MARC Launches New Mental Health Intensive Outpatient (IOP) Program
The demand for comprehensive mental health services has never been greater. Across the United States, mental health challenges have surged over the past decade, with the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbating the crisis. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness each year.[1] However, the availability and accessibility for appropriate mental health care, especially in Maryland, can be lacking. Many individuals can find themselves caught in a middle ground: struggling with significant mental health symptoms that interfere in their daily functioning that require more than regular therapy or psychiatry but not requiring or wanting inpatient hospitalization or residential care. For others, limited access to care leads to unnecessary emergency room visits.
Recognizing this critical gap in care in the Baltimore County and surrounding areas throughout the state, Maryland Addiction Recovery Center (MARC), a trusted leader in the treatment of addiction and substance use disorders since 2013, has officially launched its new Mental Health Intensive Outpatient (IOP) program. This new mental health program represents a vital step forward in meeting the evolving mental health needs of the local Baltimore community.
“MARC strives to stay on the forefront of offering treatment services to meet the growing needs of our community,” said Zach Snitzer, Co-Founder and Corporate Director of Marketing at MARC. “While offering true co-occurring treatment services over the last several years, there was a noticeable need to offer robust and comprehensive care for those dealing with mental health challenges who weren’t also dealing with a substance use disorder. We believe our new mental health IOP will fill that need.”
Comprehensive, Expert-Driven Care
Building on more than a decade of experience in comprehensive addiction care, MARC has steadily evolved to meet the growing mental health needs of the community. After becoming dually licensed several years ago to treat both primary substance use and primary mental health disorders, the organization is now expanding its clinical offerings to include dedicated programming focused solely on mental health. This program may also be a more appropriate option for individuals dealing with substance use disorder, but who may be dealing with a primary mental health diagnosis and a secondary substance use disorder.
The new IOP is designed for individuals who need structured, supportive care but do not require inpatient treatment. The MARC Mental Health IOP can be a significant step up in care or an added service for individuals seeing an outpatient therapy and/or psychiatrist, as well as serving as a critical alternative to inpatient or residential mental health care and experiences in a hospital emergency room. Services will include individual and group therapy, psychiatric care and medication management, family support, case management, and evidence-based modalities tailored to support emotional well-being and long-term recovery.
MARC’s new outpatient program was designed by Amanda Steinhorn, LCPC, ATR-BC, MARC Director of Mental Health Services, who will lead the program alongside MARC psychiatrists Alfred Forrester, MD, LFAPA, Medical Director, and Douglas Woodruff, MD, Staff Psychiatrist. The new mental health IOP will be appropriate for individuals dealing with mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma and PTSD, bi-polar disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, ADHD, OCD, life stressors and ongoing issues of burnout.
“I am excited to have joined MARC and create this mental health program to better serve those in need,” said Amanda Steinhorn, MARC Director of Mental Health Services. “For many people dealing with life stressors and mental health issues, sometimes weekly or monthly therapy isn’t enough, but they don’t require residential care, or we certainly don’t want them to eventually need inpatient or residential care. My hope is that our mental health intensive outpatient program will be exactly what they need.”
Accepting New Clients
Located at MARC’s clinical campus in Towson, Maryland, the Mental Health IOP is now open and accepting new clients. For individuals seeking a higher level of care past traditional outpatient mental health options like therapy or psychiatry without leaving their communities or disrupting their work, school, or family routines, or for families looking for a proactive step before a mental health crisis occurs, MARC’s Mental Health IOP represents a powerful and hopeful new option in the Baltimore County area.
In a time where access to meaningful and comprehensive mental health care is more critical than ever, MARC’s new Mental Health Intensive Outpatient (IOP) Program stands as a testament to the commitment to innovation, compassion, and community-focused care.