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Highlands Behavioral Health

8565 S Poplar Way
Littleton, CO 80130
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Highlands Behavioral Health System CO 80130

About Highlands Behavioral Health

They have an emergency inpatient service for clients who are experiencing a mental health crisis. You will be given an intake assessment to see if you need inpatient care. If you’re admitted to this program, you will normally stay between 5 and 7 days.

They have a full-time medically trained staff. They can provide you with medically assisted treatment if you need it. Once your mental health condition has stabilized, you can enter their outpatient program.

Outpatient treatment will consist of both group and individual therapy. Your individual therapy will be custom-tailored to you.

Therapists often use dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) to treat people with co-occurring disorders. This type of therapy teaches you to accept your circumstances and to change your reaction towards them. It also offers coping mechanisms for dealing with the kinds of situations that trigger your substance use.

They have several different kinds of group therapy sessions. They have gender-specific sessions. They also have sessions that concentrate on various mental illnesses.

They offer two kinds of outpatient programs. If your mental health needs are severe, you can enter their partial hospitalization program (PHP). This means you attend counseling full-time and go home at night. They also have an intensive outpatient program (IOP), in which you come in several times a week for a few hours a day for treatment.

Similar Rehab Centers

Fact checked and written by:
Eliza Gale
Edited by:
Peter Lee, PhD

Latest Reviews

Yasmine Lamour
1 week ago on Google
1
My daughter has been at this facility since November 14th, and the lack of transparency and communication has been alarming. I have not received a single proactive update about her treatment, prognosis, or next steps. The only time anyone contacts me is when she is being reprimanded, and even then, whenever I ask for an update, I’m told someone will call me back—no one ever does. I have left multiple messages for Christina, the social worker assigned to my daughter, with zero response. As a parent and as a mental health professional myself, I am deeply disappointed in how poorly this facility is managed. Families deserve communication and collaboration, not silence. After this experience, I would never refer any of my own clients here for care.
bella
2 weeks ago on Google
1
(i was in the adolescent unit,) good lord do not send yourself or anyone you love here i wouldn't wish this place on my worse enemy this place SUCKS. First, the drama there is insane, when i was there which was like late october- early November 2025, oh my was it an experience. on the girls side there were people banging their heads on the walls and "coding" EVERY DAY, there's always drama between people and everyone is talking about everyone and on the boys side there was an INSANE fight like a boy jumped over three nurses to punch a guy and the other dude had a black eye the next day. This caused there to be ANOTHER code because this "triggered" someone and it turned into the domino. effect; there were people scratching themselves and banging their heads on the walls and people were screaming and there were only 2 staff helping like 15 kids because no staff were coming! another time , a girl was about to fight a guy! she had to get bootyjuiced and it was so insane. Now, the thing that really made me hate this place was that my mom turned in clothes for me on my first full day right? I got it as i was discharging. i kept making requests for my clothes and the staff just said they would work on it and i never got my clothes or belongings untill i left. The whole time i was there i had to wear the same underwear for a week straight because it was either that or some tacky, itchy, uncomfortable FISHNET underwear, i also had to wear the same bra for a week that they gave me because they supposedly never had clean bras but all the new patients came in with clean ones? and they give you like not even half an ounce of soap and conditioner so you can shower... the staff here are lazy and irresponsible and inconsiderate. Not all of them there were actually some really nice staff but really?😐 mental hospitals aren't always this bad there are good ones, like my last place i highly recommend if you need help which was TMCA in aurora i loved that place. this place though? if anything it just made thing worse for me and everyone. Me and my friends in there were talking about how this place is a looney bin and there's certain levels of this and those levels need to be separated. And what also sucked really bad was that we couldn't go into our rooms untill night, so if we were tired we had to sleep on the floor or put our head down on the tables. Most of the time i was there i just spent the time just staring at the walls and the clock waiting for time to go by. yes there are groups every like 1 30mins but they're really boring and not really beneficial or relevant to help us. The only way you'll survive this place is if you find a good small circle of friends, that's the only reason why i didnt loose my mind. Also the nurses.. if you wanted a pad or just ANYTHING, they would give you the most dirtiest look like if you just said something about their grandma, i'm sorry? Also i never had one session of therapy there, which normally if your making a place to help people with depression, anxiety, and all sorts of mental health issues you would probably think therapy is needed there right? nope, all they did was take our vital and ask if we wanted to harm ourselves or others, if we see or hear things others don't, and when was the last time we took a shit. this place did not help ANYONES mental health there, there are no people to help you with things that your struggling with, it felt like we were being punished instead of helped. Oh, and also the staff need to be more on top of the no-going-in-others-rooms policy because my roommate, she had a little girlfriend in there and they would makeout whenever they had a chance, and one time i was woken up by a girl that was nextdoor on top of me and it was just weird. the only good thing about this place was the lunch ladies and the food, anyways i know this was long but point is, this place is horrible dont ever come here.
Response from the owner1 week ago
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We'd like to follow up with you directly so that we can further address them. At your convenience, please provide us with your contact information by visiting http://www.highlandsbhs.com/contact-us/. We hope to hear from you soon.
Jenna Kimani
3 weeks ago on Google
5
the people here, most definitely care. & if anyone says otherwise, i question them, not the staff. even when id get aggressive, they never retaliated. they also trusted me and gave me another chance after being suicidal. and their trust for me caused me to do better. they would calm me down, & reassured me. they made it very memorable in here. they’re very helpful. Michael Jeremy Justin Ebonny Trent & Brandon are my favorite Michael is very attentive & pretty monotone . when i was having bad moments and times, he never returned it with disrespect. instead, with kindness, respect, & maturity. no wonder he’s a manager here. he’s good at what he does. he understands how to say the perfect thing at the perfect time. he’s never said anything to rub me the wrong way or make me uncomfortable. he’s a people person whether he likes to admit to it or not. he’s also pretty funny. Michael saved my life many times, & helped me stay away from self harm. so did Ashley & so did Justin. Justin helped keep me from self harming. he’d always notice the signs, & immediately stepped in to make me feel better. he prevented me from self harming. Justin when he was working there, made sure i was always safe, & made me laugh in times i was anxious. he’s an angel. he’s pretty patient, & protected me when a girl threatened to assault me and tried getting close to me. he calmed her down and also checked in on me. Trent is very patient and reassuring Josh is very friendly interactive and funny Ben he is super sweet, & very kind. he doesn’t shame people for being themselves. Jeremy is able to calm people down , and he’s just a vibe. he does what he can to help people. he’s insanely intelligent, & always says the right things. you can tell he’s been through things to be so mature. Jeremy came to help me during a vanilla code. he literally helped me so much. i felt heard, validated, understood, but most importantly, he helped calm me down because that’s the person he is. kind and loving. he understands people’s needs before they say a word. that is his gift. Brooke is highly sweet, & a good predictor. her intuition is to the max, it’s impressive. Hidie is so so sweet and beautiful . i could tell she’s smart by the way she talks. Trevor the tall one is very helpful . when i had a seizure, he was there calming me down and he actually cared. Ebonnie is such a kind person and i like the way she acts/talks. she has a young side to her that she’s not afraid to show. she’s also pretty gangster. u can tell she’s not the type of woman you’d want to mess with. her kindness does not equal weakness. Brandon is very interactive, and is able to touch people in a unique way. he tries his best, i could tell. Ashley is super supportive, & amazing . she’s always smiling and is upbeat. Kim is super nice, & forgiving. she’s the light. Alicia is very intelligent and encouraging . Cris is super sweet, & a natural.💕
Response from the owner1 week ago
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us! Kind words such as these are held very dear to our hearts, so we will be sure to pass your comments along. We hope you are doing well, and thank you again!
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Rehab Score

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Scoring is assigned by a proprietary system which helps surface key metrics that determine quality. The 10-point scale factors in categories such as operations, customer satisfaction, and trust metrics. Read Full MethodologyCaret icon
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6.3 / 10

Accepted Insurance

Please contact to verify your specific insurance provider.

Highlands Behavioral Health works with several private insurance providers, please contact to verify your specific insurance provider.

Other Forms of Payment

Private insurance refers to any kind of healthcare coverage that isn't from the state or federal government. This includes individual and family plans offered by an employer or purchased from the Insurance Marketplace. Every plan will have different requirements and out of pocket costs so be sure to get the full details before you start treatment.

Self-pay involves paying for treatment out of your own pocket. You can use savings or credit, get a personal loan, or receive help from family and friends to fund your treatment. If you don't have insurance or your insurance plan doesn't cover a specific program, self-pay can help ensure you still get the care you need.

Financial aid can take many forms. Centers may have grants or scholarships available to clients who meet eligibility requirements. Programs that receive SAMHSA grants may have financial aid available for those who need treatment as well. Grants and scholarships can help you pai for treatment without having to repay.

Medicare is a federal program that provides health insurance for those 65 and older. It also serves people under 65 with chronic and disabling health challenges. To use Medicare for addiction treatment you need to find a program that accepts Medicare and is in network with your plan. Out of pocket costs and preauthorization requirements vary, so always check with your provider.

Medicaid is a state based program that helps lower-income individuals and families pay for healthcare. Medicaid covers addiction treatment so those enrolled can use their coverage to pay for rehab. When a program accepts Medicaid the client often pays very little or nothing out of their own pocket.

Military members, veterans, and eligible dependents have access to specific insurance programs that help them get the care they need. TRICARE and VA insurance can help you access low cost or no cost addiction and mental health treatment. Programs that accept military insurance often have targeted treatment focused on the unique challenges military members, veterans, and their families face.

Addiction Treatments

Levels of Care

Outpatient rehabs offer a wide variety of services and levels of care to align with clients' unique and evolving needs. Outpatient care is best suited for clients who are stable and for those who wish to remain at home while receiving treatment. Clients typically receive addiction counseling and recovery-focused life skills training, including participating in evening, night, and weekend sessions to accommodate clients' schedules. Clients at an increased relapse risk may receive more frequent and intensive treatment.

Residential treatment programs are those that offer housing and meals in addition to substance abuse treatment. Rehab facilities that offer residential treatment allow patients to focus solely on recovery, in an environment totally separate from their lives. Some rehab centers specialize in short-term residential treatment (a few days to a week or two), while others solely provide treatment on a long-term basis (several weeks to months). Some offer both, and tailor treatment to the patient's individual requirements.

Clients receiving care in an intensive outpatient program (IOP) engage in a minimum of nine hours of treatment per week on average. However, many intensive outpatient rehabs offer up to 20 therapeutic hours weekly. IOP services are ideal for those in early recovery or who are at an elevated risk of relapse. IOP may be chosen in lieu of inpatient rehab. Treatment modalities typically include psychotherapy, life skills training, medication assisted treatment (MAT), and holistic care.

Clients engaged in a rehab aftercare program have completed active addiction treatment and are receiving services designed to promote their sustained sobriety. Drug rehab aftercare typically encompasses a wide variety of medical, mental health, and social services meant to facilitate clients' reintegration into their home, workplace, and community. Clients typically collaborate with their case manager and/or recovery team to identify and access the services they need, often including peer coaching, career counseling, and care referrals.

For those that don't require round-the-clock care, a partial hospitalization program (PHP) is a short-term option that can be used as a step-down treatment or as an alternative to intensive hospitalization. PHP treatment requires up to 5 days a week of commitment where you'll receive 6 to 8 hours of support every day. While a partial hospitalization program typically requires a commute, telehealth may be available. PHP treatment costs can vary but are often covered by most insurance.

Detox can be dangerous if not properly supervised, making 24-hour clinical care in Colorado an essential tool in the recovery process. The constant monitoring by medical professionals helps individuals through critical stages of recovery. Medical professionals and addiction specialists are available 24/7 to provide medications that ease withdrawal symptoms and to treat any other issues that arise.

The process of medically assisted detox usually takes place in an inpatient setting while under the 24/7 care of a team of licensed medical professionals. It's considered the safest way to rid the body of all addictive substances and prepare you for a transition into either an inpatient program or various forms of outpatient rehab. The program length varies depending on your needs, but it typically takes about 5-7 days.

Treatments

Substance rehabs focus on helping individuals recover from substance abuse, including alcohol and drug addiction (both illegal and prescription drugs). They often include the opportunity to engage in both individual as well as group therapy.

Programs

Adult rehab programs include therapies tailored to each client's specific needs, goals, and recovery progress. They are tailored to the specific challenges adult clients may face, including family and work pressures and commitments. From inpatient and residential treatment to various levels of outpatient services, there are many options available. Some facilities also help adults work through co-occurring conditions, like anxiety, that can accompany addiction.

Young adulthood can be an exciting, yet difficult, time of transition. Individuals in their late teens to mid-20s face unique stressors related to school, jobs, families, and social circles, which can lead to a rise in substance use. Rehab centers with dedicated young adult programs will include activities and amenities that cater to this age group, with an emphasis on specialized counseling, peer socialization, and ongoing aftercare.

Serving in the military is both mentally and physically challenging, and can result in trauma that persists even after combat ends. Military programs are tailored to the specific and often complex needs of active duty personnel, veterans, and military families. Clients often access these programs through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Clinical Services

The main principle of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in Colorado is that substance use disorders are based on faulty thinking and behavior patterns. The goal of this treatment is to help the individual learn better ways of coping with challenges, which will lead to changes in thinking and behavior.

Dialectical behavior therapy is skills based and present oriented. You'll be asked to keep a diary of emotions and related behaviors and practice the skills you've been learning between sessions. The focus of skills development is on mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Group therapy in Colorado offers you a platform to share your stories about drug addiction and co occurring mental health conditions. You'll receive encouragement and empathy from peers who understand your journey, fostering a sense of community and belonging.

Men and women in Colorado have access to customized individual therapy sessions for drug and alcohol addiction treatment. These sessions explore your life experiences and patterns of substance abuse. Your therapist helps you recognize harmful behaviors and thoughts that empower you to make positive changes for lasting recovery.

Based on the couple's needs, couples therapy may take different forms. Your therapist will probably take an integrated approach, using techniques from several methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic couple's therapy. The goal is to work through challenges and strengthen your relationship.

During family therapy sessions, family members in Colorado work with therapists to understand addiction as a disease that has affected the entire family. This approach fosters empathy and reduces blame on any one member. Promoting this collective effort helps to support the recovery process.

Participating in experiential therapy in Colorado brings awareness to the emotions and thoughts that affect your behavior. As you engage in an interactive or creative activity, your therapist will help you reflect on and analyze these patterns and develop healthy coping strategies to use in the future.

Amenities

  • home-setting iconResidential Setting
  • private-room iconPrivate Rooms

Staff & Accreditations

Staff

Vanessa Venezia, DR

Chief Medical Officer

Kelly Ulreich

Executive Director

Accreditations

The Joint Commission, formerly known as JCAHO, is a nonprofit organization that accredits rehab organizations and programs. Founded in 1951, the Joint Commision's mission is to improve the quality of patient care and demonstrating the quality of patient care.

Joint Commission Accreditation: Yes

Contact Information

Building icon

8565 S Poplar Way
Littleton, CO 80130

Explore Other Centers Near Littleton

Reviews of Highlands Behavioral Health

2.19/5 (383 reviews)
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Reviews

Overall Experience
Date Submitted
Reviewer

Google Reviews

2.1932114882507 (383 reviews)
Yasmine Lamour
1 week ago
1

My daughter has been at this facility since November 14th, and the lack of transparency and communication has been alarming. I have not received a single proactive update about her treatment, prognosis, or next steps. The only time anyone contacts me is when she is being reprimanded, and even then, whenever I ask for an update, I’m told someone will call me back—no one ever does. I have left multiple messages for Christina, the social worker assigned to my daughter, with zero response. As a parent and as a mental health professional myself, I am deeply disappointed in how poorly this facility is managed. Families deserve communication and collaboration, not silence. After this experience, I would never refer any of my own clients here for care.

bella
2 weeks ago
1

(i was in the adolescent unit,) good lord do not send yourself or anyone you love here i wouldn't wish this place on my worse enemy this place SUCKS. First, the drama there is insane, when i was there which was like late october- early November 2025, oh my was it an experience. on the girls side there were people banging their heads on the walls and "coding" EVERY DAY, there's always drama between people and everyone is talking about everyone and on the boys side there was an INSANE fight like a boy jumped over three nurses to punch a guy and the other dude had a black eye the next day. This caused there to be ANOTHER code because this "triggered" someone and it turned into the domino. effect; there were people scratching themselves and banging their heads on the walls and people were screaming and there were only 2 staff helping like 15 kids because no staff were coming! another time , a girl was about to fight a guy! she had to get bootyjuiced and it was so insane. Now, the thing that really made me hate this place was that my mom turned in clothes for me on my first full day right? I got it as i was discharging. i kept making requests for my clothes and the staff just said they would work on it and i never got my clothes or belongings untill i left. The whole time i was there i had to wear the same underwear for a week straight because it was either that or some tacky, itchy, uncomfortable FISHNET underwear, i also had to wear the same bra for a week that they gave me because they supposedly never had clean bras but all the new patients came in with clean ones? and they give you like not even half an ounce of soap and conditioner so you can shower... the staff here are lazy and irresponsible and inconsiderate. Not all of them there were actually some really nice staff but really?😐 mental hospitals aren't always this bad there are good ones, like my last place i highly recommend if you need help which was TMCA in aurora i loved that place. this place though? if anything it just made thing worse for me and everyone. Me and my friends in there were talking about how this place is a looney bin and there's certain levels of this and those levels need to be separated. And what also sucked really bad was that we couldn't go into our rooms untill night, so if we were tired we had to sleep on the floor or put our head down on the tables. Most of the time i was there i just spent the time just staring at the walls and the clock waiting for time to go by. yes there are groups every like 1 30mins but they're really boring and not really beneficial or relevant to help us. The only way you'll survive this place is if you find a good small circle of friends, that's the only reason why i didnt loose my mind. Also the nurses.. if you wanted a pad or just ANYTHING, they would give you the most dirtiest look like if you just said something about their grandma, i'm sorry? Also i never had one session of therapy there, which normally if your making a place to help people with depression, anxiety, and all sorts of mental health issues you would probably think therapy is needed there right? nope, all they did was take our vital and ask if we wanted to harm ourselves or others, if we see or hear things others don't, and when was the last time we took a shit. this place did not help ANYONES mental health there, there are no people to help you with things that your struggling with, it felt like we were being punished instead of helped. Oh, and also the staff need to be more on top of the no-going-in-others-rooms policy because my roommate, she had a little girlfriend in there and they would makeout whenever they had a chance, and one time i was woken up by a girl that was nextdoor on top of me and it was just weird. the only good thing about this place was the lunch ladies and the food, anyways i know this was long but point is, this place is horrible dont ever come here.

Response from the owner
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We'd like to follow up with you directly so that we can further address them. At your convenience, please provide us with your contact information by visiting http://www.highlandsbhs.com/contact-us/. We hope to hear from you soon.
Jenna Kimani
3 weeks ago
5

the people here, most definitely care. & if anyone says otherwise, i question them, not the staff. even when id get aggressive, they never retaliated. they also trusted me and gave me another chance after being suicidal. and their trust for me caused me to do better. they would calm me down, & reassured me. they made it very memorable in here. they’re very helpful. Michael Jeremy Justin Ebonny Trent & Brandon are my favorite Michael is very attentive & pretty monotone . when i was having bad moments and times, he never returned it with disrespect. instead, with kindness, respect, & maturity. no wonder he’s a manager here. he’s good at what he does. he understands how to say the perfect thing at the perfect time. he’s never said anything to rub me the wrong way or make me uncomfortable. he’s a people person whether he likes to admit to it or not. he’s also pretty funny. Michael saved my life many times, & helped me stay away from self harm. so did Ashley & so did Justin. Justin helped keep me from self harming. he’d always notice the signs, & immediately stepped in to make me feel better. he prevented me from self harming. Justin when he was working there, made sure i was always safe, & made me laugh in times i was anxious. he’s an angel. he’s pretty patient, & protected me when a girl threatened to assault me and tried getting close to me. he calmed her down and also checked in on me. Trent is very patient and reassuring Josh is very friendly interactive and funny Ben he is super sweet, & very kind. he doesn’t shame people for being themselves. Jeremy is able to calm people down , and he’s just a vibe. he does what he can to help people. he’s insanely intelligent, & always says the right things. you can tell he’s been through things to be so mature. Jeremy came to help me during a vanilla code. he literally helped me so much. i felt heard, validated, understood, but most importantly, he helped calm me down because that’s the person he is. kind and loving. he understands people’s needs before they say a word. that is his gift. Brooke is highly sweet, & a good predictor. her intuition is to the max, it’s impressive. Hidie is so so sweet and beautiful . i could tell she’s smart by the way she talks. Trevor the tall one is very helpful . when i had a seizure, he was there calming me down and he actually cared. Ebonnie is such a kind person and i like the way she acts/talks. she has a young side to her that she’s not afraid to show. she’s also pretty gangster. u can tell she’s not the type of woman you’d want to mess with. her kindness does not equal weakness. Brandon is very interactive, and is able to touch people in a unique way. he tries his best, i could tell. Ashley is super supportive, & amazing . she’s always smiling and is upbeat. Kim is super nice, & forgiving. she’s the light. Alicia is very intelligent and encouraging . Cris is super sweet, & a natural.💕

Response from the owner
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us! Kind words such as these are held very dear to our hearts, so we will be sure to pass your comments along. We hope you are doing well, and thank you again!
Chloe Williams
3 weeks ago
5

The staff was very professional and kind 99% of them, of course is always that one percent that doesn’t fit into this category! Food was delicious! And as a vegetarian when I realized how to figure out the system, they brought my food upstairs to the horizon unit for me because I have IBS and I’m 66 years old and to jam that food in my mouth in less than 15 minutes by the time you walk downstairs and go through the line Was outrageous! Another thing that really bothered me is, I have severe neuropathy and they refuse to provide me with ice packs until I threw a fit yelled and screamed and cried. Did they finally provide me with ice packs this is unacceptable!!! Joey, the mad nurse was one of my favorites. Matthew and I kinda had a rough start and then I really enjoyed him. The gentleman who came from the teenager or kids unit who gave the art history lesson about Turner the artist in the late 1700s early 1800s from the UK was amazing. We need to have him on the floor every day teaching classes to the adult unit because he was amazing!!!

Response from the owner
Thank you for taking the time to leave us these kind comments. We'd like to learn more about any concerns you may have. At your convenience, please provide us with your contact information by visiting https://highlandsbhs.com/contact-us/. We hope to hear from you soon.
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