Drug & Alcohol Addiction Rehab, Treatment & Recovery Resources in Colorado

1. University of Colorado Anschutz ARTS Specialized Outpatient Services

Located in Denver, University of Colorado Anschutz ARTS Specialized Outpatient Services was first in our rankings with a score of 8.3 points out of 10 possible points. The center offers outpatient services to both adults and young adults and received perfect scores in three different categories. These included the category of Treatment Approaches due to the multitude of modalities it employs, such as 12-step facilitation and the Matrix Model approach, as well as the category of Cost, as it accepts Medicare, TRICARE, Access to Recovery vouchers, and other methods of payment. Special Programs for Unique Demographics is the third category in which it earned the full 10 points for its offerings of a variety of programs tailored to the needs of different populations, such as women, patients with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, and clients with HIV/AIDS. The center’s most significant area of weakness is its rehabilitation services; while it offers substance abuse treatment utilizing buprenorphine, it lacks medication-based maintenance or relapse prevention services.

• Rehabilitation Services Provided: 6.66
• Treatment Approaches: 10
• Cost: 6.68
• Special Programs for Unique Demographics: 10
• Ancillary Services: 10

2. University of Colorado Anschutz ARTS Parkside Clinic

University of Colorado Anschutz ARTS Parkside Clinic provides outpatient services to children, adolescents, and adults and was second in our rankings with an overall score of 8.2 points out of 10 points. The Denver-based facility earned its highest ratings in the categories of Treatment Approaches and Rehabilitation Services as it specializes in relapse prevention from naltrexone, methadone and buprenorphine maintenance, and medications for psychiatric disorders as part of its SAMHSA-certified opioid treatment program. Another strength of the center is its many ancillary services intended to complement treatment to ensure a long-lasting recovery, such as social skills development, self-help groups, housing services, and non-nicotine smoking/tobacco cessation medications. It scored lowest in the category of Cost; it accepts private health insurance, government funding, Medicaid, and Access to Recovery vouchers but does not allow payment with military insurance or through Medicare coverage.

• Rehabilitation Services Provided: 8.88
• Treatment Approaches: 10
• Cost: 5.01
• Special Programs for Unique Demographics: 7.77
• Ancillary Services: 8.85

3. SummitStone Health Partners Adult, Children, and Family Services

With a score of 8.1 out of 10 points, SummitStone Health Partners Adult, Children, and Family Services in Loveland earned the third highest-ranking based on our core metrics. The center offers both regular and intensive outpatient treatment to children, adolescents, young adults, and adults. It earned full points in the category of Cost because it accepts TRICARE, Medicaid, and Access to Recovery vouchers, as well as Medicare, private health insurance, and further options. The center also earned a near-perfect score for its wealth of ancillary services, including housing services, employment counseling and training, and much more. An area of relative weakness is its programs for unique populations, although it still provides services customized to pregnant/postpartum women, patients with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, clients referred from the court system, individuals who have experienced trauma, and adolescents.

• Rehabilitation Services Provided: 7.77
• Treatment Approaches: 7.5 
• Cost: 10
• Special Programs for Unique Demographics: 6.66
• Ancillary Services: 9.44

Start by contacting your referral center

Colorado Crisis Services is a statewide resource that assists residents who need assistance with substance abuse and/or a mental or emotional crisis. The organization’s trained crisis counselors and peer specialists can provide individuals with critical information and support in addition to referrals for treatment. Colorado Crisis Services’ professionals are accessible by telephone, text message, online chat, or a walk-in center located throughout the state and typically open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Further information about this resource is available on the Colorado Crisis Services website.

Individuals seeking substance abuse treatment also have the option of searching through an online directory of statewide service providers. The LADDERS website displays a list of treatment facilities that can be filtered by location, service setting, payment, and other options. Sorting by payment type is helpful for individuals who are seeking a program that accepts their insurance or who require a sliding fee scale due to insufficient medical coverage.

For individuals who need help paying for the cost for treatment, applying for low-income Medicaid services is another available option. Visit the Health First Colorado website for additional information.

Use our database to find a treatment center near you

The tool below lists all of the treatment centers in the state of Colorado recognized by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Input your zip code and select the filter icon to find relevant treatment centers near you.

Alcohol and illicit drugs present in significant numbers of Colorado veterans who committed suicide in 2015

According to the Colorado Violent Death Reporting System, 1,067 Coloradans died from suicide in 2015, which included 195 veterans. Of these 195 veterans, 24.4% struggled with alcohol abuse before their deaths, and alcohol was present in the bloodstream of 35.9% of veterans following their suicides. Post-mortem toxicology reports also revealed alarming amounts of illicit drugs. Opioids were the most commonly abused substance, having been found in 19.7% of veterans who committed suicide, followed by benzodiazepines in 13.4% of veterans, marijuana in 12% of veterans, and amphetamines in 4.9% of veterans.

Additional Resources for Parents and Teachers

The Colorado Office of Behavioral Health and Human Services (OBH) regulates around 700 facilities in Colorado, of which 300 are licensed to offer treatment to youth. Services include general outpatient, residential, DUI, and detoxification programs for individuals younger than the age of 17.

A filtered search through the state’s online LADDERS directory will list the locations and contact information for providers of these and other youth-specific treatments. This directory can be further narrowed down by services, location, payment, and other preferences.

Colorado Crisis Services’ representatives can discuss options in detail and make referrals based on individual circumstances. These professionals are accessible via telephone, text message, online chat, and walk-in clinics at several statewide locations. Visit the Colorado Crisis Services website for further information about this resource on a page dedicated to young Coloradans.

Mental Health Resources & Treatment

If you or someone you love is suffering from mental health issues, such as depression, PTSD, eating disorders, or severe anxiety, there are many resources from which to receive help.

Below are a few ways to receive immediate assistance, as advised by MentalHealth.gov:

Emergency Services: If your life (or someone else’s life) is in danger, always start by dialing 911 to gain immediate access to emergency services.

Suicide Prevention: The number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is: 800-273-8255. You can also initiate a private live online chat.

Veterans Crisis Line: Dial the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 and press “1” to talk to someone immediately. You can also access help with a private online chat or text 838255.

Here are two ways to find a provider of mental health treatment in Colorado:

National Alliance on Mental Illness Colorado: The NAMI Colorado website has a section that describes the warning signs of mental health conditions, as well as a page devoted to educational mental health programs available to unique groups of Coloradans.

LADDERS Mental Health Directory: This site provides a searchable database of mental health providers.

Individuals who have both substance use and mental health disorders may benefit from dual-diagnosis rehab facilities. Use the appropriate filter in our tool above to find rehabilitation centers with treatment programs designed to meet the unique challenge posed by co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.

Contact the appropriate local organization to find an AA or NA meeting near you

The tool below lists the contact information for local organizations that will connect you to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings near you. Since meeting times and locations change periodically, contact the local groups that coordinate the meetings to ensure that the information is up to date.

Over 800,000 Coloradans suffer from mental illness every year

As discussed earlier in this guide, there is a strong link between substance use disorders and mental health disorders. When an individual is afflicted with both of these issues at the same time, health professionals refer to it as co-occurring substance use mental health disorders or a “dual diagnosis.” Consequently, the prevalence of mental health issues in a given state can also help us to understand the level of substance abuse.

Suicide rates in Colorado are much higher than the national average

The Centers for Disease Control reports that suicide is the leading cause of death in the United States: The suicide rate has risen in nearly every state from 1999 to 2016, with that rate increasing by more than 30% in half of all 50 states since 1999. Suicide is an act that is often linked to substance abuse. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, substance abuse is a primary risk factor for both adults and adolescents who attempt and/or complete suicide, and this is particularly true for at-risk populations.

Furthermore, the relationship between substance abuse and suicide is multi-faceted and complex. Persons who have substance abuse issues typically also carry other risk factors for suicide, including depression, impulsive behavior, and other struggles with relationships, finances, illness, or unemployment that make them more likely to engage in self-harm. Between 1999 and 2016, Colorado witnessed a 34.1% increase in suicides. In 2017, Colorado ranked 11th in the country for the number of suicides per 100,000 residents.

Colorado has a lower opioid prescribing rate than the overall rate for the United States

Prescription drug abuse – particularly opioids – has become an epidemic in the United States. While it is difficult to estimate how many people use these drugs as prescribed and how many abuse them, the Centers for Disease Control has researched the variation in opioid prescriptions between states, establishing a direct connection between an increased level of opioid prescriptions with a greater potential for dependence and abuse. Across the United States in 2017, 191 million prescriptions for opioids were written by physicians, ultimately leading one in four patients who begins long-term opioid therapy to an addiction.

The rate of homelessness in Colorado is slightly above the national average

A high rate of homelessness in an area indicates a greater potential for substance abuse issues. Homelessness has been shown to be linked to substance abuse as both the cause and result; some individuals become homeless due to a substance use disorder, while other individuals who are already homeless frequently turn to substance use to dull the pain and desperation of their situation.

The 2018 Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Point-in-Time Count reported approximately 552,830 homeless individuals in the United States, the equivalent of 17 of every 10,000 U.S. residents. This number represents a decrease of 4.1% since 2014 when the number of homeless persons in the U.S. was around 576,450. Furthermore, homelessness across the United States has decreased by 15% since 2007, the year that HUD began collecting data on the homeless population.

Drug- and alcohol-induced deaths in Denver-Aurora are slightly higher than the state average