Virtual Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) in Massachusetts
Intensive, structured mental health care for Massachusetts adults. 5 days a week of group therapy, individual therapy, and psychiatric care, delivered through Zoom from your home.
Virtual PHP is an intensive, five-day-a-week mental health program delivered fully online for Massachusetts adults. Each day blends group therapy, individual therapy, and psychiatric care from the comfort of your home. It's the most intensive level of outpatient care, designed for people who need more than weekly therapy but don't require hospitalization.
What is a virtual partial hospitalization program?
A virtual PHP is a serious time commitment, and that's the point. When weekly therapy isn't enough, more intensive structure is what creates change. Every day blends group therapy, individual check-ins, and psychiatric care, with breaks built in to keep the format sustainable. Most patients complete PHP in 2-4 weeks, then step down to virtual IOP for ongoing support. The structure is the medicine: consistent daily contact, real cohort relationships, and a rhythm you can plan your week around.
Most people enter PHP when weekly therapy isn't helping enough, or when stepping down from a hospital stay after a mental health crisis. Virtual PHP gives you intensive treatment and that structure without leaving home.
What Does Our Program Entail?
Our Virtual Partial Hospitalization Program delivers daily, structured care for individuals who need a higher level of support while remaining at home. Your treatment includes a comprehensive set of services to guide your recovery.
Group therapy works with small groups of like-minded peers and focuses on education and skills development. Topics might include “How to manage depression” or “Building healthy habits to improve anxiety.” Our curriculum utilizes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) interventions that are evidence-based.
Individual therapy is one-on-one time with your therapist to work jointly on your challenges and potential solutions.
Our psychiatric team prioritizes a holistic approach to mental health, incorporating medication when it would add meaningful value to your care. We work closely with you to prescribe and adjust medications in a personalized manner.
Sometimes it helps to incorporate family and friends in the recovery journey. Our team will work with you to identify your support system and how they can contribute to your healing.
An Overstory team member will work with you to identify areas in your personal life where you need hands-on support, whether that be hobbies, housing, food security, career and job planning, and more. Furthermore, Overstory Health will ensure continuity of care by making necessary referrals post discharge and collaborating with any current or new providers.
Is virtual PHP right for me?
Adults 18+ physically located in Massachusetts during all sessions, with a private space, stable internet, and a device with camera and microphone.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis right now, please call or text 988, available 24/7.
If you're not sure where you fit, our intake team can help you decide during your assessment.
What a typical day looks like
A virtual PHP is a serious time commitment, and that's the point. When weekly therapy isn't enough, more intensive structure is what creates change. Every day blends group therapy, individual check-ins, and psychiatric care, with breaks built in to keep the format sustainable. Most patients complete PHP in 2-4 weeks, then step down to virtual IOP for ongoing support. The structure is the medicine: consistent daily contact, real cohort relationships, and a rhythm you can plan your week around.
PHP runs Monday through Friday. The schedule below mirrors a typical Monday. Exact times may vary by cohort.
Our Virtual PHP Program Can Help You With
Virtual PHP at Overstory is built to treat the conditions that benefit most from intensive, daily clinical care. Our multidisciplinary team delivers evidence-based modalities including CBT, DBT, and ACT.
Many people we treat are managing more than one condition at the same time. Our virtual PHP is designed for that reality, and your treatment plan is built around your whole experience, not a single diagnostic label.
If you don't see your specific condition listed, contact our intake team to learn whether our virtual PHP is a fit.
Virtual PHP vs in-person PHP
Overstory offers PHP in two formats: fully online via Zoom, or in person at our Boston, MA location. The clinical model is the same in both formats, including group therapy, individual therapy, medication management, and family support. The difference is where you attend.
Not sure if PHP is the right level for you? A less intensive step-down option is also available: We offer a virtual IOP (3 days a week from home) or in-person IOP (also 3 days a week) at our Boston location. Our intake team will help you decide during your assessment.
Why Choose Overstory?
How To Get Started
Reach out at 617-202-3530 or fill out our intake form, and we’ll be in touch to walk you through how to get started.
During intake, we’ll check your insurance coverage, give you a cost estimate, and learn more about you to see how we can help.
Meet with a psychiatric provider within seventy-two (72) hours of starting with us.
We’ll start you in a program that best serves your needs and schedule so that you can begin your path to recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
A typical virtual PHP day at Overstory is about five hours, Monday through Friday. The schedule blends group therapy, individual sessions, psychiatric check-ins, and built-in breaks to prevent screen fatigue. There's an off-screen lunch break every day, with no clinical contact, so you have time to rest, eat, and step away from the screen.
Yes. In Vlavianos et al. (2022), published in the Joint Commission's Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, a virtual PHP cohort showed attendance rates and clinical outcomes comparable to a matched in-person PHP cohort. Note: these findings reflect that study's specific patient population and methodology, not Overstory's own outcomes. Overstory's virtual PHP uses the same evidence-based clinical model as in-person PHP, the difference is the delivery format, not the clinical standard.
Most patients complete virtual PHP in 2-4 weeks. The exact length depends on your symptoms, how you respond to treatment, and your clinical team's recommendation. Many patients step down to virtual IOP for an additional 8-12 weeks of less intensive support before returning to weekly outpatient care or maintenance therapy.
Overstory's virtual PHP is in-network with most major Massachusetts plans, including MassHealth (MBHP), Harvard Pilgrim, Point32Health, Tufts, WellSense, Wellpoint, Fallon, Carelon, Optum, MGB Plan, and United Healthcare. Behavioral health coverage varies by plan, employer, and policy, so we handle verification for you. Submit your information and we'll confirm what's covered and any out-of-pocket costs before you start, so there are no surprises once the program begins. If your plan isn't listed or you have cost questions, contact our intake team and we'll walk you through your options.
