Medicaid Rehab in Colorado
Medically reviewed by Pradeep Raj Rai, MD, DABAM, Chief Medical Officer. Published March 26, 2026. Last reviewed August 2026.
Foundry Front Range accepts Health First Colorado (Colorado Medicaid) in Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4 for medically supervised detox and residential addiction treatment. If you have Colorado Medicaid and you need to withdraw from alcohol or drugs safely under medical supervision, you can be treated here, at a Colorado-licensed, Joint Commission accredited facility in Broomfield. Verify your Medicaid benefits and an admissions team member will tell you what your plan covers.
Most Colorado providers that accept Medicaid are outpatient only. Both levels of care described below are delivered on site, in one building, by the same clinical team that treats every other client we serve.
Key Takeaways
- Foundry Front Range accepts Health First Colorado (Colorado Medicaid) in Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4.
- Medicaid can cover medically supervised detox (ASAM 3.7) and residential treatment (ASAM 3.5) when medical necessity is documented.
- Colorado Medicaid members pay no copay for behavioral health and substance use treatment, per state policy.
- Both levels of care are delivered on site in one Colorado-licensed, Joint Commission accredited facility in Broomfield.
- A benefits check confirms what your plan covers before you commit to anything.
Does Colorado Medicaid Cover Detox and Rehab?
Yes. Health First Colorado covers the full ASAM continuum of substance use disorder care, including medically monitored intensive inpatient and withdrawal management (level 3.7) and clinically managed high-intensity residential treatment (level 3.5), according to the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. ASAM refers to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, whose criteria Colorado uses to match a person to the right intensity of care.
Coverage of your specific admission still depends on documented medical necessity and on what your plan requires for authorization. A benefits check settles both.
| Level of care | What it is | Offered at Foundry | How coverage is determined |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASAM 3.7 Medically monitored intensive inpatient and withdrawal management | 24-hour medical monitoring and withdrawal management in a licensed medical facility | Yes, on site | Documented medical necessity, plus any authorization your plan requires |
| ASAM 3.5 Clinically managed high-intensity residential | 24-hour residential care with daily therapy and psychiatric support | Yes, on site | Documented medical necessity, typically including why outpatient care is not sufficient |
| IOP and virtual IOP | Multiple weekly group and individual sessions while living at home | Yes | Clinical assessment. Commonly used as a step down after residential care |
| Outpatient and continuing care | Ongoing therapy, medication management, alumni support | Yes, plus coordinated referrals | Plan network and benefit limits |
| Partial hospitalization (PHP) | Day-intensive structured care with nights at home | Not offered on site. We coordinate referrals when PHP is the right step down | Determined by the receiving provider and your plan |
What Medicaid Rehab Costs You
Health First Colorado states that behavioral health services, including substance use disorder treatment, are available to members without a referral and without a copay. What that means for your specific plan and situation is what a benefits check confirms. If we identify any expected out-of-pocket cost, we will tell you before admission rather than after.
Same Care, Regardless of Coverage
The quality of care should never be determined by the type of insurance a person carries. Medicaid clients at Foundry Front Range receive access to the same continuum of care, the same clinical staff, the same facility and the same therapeutic programming as every other client we serve.
Insurance is hard to navigate during a crisis. Our admissions team verifies your Medicaid eligibility, explains exactly what your plan covers, and tells you what to expect before treatment begins.
The Levels of Care We Provide
Medically Supervised Detox (ASAM 3.7)
Detox is where withdrawal is managed under medical supervision so it is safe. You get 24-hour monitoring, nursing care and withdrawal management medication in a licensed medical facility, with a board-certified medical team overseeing the protocol. Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal in particular can be dangerous without medical oversight, which is why this level of care exists.
See the full program: medically supervised detox in Broomfield.
Integrated Residential Treatment (ASAM 3.5)
Residential care keeps you on site with daily therapy, medical and psychiatric support, and treatment for co-occurring mental health conditions in the same plan. Most people move here from detox once withdrawal is stable, without leaving the building or changing clinical teams.
See residential addiction treatment and our inpatient treatment program.
Gender-Specific and Family Programming
A women’s residential track provides gender-specific, trauma-informed programming. Family programming through the Michael Barnes Family Institute helps families understand addiction, repair relationships and build the home support that sustains recovery.
Stepping Down After Residential Care
Continuing care usually means an intensive outpatient program or a virtual intensive outpatient program, then ongoing therapy and medication management. Discharge planning starts during treatment, not at the end of it, and includes referrals to community supports and our alumni program.
Medication Management
Colorado Medicaid covers medications for opioid use disorder. Under our prescribing team’s supervision, buprenorphine and naltrexone are available when clinically appropriate, and psychiatric medication regimens can be assessed and adjusted during your stay.
What We Do Not Provide
Straight answers save you a phone call.
- We treat adults 18 and over.
- We do not operate a partial hospitalization program on site. We coordinate referrals when PHP is the right step down.
- We do not dispense methadone. Coverage for methadone runs through licensed opioid treatment programs, and we can coordinate that referral. Buprenorphine and naltrexone are available here when clinically appropriate.
- Colorado Medicaid acceptance is limited to Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4.
If your needs fall outside what we offer, our admissions team will tell you during the benefits check, not after you arrive.
How to Start With Colorado Medicaid
- Call, or submit the benefits form. Have your Health First Colorado ID, a photo ID and a current list of your medications ready. If a clinician or emergency department is referring you, a clinician-to-clinician call helps us move faster.
- Benefits check. We verify your plan and confirm which services are covered and what your plan requires for authorization. We submit prior authorization requests on your behalf.
- Clinical assessment and placement. Clinicians assess withdrawal risk, mental health needs and medication history, then place you in detox or residential care based on ASAM criteria.
- Admission and stabilization. If detox is indicated, medically supervised stabilization begins immediately. If not, you move into residential care under continuous clinical oversight.
How fast this moves depends on your clinical assessment, what your Medicaid plan requires for authorization, and current availability. Call and we will walk you through the timeline for your situation rather than guess at it. See what to expect at admissions, including the full list of what to bring and what to leave at home.
What Your Medicaid Plan Determines
Colorado Medicaid behavioral health benefits are administered regionally, so your Regional Accountable Entity, not the state directly, is usually what determines authorization for higher levels of care. That is why the region matters, and why two people with Colorado Medicaid can face different requirements for the same admission.
Detox and residential care commonly require prior authorization and periodic review while you are in treatment. Length of stay follows documented medical necessity and ASAM placement criteria rather than a fixed number of days, and it is reviewed as your care progresses.
When Inpatient Care Is the Right Level
Medicaid-covered inpatient care is usually indicated when one or more of these apply:
- High risk of dangerous withdrawal. Withdrawal from alcohol, benzodiazepines or opioids can be life-threatening without 24-hour medical supervision.
- Severe or long-term substance use. Heavy, prolonged use, or use involving multiple substances.
- Outpatient treatment has not held. A higher level of care is warranted when less intensive programs have not worked.
- An unstable or unsupportive home environment. High stress, active use in the home, or no support at all.
- Co-occurring mental health conditions. Depression, anxiety, PTSD and bipolar disorder are treated alongside substance use here, not referred out.
- Medical complications. Underlying conditions that detox or withdrawal could complicate.
Specialized Care Model: Trauma-Integrated Care
Our Trauma-Integrated Care Model was developed by Chief Clinical Advisor Michael Barnes, PhD, using more than forty years of direct care and research experience. It centers on the role trauma plays in the development and perpetuation of substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders.
Traumatic life experiences can have cascading effects: an inability to experience emotions, damaged relationships, excessive stress, depression and hypervigilance. People with unresolved trauma can feel a need to self-medicate those symptoms. Living with active addiction then exposes people to further trauma.
The model goes further than conventional trauma-informed care by designing the entire treatment episode around emotional safety and the reduction of trauma symptoms. Team members are trained to support clients experiencing traumatic stress, family education is provided, and trauma therapies are used as a normal course of treatment.
Our Clinical Team
An integrated team of physicians, nurses, psychotherapists and case managers oversees every treatment plan. Meet the full clinical team.
Jasmine Aranda
Chief Clinical Officer, with three decades of experience. Oversees every client treatment plan.
Michael Barnes, PhD
Chief Clinical Advisor. Researcher, clinician and author with forty years of experience, and creator of the Trauma-Integrated Care model.
Ben Cort
Nationally recognized policy advisor, author and speaker, focused on education and advocacy.
Our Facility in Broomfield, Colorado
Our detox and residential treatment facility is at 11952 Gray Street in Broomfield, about 30 minutes from downtown Denver and Denver International Airport. See our Broomfield treatment center.
The 44,000 square foot licensed medical facility includes private clinical offices, group therapy rooms, common areas, recreational space, an on-site fitness center and a full kitchen. Nutrition is part of clinical care here: substance use disorders deplete the body of nutrients and disrupt metabolism, so dietary counseling and balanced meals support physical recovery. Special diets are accommodated with advance notice.
Conditions We Treat
We are a licensed behavioral healthcare provider offering evidence-based treatment for adult substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. See the full list of conditions and co-occurring disorders we treat.
Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol claims more lives annually than any other substance, and alcohol withdrawal can be fatal without medical supervision. We help people stop drinking safely and engage in a comprehensive program of therapies, with family programming to support the whole household. See alcohol addiction treatment.
Opioid Use Disorder, Including Heroin and Fentanyl
Opioid addiction remains at epidemic levels. Treatment starts with medically supervised detox and includes therapy, psychiatric prescribing and anti-craving medication, then continues through alumni programming and community support. See heroin addiction treatment and fentanyl addiction treatment.
Benzodiazepine Addiction
Benzodiazepines such as alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam and lorazepam are prescribed for anxiety and are often misused. Stopping suddenly can be fatal, so carefully supervised detox is required. See benzodiazepine addiction treatment and Xanax addiction treatment.
Stimulant Use Disorder
Stimulant overdose is a growing problem, particularly as the supply is adulterated with fentanyl. See meth addiction treatment and cocaine addiction treatment.
Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders
Substance use disorders are very often accompanied by mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, PTSD and bipolar disorder. A mental health condition may precede substance use or develop alongside it. Treating both together is what makes recovery hold, and both are treated here within the same plan of care.
Trauma and PTSD
Trauma and addiction are closely linked. Whether someone has experienced an adverse childhood event or a traumatizing event in adulthood, trauma symptoms can create a perceived need to self-medicate. Our Trauma-Integrated Care model addresses this directly rather than treating it as a separate track.
Prescription Drug and Cannabis Use Disorder
Cannabis use disorder is increasingly common and carries its own health risks, including hyperemesis, psychosis and cardiovascular strain. See prescription drug addiction treatment and marijuana addiction treatment.
Family System Dysfunction
Families are complex units that can carry beliefs, stresses and patterns contributing to addiction and mental health disorders, and genetic factors can predispose individuals to both. A thorough family history helps us assess needs accurately, and family programming addresses the system rather than the individual alone.
Evidence-Based Therapies We Use
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Motivational Interviewing (MI)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Somatic Experiencing
- Gestalt therapy
- Art therapy
- Group, family and individual therapy
More detail on the evidence-based therapies we use.
What Comes After Residential Treatment
Discharge planning starts during treatment. Medicaid may continue to cover many of these services:
- Step down to outpatient care. Most people move into an intensive outpatient program to continue structured therapy while reintegrating into daily life. When a partial hospitalization program is the better fit, we coordinate that referral.
- Continued medication management. Buprenorphine, naltrexone and psychiatric medications can be continued to reduce cravings and support stability.
- Ongoing therapy and peer support. Individual counseling, family therapy, and community programs such as AA, NA or SMART Recovery.
- Relapse prevention planning. A personalized plan identifying triggers, coping strategies, and what to do if relapse occurs.
- Alumni programming. Our alumni program maintains connection and accountability after discharge.
Colorado Medicaid Rehab: Frequently Asked Questions
Does Health First Colorado cover detox and residential rehab?
Yes. Health First Colorado covers the full ASAM continuum of substance use disorder care, including medically monitored intensive inpatient and withdrawal management (3.7) and clinically managed high-intensity residential treatment (3.5), per the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. Coverage of a specific admission depends on documented medical necessity and your plan’s authorization requirements.
How do I check my Medicaid benefits for Foundry Front Range?
Call our admissions team or submit the benefits verification form, and have your Health First Colorado ID and a photo ID available. We verify your plan, confirm which services are covered, and explain what your plan requires before admission.
Will I have to pay anything out of pocket with Colorado Medicaid?
Health First Colorado states that behavioral health services, including substance use disorder treatment, are available to members without a referral and without a copay. Requirements can still vary by plan and service, so a benefits check is how you confirm your own situation. We will tell you before admission if we identify any expected out-of-pocket cost.
Does Medicaid cover medication for opioid use disorder during and after treatment?
Colorado Medicaid covers medications for opioid use disorder, including buprenorphine and naltrexone, which are FDA approved and recommended in federal guidance. We provide buprenorphine and naltrexone when clinically appropriate and coordinate continuity at discharge. Methadone is dispensed through licensed opioid treatment programs, and we can coordinate that referral.
Does Medicaid residential treatment in Colorado require prior authorization?
Detox and residential treatment commonly require prior authorization, and your Regional Accountable Entity determines it. We submit the clinical documentation supporting medical necessity and keep you informed about what your plan needs. Turnaround varies by plan and clinical complexity, so we do not quote a fixed timeframe.
What should I bring to admissions if I have Medicaid?
Bring your Health First Colorado ID, a photo ID, a current list of your medications in their original containers, and any relevant recent medical or psychiatric records. Having these ready lets us complete the benefits check and level-of-care placement faster. The admissions page has the full list of what to bring and what to leave at home.
How long will Medicaid cover a residential stay?
Length of stay is based on documented medical necessity and ASAM placement criteria rather than a set number of days, and it is reviewed as your care progresses. To get a clearer picture for your situation, start a benefits check so our team can review your clinical needs and your plan’s requirements together.
Verify Your Medicaid Benefits
Not sure whether your Colorado Medicaid plan covers detox or residential treatment? That is exactly what a benefits check answers, and it does not commit you to admission. Call (720) 807-7867 or use this HIPAA-compliant secure form to request a call back from a Foundry Front Range team member.
Colorado state licensed. Accredited by The Joint Commission. Foundry Front Range, 11952 Gray St., Broomfield, CO 80020.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your specific situation. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
