Knoxville, Tennessee’s Selected Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program

The adolescent IOP at East Tennessee Behavioral Health is tailored to address the needs of youths age 13 and older. We may be able to admit children as young as 11 if our clinicians determine that they are developmentally, physically, and clinically appropriate.  

Adolescents can enter our intensive outpatient program directly or as a step-down after completing our adolescent inpatient program. This continuity of care ensures that young people receive the appropriate level of support as their needs change throughout their healing journey. 

Each person who is admitted follows a personalized care plan that incorporates the therapies and services that are best suited to their unique strengths, needs, and goals. 

Our goal is to help empower adolescents by providing them with a life-changing experience that sets them on a path to healing. As a parent or guardian of a patient, you can expect open and honest communication throughout your child’s healing journey.  

Individualized planning, patient-focused therapeutic techniques, and transparency in our decision-making processes are among the many ways in which we protect patient safety, ensure efficiency, and promote reliability. We believe in collaboration among our clinical team, patients, and their families. 

Our intensive outpatient program meets three to five days each week for a minimum of three hours per day. Each patient’s length of stay depends on their symptoms and an ongoing assessment of their progress by our staff of clinical professionals.  

Our Knoxville adolescent behavioral health center provides care for people who have a variety of mental health concerns. Our adolescent intensive outpatient program is designed to address behavioral health concerns that commonly affect young people, including: 

• Bipolar disorder 
• Depressive disorders 
• Anxiety disorders 
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 
• Substance use disorders 

At our Tennessee adolescent behavioral health center, we take a comprehensive approach to addressing co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns. We understand that adolescents may experience symptoms of multiple conditions simultaneously, and our programming is designed to address these complex needs. 

Young people have their own needs and life experiences that play a role in how mental health concerns and substance use disorders affect them. We adjust our programming to fit the distinct needs of this age group. 

We emphasize group therapy, a proven method of helping people connect with others and build coping and emotional skills. Each session is led by a licensed clinical social worker. Young people who participate in our adolescent IOP may also work with licensed master’s-level social workers, licensed professional counselors, nurses, recreational therapists, and behavioral health associates. 

An adolescent’s care plan may also include:  

• Individual therapy sessions with a licensed professional  
• Family therapy sessions that involve the adolescent’s loved ones  
• Medication management services that are provided by our psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses  

During therapy sessions, the professionals on our care team draw from elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). These evidence-based methods can be particularly effective in helping adolescents learn practical skills for managing emotions, improve their relationships, and develop healthy coping strategies. 

Our safe, secure campus is situated near other medical service providers in the greater Knoxville area, with easy access from surrounding communities like Oak Ridge, Maryville, and Sevierville. We are conveniently located minutes away from multiple local hospitals by interstate, making our facility easily accessible to families throughout East Tennessee.  

We partner with and recommend other medical resources in the area as appropriate. It is important to us that residents of Knoxville and the surrounding communities have greater access to high-quality behavioral healthcare services. 

Our setting plays a major role in helping adolescents focus on their health and make the changes necessary to live happier, more fulfilling lives. Our campus offers indoor and outdoor recreation areas, providing everyone with a safe and peaceful environment for healing.  

Our multidisciplinary team includes physicians, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, nursing staff, licensed therapists, recreational therapists, dietitians, and chefs.  

Everyone on our highly trained team works together in the best interests of our patients. Taking this collaborative approach is essential for addressing the complex needs of teenagers who are experiencing symptoms of mental health or substance use concerns. 

We are here to make the admissions process at our Knoxville center as smooth and seamless as possible so that you can get your child the help they need.  

Admissions assessments are available 24/7. A family that is seeking support for an adolescent can call to inquire about our services, schedule an assessment for a day and time that is convenient for them, or begin the admissions process for our intensive outpatient programming.  

The intake clinician will gather demographic information, clinical history, and insurance and payment information. They will then assess concerns to clarify the types and levels of care that may be needed. In addition, they will contact the patient’s insurance carrier to obtain preauthorization for services.  

We accept referrals from hospital emergency departments, crisis response teams, therapists, social workers, courts, and other qualified professionals. Intake clinicians respond to calls and referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please call (865) 722-7780 to make a referral. 

We maintain contact with the referral source, calling them when the patient is admitted, midway through the care plan, and within 48 hours after the patient’s discharge. The primary therapist will also ask the referral source if they wish to be contacted more frequently. We pride ourselves on our strong partnerships with professionals in our area, and we strive to make our hospital their “go-to provider.” 

In addition, social service workers collaborate with each patient to create a discharge plan. This approach ensures that adolescents have ongoing support as they transition from our intensive outpatient programming. 

Our goal is for healing to continue beyond our program and for adolescents to achieve sustained well-being. As part of each person’s healing journey, we will discuss their discharge plan with both the adolescent and their family members.  

This discharge plan may include weekly or biweekly individual counseling sessions with an outpatient therapist, medication management services, professional referrals, community-based resources, or other services. Support groups for family members and caregivers may also be recommended. 

At our Knoxville behavioral health center, we recognize that family involvement is crucial for improving adolescents’ behavioral health. We provide resources to help families understand their children’s mental health needs and learn how to offer ongoing support at home.