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The group therapy room at Bishop Health in South Portland
Structured Programs · Mon–Fri

Partial Hospitalization Program in Portland, Maine

Full treatment days, Monday through Friday — the most support you can get without a hospital stay, while you still sleep in your own bed.

Call (888) 280-2585 Ask About PHP

Written by the Bishop Health clinical team · Medically reviewed by Tamer Wassef, MD
Published August 15, 2026 · Last reviewed August 15, 2026

Bishop Health's PHP is the highest level of care we offer outside a hospital: full weekday treatment days, Monday through Friday, for adults whose primary diagnosis is a mental health condition. Group therapy anchors each day, with individual therapy and psychiatry built in. Admission is rolling, most commercial insurance plans cover it with authorization, and you sleep at home.

Who PHP Is For — and Who It Isn't

PHP fits when…

✓Your primary diagnosis is a mental health condition — depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder
✓You need full weekday structure — weekly appointments, and even IOP, aren't enough right now
✓You're stepping down from an inpatient psychiatric stay and need a bridge back to daily life
✓You need acute stabilization, but not 24-hour supervision
✓Co-occurring substance use exists but mental health is the driver — evaluated case by case

PHP is not the fit when…

—Substance use is the primary concern. Our programs require a primary mental health diagnosis — a SUD-first program will serve you far better
—You need medical detox, 24-hour supervision, or inpatient psychiatric care
—Three-hour sessions around a job or school would serve you better — that's IOP, and moving between the two is built in

If substance use comes first, start here instead:

Pine Tree Recovery Center — detox & residential, Portland
Southern Maine Recovery — residential recovery housing
Both are Guardian Recovery sister programs — one call and we'll connect you directly.

A Sample Week in PHP

Full days, Monday through Friday — a morning group block and an afternoon group block with a midday break, plus your individual appointments.

Time MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday
9AM–12PM Group: skills (CBT)Group: processGroup: skills (DBT)Group: psychoeducationGroup: integration
12PM–1PM Midday break
1PM–4PM Group: mindfulness & groundingGroup: relationships & boundariesGroup: sleep, routine & activationGroup: relapse-prevention planningGroup: weekly review
Scheduled individually Weekly individual therapy (50 min) Psychiatry / medication review

Illustrative week — group themes rotate through the curriculum, so nothing repeats within a cycle. Rolling admission means you join at the next session, not the next cohort.

What Groups Cover

•Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills
•DBT: distress tolerance & emotion regulation
•Mindfulness and grounding practice
•Relapse-prevention planning for mood episodes
•Relationships, boundaries, communication
•Sleep, routine, and behavioral activation

Admission & Referral

Self-referral works — call and our team completes a clinical review as part of intake. Providers and hospital discharge planners can fax referrals directly to (207) 747-4067.

Most commercial insurance plans cover PHP with authorization; we obtain it and handle continued-stay reviews during treatment.

Referring clinician? Start here →

Step Down, Not Off a Cliff

PHP is the top of our continuum: step down to IOP as you stabilize — three-hour sessions that fit around work — then to outpatient care — same team, same record, no starting over.

Moving between levels doesn't restart anything: your therapist, your chart, and your plan carry through.

PHP Questions, Answered

What's the difference between PHP and IOP?

Hours and intensity. PHP is full weekday treatment days; IOP is three hours, 3–5 days a week. PHP suits acute stabilization; IOP suits structure-plus-real-life. Your evaluation recommends one honestly — and you can move between them.

Do I stay overnight in PHP?

No. PHP is the most intensive level of care that still ends each day at home — you spend full treatment days at the office on weekdays and sleep in your own bed.

How do I get admitted to PHP?

Self-referral works — call and our team completes a clinical review as part of intake. Providers and hospital discharge planners can fax referrals directly. Most commercial insurance plans cover PHP with authorization, which we obtain for you.

Can I work while in PHP?

Usually not during the program itself — PHP runs full weekday treatment days. Many employers honor FMLA or short-term accommodations for structured treatment; we provide the documentation they ask for, and stepping down to IOP restores morning-or-afternoon flexibility.

What happens when PHP ends?

A planned step-down, not a cliff: most people move to IOP, then to outpatient therapy and psychiatry with the same team and one shared record. The discharge plan is built during treatment, not on your last day.