Key points
- Sheridan Grove Recovery is in Aurora, in the Denver metro, and provides medical detox and residential treatment with 24/7 nursing support.
- Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and commercial insurance are both accepted, and Sheridan holds Colorado’s Safety Net provider designation. The coverage check happens on the call.
- Good programs answer the same short list of questions clearly. This article gives you the list.
- How long treatment takes is decided by medical necessity, not a calendar.
- Admissions answers 24/7 at 303.268.2987.
In this article
- Searching for treatment in Denver
- What a residential program actually is
- Step one: medical detox
- Step two: residential treatment
- What a day looks like
- Paying for care: Health First Colorado and other coverage
- Safety after detox: what families should know about tolerance
- How to choose: eight questions to ask any program
- Frequently asked questions
- Start with one call
- Sources
Searching for treatment in Denver
If you are searching for treatment in Denver tonight, you are probably doing two things at once: trying to understand what treatment even involves, and trying to figure out which program to call. Those are different questions, and this article takes them in order.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says “treatment needs to be readily available,” because people “may be uncertain about entering treatment,” and taking advantage of care “the moment people are ready” is critical [1]. Knowing what to expect is part of being ready.
Sheridan Grove Recovery is on South Blackhawk Street in Aurora, in the Denver metro. Our Denver treatment page covers who we are; this article covers what happens.
What a residential program actually is
Residential treatment means a person lives at the program while they are in care. They sleep there, eat there, and see the care team there, day and night. It is the level of care most people picture when they search for “inpatient” treatment: somewhere to stay, with staff present overnight.
At Sheridan Grove Recovery, residential care is built around two connected steps: medically supervised withdrawal management (medical detox) if you need it, and then residential treatment. Both happen in the same place, with the same team.
NIDA is direct that “no single treatment is appropriate for everyone” and that treatment “varies depending on the type of drug and the characteristics of the patients” [1]. A good program starts by finding out what a person needs, and that begins on the call.
Step one: medical detox
Detoxification, in the words of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is “a set of interventions aimed at managing acute intoxication and withdrawal” [2]. When a person stops using alcohol, opioids, or other substances, the body reacts. Some of those reactions are uncomfortable. Some are dangerous. Medical detox means 24/7 nursing support with physician oversight while that happens.
At Sheridan Grove Recovery, that means:
- A nursing assessment on arrival — vital signs, health history, what was used and when, and how withdrawal is showing up. Qualified medical providers evaluate medication needs and tailor medical care to each person.
- 24/7 nursing support. Nurses monitor symptoms, respond to complications, and adjust care based on the person’s condition and treatment plan.
- Medication when it helps. For opioids such as heroin, fentanyl, or pain pills, FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder include buprenorphine and naltrexone [3]. Qualified medical providers can start buprenorphine (Suboxone or Subutex) or naltrexone (Vivitrol) when it is medically appropriate, and continue it into residential care. Adults receiving methadone from an opioid treatment program can begin withdrawal management and residential care without pausing it. Sheridan Grove Recovery works with a SAMHSA-certified opioid treatment program, which keeps authority over the medication, and does not provide methadone on site. Not every medication is available at every facility, and an authorized medical provider determines which option is appropriate. The medical team can also support a transition to another medication when that is the right choice for the person.
- Close watch during alcohol withdrawal. Seizures are “most common in the first 12 to 48 hours after the last drink,” and delirium tremens “is serious and may be life-threatening” [4]. If someone at home shows confusion, hallucinations, a seizure, or chest pain while trying to stop drinking, call 911.
SAMHSA is equally direct: “Detoxification alone is not sufficient in the treatment and rehabilitation of substance use disorders” [2]. Detox is where care starts, not where it ends.
Step two: residential treatment
Once a person is medically stable, the work of treatment begins. NIDA notes that effective treatment “attends to multiple needs of the individual,” not only the substance use [1]. Residential care at Sheridan Grove Recovery includes:
- Individual and group sessions with clinicians, using approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, life skills training, and relapse prevention.
- Care for co-occurring mental health conditions, so a person’s mental health is treated alongside their substance use.
- Medication management by qualified medical providers, including medications for opioid use disorder when appropriate.
- Family programming and family sessions. Once the patient signs a release of information, weekly family programming is open to family members and other support people, and a family session with the patient’s clinician can be arranged on request, in person or virtually. NIDA notes that “involvement of a family member or significant other in an individual’s treatment program can strengthen and extend treatment benefits” [1].
- Case management and personalized discharge planning. Discharge planning starts on arrival, as part of the treatment plan, so the plan for after residential care is built before the last day, not on it.
- Peer support, including 12-step (AA/NA) and SMART Recovery meetings.
Length of stay, in detox and in residential care, is determined by medical necessity. It is not a set number of days.
What a day looks like
Days are structured, and the structure is part of the care. A typical day includes group sessions, community meetings, peer-support meetings, reflection groups, evening activities, and three meals plus snacks. People meet with their individual clinician on a regular schedule and as needed.
Practical things are handled so they do not get in the way: bedding and towels are provided, laundry is available, people may bring their own snacks and drinks, and smoking and vaping are allowed at set times in designated areas, with staff supervision. Internet-connected devices are stored securely until discharge. Visitation is part of the program.
Pregnant women are prioritized for evaluation. Couples can enter treatment together.
Paying for care: Health First Colorado and other coverage
Health First Colorado “is Colorado’s Medicaid program” [5]. Sheridan Grove Recovery is in network with Health First Colorado, and both Medicaid and commercial insurance are accepted — neither undercuts the other. Private pay is also accepted. Coverage depends on your specific plan, so have your member ID ready and admissions will verify your benefits before admission. Coverage check happens on the call.
Sheridan Grove Recovery also holds Colorado’s Safety Net provider designation. Under Colorado’s behavioral health reforms, a safety net provider is “a licensed behavioral health entity or behavioral health provider approved by the BHA” (the state Behavioral Health Administration) to provide care coordination and defined safety net services [6]. In plain terms, the state has approved Sheridan Grove Recovery as part of the system it counts on to serve people who might otherwise have nowhere to go.
We arrange transportation 24/7.
Safety after detox: what families should know about tolerance
One fact deserves its own section. After a period without opioids, the body’s tolerance drops. SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit lists “using drugs after a recent period of abstinence, which may decrease previous tolerance levels” as a risk factor for overdose [7]. In plain terms: an amount that a person used before can be fatal after detox.
That is one reason detox can lead straight into residential treatment when that is the next step. It is also why families should know where the naloxone is and how to use it.
If someone stops breathing, turns blue, or cannot be woken, call 911. If someone is having thoughts of suicide, that is an emergency. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day by call or text, and 911 is the right call if someone is in immediate danger.
How to choose: eight questions to ask any program
Use this list on any call, including ours. A good program will answer every one clearly.
- Is the program licensed by the state? (Sheridan Grove Recovery is licensed by the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration as a behavioral health entity.)
- Is the program accredited, and by whom? (Sheridan Grove Recovery is accredited by The Joint Commission.)
- Is nursing available 24 hours a day?
- Who evaluates medication needs, and can medications for opioid use disorder be started here?
- Is Health First Colorado accepted, and is the coverage check done before admission?
- What happens after detox — is residential treatment available in the same place?
- Is co-occurring mental health care part of treatment, and how are families involved?
- How is discharge planning done, and when does it start?
Start with one call
If you are choosing a program for yourself or for someone you love, begin here. Call Sheridan Grove Recovery at 303.268.2987. Admissions answers 24/7, the coverage check happens on the call, and the team will walk you through exactly what happens next.
Sources
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition). https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/podat-3rdEd-508.pdf
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Quick Guide for Clinicians Based on TIP 45: Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment. https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/samhsa_detoxification_and_substance_abuse_treatment.pdf
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. Medications for Opioid Use Disorder. https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/medications-opioid-use-disorder
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Delirium tremens. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000766.htm
- Health First Colorado. Home page — “Health First Colorado is Colorado’s Medicaid program.” https://www.healthfirstcolorado.com/
- Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing. Safety Net and Crisis Services. https://hcpf.colorado.gov/safetynet
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit (PEP23-03-00-001). https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/overdose-prevention-response-kit-pep23-03-00-001.pdf