VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System – Rocky Mountain Regional VAMC

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is defined as a physical dependence on alcohol. In this state, the body experiences withdrawal symptoms in the absence of alcohol. Over time, a person with alcohol use disorder also must drink greater amounts of alcohol to achieve the same effects. To overcome alcohol use disorder, alcohol rehab in Colorado is usually necessary, a process which includes supervised medical detox. This is followed by intensive rehab, then a maintenance program that may include 12-step support.

Drug Addiction

Professional services are often necessary to recover from addiction. Drug rehab in Colorado provides the expert services needed to address the complex issues of addiction and help individuals start their recovery journey.

Dual Diagnosis

Colorado offers dual-diagnosis addiction treatment programs that encompass various levels of care to meet your individual needs, including medical detox, outpatient, inpatient, and partial hospitalization programs for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. These dual-diagnosis rehab programs incorporate evidence-based therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to successfully address substance use disorders and co-occurring diagnoses.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Mental health and substance abuse treatment in Colorado is usually offered in dual-diagnosis rehabs. These programs provide comprehensive care tailored to your specific needs, which may include detox, inpatient residential treatment, intensive outpatient, or partial hospitalization. Addiction and medical experts at these dual-diagnosis facilities usually provide a comprehensive mental health assessment, individual and group counseling, psychoeducation, and skill development groups. By prioritizing a holistic approach to your mental and emotional health, you’ll also gain the confidence and tools to maintain your sobriety.

Opioid Addiction

Opioid rehabs specialize in supporting those recovering from opioid addiction. They treat those suffering from addiction to illegal opioids like heroin, as well as prescription drugs like oxycodone. These centers typically combine both physical as well as mental and emotional support to help stop addiction. Physical support often includes medical detox and subsequent medical support (including medication), and mental support includes in-depth therapy to address the underlying causes of addiction.

• Self-pay options
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• Military insurance
• Private insurance

• Adult program
• Elderly program
• Hearing impaired program
• HIV/AIDS program
• LGBTQ program
• Military program
• Program for men
• Program for women
• Young adult program

Outpatient

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.

Inpatient

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.

Aftercare Support

Completing a drug or alcohol rehab program shouldn't spell the end of substance abuse treatment. Aftercare involves making a sustainable plan for recovery, including ongoing support. This can include sober living arrangements like halfway houses, career counseling, and setting a patient up with community programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

Intensive Outpatient

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.

Partial Hospitalization Program

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.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a therapy modality that focuses on the relationship between one's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is used to establish and allow for healthy responses to thoughts and feelings (instead of unhealthy responses, like using drugs or alcohol). CBT has been proven effective for recovering addicts of all kinds, and is used to strengthen a patient's own self-awareness and ability to self-regulate. CBT allows individuals to monitor their own emotional state, become more adept at communicating with others, and manage stress without needing to engage in substance abuse.

Couples Therapy

Whether a marriage or other committed relationship, an intimate partnership is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Drug and alcohol addiction affects both members of a couple in deep and meaningful ways, as does rehab and recovery. Couples therapy and other couples-focused treatment programs are significant parts of exploring triggers of addiction, as well as learning how to build healthy patterns to support ongoing sobriety.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a treatment designed to help people understand and ultimately affect the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT is often used for individuals who struggle with self-harm behaviors, such as self-mutilation (cutting) and suicidal thoughts, urges, or attempts. It has been proven clinically effective for those who struggle with out-of-control emotions and mental health illnesses like Borderline Personality Disorder.

Electroconvulsive Therapy

ECT is a form of treatment in which controlled electric currents are passed through the brain, sometimes causing short seizures. Treatments are done under general anesthesia. ECT appears to change brain chemistry for the better, and has been shown to provide fast and sometimes dramatic improvements in severe mental health conditions that can exist alongside addiction, including depression, bipolar disorder, psychosis, and suicidality. ECT is also often used by those who prefer it to taking medication.

Experiential Therapy

Experiential therapy is a form of therapy in which clients are encouraged to surface and work through subconscious issues by engaging in real-time experiences. Experiential therapy departs from traditional talk therapy by involving the body, and having clients engage in activities, movements, and physical and emotional expression. This can involve role-play or using props (which can include other people). Experiential therapy can help people process trauma, memories, and emotion quickly, deeply, and in a lasting fashion, leading to substantial and impactful healing.

Family Therapy

Research clearly demonstrates that recovery is far more successful and sustainable when loved ones like family members participate in rehab and substance abuse treatment. Genetic factors may be at play when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues. Family dynamics often play a critical role in addiction triggers, and if properly educated, family members can be a strong source of support when it comes to rehabilitation.

Group Therapy

Group therapy is any therapeutic work that happens in a group (not one-on-one). There are a number of different group therapy modalities, including support groups, experiential therapy, psycho-education, and more. Group therapy involves treatment as well as processing interaction between group members.

Individual Therapy

In individual therapy, a patient meets one-on-one with a trained psychologist or counselor. Therapy is a pivotal part of effective substance abuse treatment, as it often covers root causes of addiction, including challenges faced by the patient in their social, family, and work/school life.

Life Skills

Life skills trainings involve all the skills a person must have in order to function successfully in the world. These include time management, career guidance, money management, and effective communication. Truly successful addiction recovery is based on the ability to not only live substance-free, but to thrive. Life skills teaches the practical necessities of functioning in society, which sets clients up for success in life, and therefore sobriety.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a clinical approach to helping people with substance abuse issues and other conditions shift behavior in positive ways. It is more goal-oriented than traditional psychotherapy, as MI counselors directly attempt to get clients to consider making behavioral change (rather than wait for them to come to conclusions themselves). Its primary purpose is to resolve ambivalence and help clients become able to make healthy choices freely.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is a way of getting nicotine into the bloodstream without smoking. It uses products that supply low doses of nicotine to help people stop smoking. The goal of therapy is to cut down on cravings for nicotine and ease the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Recreational Therapy

Recreational therapy (aka therapeutic recreation) uses creative and fun activities to help with addiction recovery. Recreational therapists lead patients in entertaining and engaging activities like sports or games; art (drawing, painting, sculpture); drama, music, and dance; and/or community outings (field trips) to improve patients' physical, social, and emotional well-being.

Trauma Therapy

Trauma therapy addresses traumatic incidents from a client's past that are likely affecting their present-day experience. Trauma is often one of the primary triggers and potential causes of addiction, and can stem from child sexual abuse, domestic violence, having a parent with a mental illness, losing one or both parents at a young age, teenage or adult sexual assault, or any number of other factors. The purpose of trauma therapy is to allow a patient to process trauma and move through and past it, with the help of trained and compassionate mental health professionals.

• Residential setting
• Private setting