. Upon initiation of services to an individual, preliminary screening and risk assessment must be completed in compliance with part 2.12.1 of these rules.

C. As soon as is practicable upon admission, but no later than ten (10) calendar days from the date of preliminary screening and risk assessment, the agency must complete an initial assessment in accordance with part 2.12.2 of these rules.

D. As soon as is practicable upon admission, but no later than sixty (60) calendar days from the first date of services, the agency must complete a comprehensive assessment in accordance with part 2.12.3 of these rules. The requirement that the comprehensive assessment be completed within sixty (60) days does not preclude the initiation or completion of the comprehensive assessment or the provision of treatment during the intervening sixty (60) day period.

E. Individual service plans must be created, in accordance with part 2.13.1 of these rules, within fourteen (14) calendar days after initial assessment. The service plan must be updated to reflect information from the completed comprehensive assessment. The agency must update the service plan throughout the course of treatment, review previous goals, and update those goals whenever there is a change in the person's level of care or functioning, and must occur, at minimum, every six (6) months.

F. IOP services must be documented in the individual's record in accordance with part 2.11 and 2.13.2 of these rules and at a minimum frequency of one (1) progress note per session.