Our story
Healing is possible. Recovery is real.
Ascending Partners was founded on a simple belief: that every person struggling with substance use deserves compassionate, evidence-based care — and the community to sustain it.
Our mission
Whole-person care rooted in the ASAM Criteria
At Ascending Partners, we provide Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) services to adults in Portsmouth, VA and the broader Hampton Roads region. Our clinical approach is grounded in the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Criteria — the gold standard for matching patients to the right level of care.
We believe recovery is not a single event but a lifelong journey. Our role is to walk alongside each person through the early, critical stages of that journey — providing structure, clinical expertise, peer community, and the practical support that makes lasting change possible.
Compassion first
We meet every person where they are, without judgment, and build trust before we build treatment plans.
Evidence-based care
Every clinical decision is grounded in the ASAM Criteria and current research on addiction medicine.
Community as medicine
Group therapy is not a compromise — it is one of the most powerful therapeutic tools in addiction recovery.
Whole-person focus
We assess and address all six ASAM dimensions: biomedical, emotional, cognitive, readiness, relapse risk, and environment.
"Recovery is not a destination — it is a practice, and we practice it together."
— Ascending Partners Clinical Team
The ASAM Criteria
Why the ASAM Criteria matters
The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Criteria is the most widely used and comprehensive set of guidelines for addiction treatment in the United States. It defines a continuum of care levels and a multidimensional assessment framework that ensures each patient receives the right intensity of treatment — not too little, not too much.
"The right level of care, at the right time, changes outcomes."
Acute intoxication & withdrawal
Assessment of current substance use, withdrawal risk, and need for medically managed detox before or alongside outpatient treatment.
Biomedical conditions
Physical health conditions — chronic illness, pain, or medical history — that affect treatment planning and recovery capacity.
Emotional, behavioral & cognitive
Mental health, trauma history, cognitive functioning, and co-occurring psychiatric conditions that intersect with substance use.
Readiness to change
Motivation, insight, and willingness to engage in treatment — assessed without judgment and used to tailor the therapeutic approach.
Relapse & continued use potential
Understanding triggers, coping skills, and the likelihood of relapse to inform the intensity and focus of treatment.
Recovery & living environment
Housing stability, family support, social networks, and community resources that either support or threaten sustained recovery.
Continuum of care
Where IOP fits in the ASAM continuum
ASAM defines a full spectrum of care levels. Ascending Partners specializes in Level 2.0 — Intensive Outpatient — the level that provides meaningful clinical intensity while allowing patients to remain in their homes and communities.
Ready to take the first step?
Our assessment process is compassionate, confidential, and designed to find the right level of care for you.