TRD Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

The Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) at the UTHealth Houston Center for Interventional Psychiatry provides structured, time-limited treatment for individuals with moderate to severe, treatment-resistant depression who require a higher level of support than standard outpatient care but do not need full-day or inpatient hospitalization.

The TRD IOP is designed to promote symptom stabilization, functional improvement, and continuity of care, while allowing patients to remain at home and maintain selected daily activities.

Who We Serve

The TRD IOP is appropriate for patients who:

  • Have treatment-resistant depression with persistent symptoms despite outpatient treatment
  • Require frequent clinical contact and structured therapeutic support
  • Are transitioning from inpatient or partial hospitalization care
  • Experience significant functional impairment but can maintain safety outside of inpatient settings
  • Need intensive treatment while remaining medically and psychiatrically stable

Program Structure and Model of Care

The TRD IOP offers a multidisciplinary, measurement-based treatment model explicitly tailored to individuals with refractory depressive illness. The program typically involves multiple treatment days per week and includes coordinated psychiatric, psychotherapeutic, and interventional care.

Key elements of the program include:

  • Structured group therapy, focused on symptom management, coping strategies, and relapse prevention
  • Individual psychiatric care, including medication optimization and treatment planning
  • Evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions, adapted to the needs of patients with severe depression
  • Regular symptom and safety monitoring using standardized outcome measures

Interventional Treatment Integration

A defining feature of the TRD IOP is the integration of interventional psychiatry treatments within the program when clinically indicated. Patients may receive:

  • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
  • Intranasal Esketamine Therapy (SPRAVATO®)
  • Intravenous Ketamine Therapy
  • Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), when appropriate and coordinated with program participation

Interventional treatments are delivered as part of a comprehensive care plan rather than as standalone services.

Continuity and Transitions of Care

Patients in the TRD IOP are closely monitored for symptom response, safety, and functional progress. Level-of-care decisions are reviewed regularly, and transitions are planned intentionally.

Based on clinical response, patients may:

  • Step down to the TRD Outpatient Clinic
  • Step up to the TRD Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) or inpatient care
  • Continue interventional treatments as part of a longer-term care strategy

Through this structured, intensive, and flexible approach, the TRD Intensive Outpatient Program aims to provide adequate stabilization and sustained recovery for individuals with treatment-resistant depression.