Outpatient treatment duration is determined by a number of factors, including the severity of substance abuse, the rate of progress in a treatment programme, whether or not they have co-occurring mental or physical health issues, whether or not they have relapsed during treatment, and any other factors related to substance abuse recovery.
While some programmes have basic treatment duration ranges, the duration of outpatient treatment is often flexible and depends on the needs of each patient. As treatment proceeds, these demands are likely to change, and a person may need to move down to a less comprehensive level of treatment or step up to a more intensive level of treatment.