Sierra on Campus Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
The Sierra on Campus IOP offers students with mental health and substance use concerns an opportunity to get in-depth support and practical tools from peers and professionals all while staying on campus.
Sierra on Campus is a partnership between Counseling & Psych Services and Sierra Tucson.
The Best of Both Worlds
The program is all about finding balance—helping students make meaningful progress with mental health while continuing in school and everyday life. Plus, it’s a convenient and confidential community with fellow UA students. The Sierra on Campus IOP offers all the benefits of a treatment center without leaving the comfort and familiarity of campus.
Who Is This IOP For?
Our IOP is for UA students of any class year or age who are looking for any one or more of the following:
- more intensive support for their mental health
- meeting more than once a week
- a way to address serious mental health or substance use concerns or goals
- a mix of peer and professional support
- an IOP as recommended by their current mental health provider
Sierra on Campus is a voluntary program. As part of the intake process, a mental health professional from Sierra Tucson will meet with each student for a brief consultation to understand their needs and provide details about the program. If it's determined that a student requires a higher level of care, such as partial hospitalization (PHP) or inpatient treatment, Sierra Tucson will assist in connecting them to the appropriate services.
If you need help but you're not looking for this high level of care, you can schedule a Counseling & Consultation session at CAPS to create a plan that works for you.
The IOP is a 6-week voluntary program that offers community, one-on-one support, and psychiatry support (if needed) all with a mental health professional from Sierra Tucson. Enrollment is rolling, which means students can join at any time.
Meeting Dates
This 6-week group program includes:
Community Sessions:
- Three 3-hour sessions per week (totaling 9 hours) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4-7 pm at CAPS North at North Rec
Individual Sessions (outside of 4-7 pm group hours):
- One individual session per week scheduled between the student and the Sierra Tucson mental health professional
Psychiatry support as needed, determined by the student's treatment plan.
Cost
Sierra Tucson is an in-network provider for the United Healthcare Student Health Insurance Plan at no cost to the student.
The IOP also accepts Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United commercial, and Triwest. Please note that there will be a copay with these insurance plans. If you have another health insurance plan or have any questions about cost, give us a call at 520-585-5836 for cost and payment information.
Enrollment
There's no wait to start the program. After the referral process and verification of benefits is complete, students can start at the next occurring group session.
To find out of our IOP is the right fit for you, call 520-585-5836 or complete our online referral form.
To learn more about the Sierra on Campus IOP to see if it's right for you or someone else, fill out the form below or call 520-585-5836. A Sierra Tucson representative will be in touch with you to schedule a brief screening where you'll talk together about your needs and whether this program is a good fit.
Note: These messages are not monitored 24/7. If you are in need of immediate assistance please view our Crisis Support page for mental health support.
Sierra Tucson is a nationally-recognized behavioral health treatment center. They use evidence-based integrative services to treat mental health conditions, co-occurring eating concerns, and substance use/addiction.
An IOP program, or Intensive Outpatient Program, offers a level of care that falls between regular outpatient counseling and more intensive treatments like inpatient care or partial hospitalization.
In short, an IOP gives you the best of both worlds: the intensive care needed to address significant mental health challenges, while still allowing you to stay connected with your everyday life.
Regular Outpatient Counseling: In regular counseling, you might see a therapist once a week for an hour. IOP is more intensive—typically involving therapy sessions several times a week for a few hours each time. It provides more support than standard outpatient therapy but still allows you to live at home and keep up with school or work.
Inpatient/Residential Treatment: Inpatient care requires you to stay at a hospital or treatment center 24/7, which is necessary when someone needs constant supervision or is in crisis. IOP, on the other hand, lets you stay in your own home, so you can maintain your routine while getting focused, regular treatment.
Partial Hospitalization: Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) are even more intensive than IOPs, usually requiring you to be at a hospital or treatment center for most of the day, almost every day. IOPs offer a bit more flexibility, with fewer hours of treatment each week, but still provide a structured environment for recovery.
Family participation is not required. Our program is confidential, meaning no information about a student’s participation will be shared without their written consent.
However, CAPS is legally required to disclose information in certain situations, such as:
- In response to a valid subpoena or court order,
- If there's a risk of harm to the student or others,
- If there’s a reasonable belief that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused or neglected,
- To comply with legal mandates like the USA Patriot Act of 2001.
If a student uses health insurance, CAPS may need to share some information with the insurer. Additionally, if a student is covered by a parent or family member's insurance, that family member may receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) showing participation in the IOP.
Insurance coverage is often dependent on full attendance to the program. Full commitment to the program for the entire duration (9 hours per week for 6 weeks) will help ensure insurance coverage while also helping students get the most out of the program. For questions, please call 520-585-5836.
CAPS and Sierra Tucson will work with students to develop a plan if they need to miss class for the IOP. We encourage students considering the IOP to remember that prioritizing mental health now can set them up for greater academic success in the long run.
Here are a few options for what students can do:
- Sierra Tucson can write a letter for professors as needed.
- At times, we may recommend dropping a course to prioritize mental health.
A brief consultation is required prior to starting the program to learn about the student's needs and go over program details.
Yes, you can refer a student to the IOP if you think they would benefit from the program. You can complete our referral form, and a Sierra Tucson representative reach out to them. However, the IOP is a voluntary program, so the student must agree to participate. Student buy-in and readiness are key factors in their success in the program, and their active participation positively influences their experience.
The IOP focuses on a group therapy format with additional individual counseling support and psychiatry support provided outside of group sessions. IOP providers are take a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach to their work and may use Internal Family Systems, Somatic Experiencing, Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Individual sessions may also include EMDR when appropriate.