Definition

(1) “Partial hospitalization” means a non residential medically directed treatment program that offers intensive, coordinated, and structured services for adults and/or children within a stable therapeutic milieu. Partial hospitalization embraces day, evening, night, and weekend treatment programs which employ an integrated, comprehensive and complementary schedule of recognized mental health service approaches. Partial hospitalization is designed to provide intensive treatment services for service recipients who are able to be voluntarily diverted from inpatient psychiatric hospitalization or require intensive treatment after discharge from an inpatient stay. Programs are designed to serve service recipients with significant impairment resulting from a psychiatric, emotional or behavioral disorder. Such programs are also intended to have a positive impact on the service recipient’s support system. Partial hospitalization programs may either be free standing or integrated with a broader mental health or medical program. Partial hospitalization must be a separate, identifiable, organized program representing a significant link within the continuum of comprehensive mental health services.