Getting someone into rehab starts with a clinical assessment, not an argument. Call a licensed provider and start with our admissions team, who can tell you in one conversation whether withdrawal makes home detox unsafe and what level of care fits. Persuading your loved one comes second, and it goes far better once you can hand them a real place, a start time, and a ride.
TL;DR Most families lose weeks arguing before they ever call a provider. Reverse the order. Get the clinical answer and the coverage answer first, then make one concrete offer instead of an ultimatum.
Key takeaways
- Call admissions before you talk to them. A nurse or clinician can triage over the phone and tell you whether this is a detox situation or an outpatient one.
- Alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal is the risk people miss. Withdrawal seizures typically begin 8 to 48 hours after the last drink, per StatPearls’ review of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Do not attempt this at home.
- Coverage is a step, not a wall. We accept Region 1, 2, 3 and 4 Colorado Medicaid, and you can verify their insurance benefits at no cost before anyone commits to anything.
- Colorado does permit involuntary commitment for substance use, but it is slow. Voluntary admission is almost always the faster route.
- Make one offer, not a speech. A named facility, a start time, who is driving, and what to bring.
1. Decide whether this is an emergency in the next ten minutes
Call 911 if the person is unresponsive, breathing slowly or irregularly, seizing, bleeding, or threatening harm to themselves or anyone else. Call or text 988 for a suicidal or psychiatric crisis; the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline covers drug and alcohol crises too, free and around the clock.
For a suspected opioid overdose, give naloxone if you have it and are trained, then call 911 anyway. Naloxone wears off before many opioids do, so the person still needs medical evaluation.
When emergency responders arrive, tell them exactly what was taken and when, and name every prescription the person is on, including buprenorphine or methadone. Clinicians need that to avoid dangerous interactions.
2. Match their situation to a level of care
Levels of care come from the ASAM Criteria, the national standard the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) publishes for deciding where a patient should be treated. Pick the higher level whenever you are unsure.
| Level of care | Choose it when | Typical length here | Do this first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medically supervised detox (ASAM 3.7) | Heavy daily alcohol use, long-term benzodiazepine use, or complicated opioid withdrawal | 3 to 5 days, depending on response to treatment | Call admissions for a withdrawal-risk screen |
| Residential (ASAM 3.5) | Detox is complete or unnecessary, but daily use, unstable housing, or a co-occurring diagnosis makes home unsafe | Roughly 30 to 90 days | Ask for a clinical assessment and start a benefits check |
| Inpatient | Continuous supervision and daily therapy are needed in a licensed medical setting | 28 to 90 days | Same as residential; the assessment sorts the two |
| Intensive outpatient (IOP) | Medically stable, safe at home, needs several structured sessions a week | Varies by treatment plan | Confirm reliable transport and weekly availability |
| Virtual IOP | Clinically stable but distance, work, or caregiving blocks in-person attendance | Varies by treatment plan | Confirm private space and a stable connection |
Two signals override everything in that table. Uncontrolled withdrawal (confusion, fever, prolonged vomiting, severe tremor, any seizure history) means medically supervised detox in Broomfield or an emergency department, not a step-down program. Active suicidal thinking, hallucinations, or psychosis means emergency evaluation now.
If they are medically stable and you are still weighing structure against flexibility, our guide to choosing an intensive outpatient program in Denver walks through the vetting questions.
3. Call admissions and get the clinical assessment
One phone call does most of the work. Have ready: full legal name, date of birth, current location, what they use and when they last used, any withdrawal history, current medications and doses, pregnancy status, and the insurance card.
An admissions clinician uses that to screen withdrawal risk, identify medical and psychiatric needs, and recommend a level of care. Ask what the current intake process looks like and what the next available start is, because that answer shapes your timing.
Call (720) 807-7867 for residential addiction treatment or detox at our 44,000 square foot licensed facility in Broomfield, roughly 30 minutes from Denver.
4. Confirm coverage before you make the offer
A verification of benefits (VOB) tells you what a plan will pay for and what authorizations it requires. Ask for it in writing, and write down the name of whoever you spoke to and any authorization number they give you.
| Coverage | What to ask for | If it is denied |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Medicaid, Regions 1 to 4 | Whether medically supervised detox and residential treatment are covered, and the medical-necessity criteria the plan applies | Ask for the written denial and its reason code, then contact your state Medicaid office or ombudsman |
| Commercial plan, in network | Confirmation of in-network status for detox and residential, plus the prior-authorization requirements | Request a peer-to-peer review between the plan’s reviewer and the treating clinician |
| Commercial plan, out of network | Out-of-network benefit levels and whether a medical-necessity exception is available | Submit an internal appeal, then request external review |
| No insurance | Financial counseling, payment options, and Medicaid eligibility screening | Ask about Medicaid enrollment help and state-funded options |
Medicaid is where most families expect a dead end and do not hit one. Medicaid does cover rehab in Colorado, and we accept Region 1, 2, 3 and 4. We also work with most major insurance plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Multi-Plan, Rocky Mountain Health Plan and UnitedHealthcare.
Coverage rules do shift. We track what matters for Colorado families in our breakdown of recent Medicaid funding changes and their impact on treatment access.
5. Use a script, because you will not improvise well
You are frightened and they are defensive. Written words help.
Talking to your loved one. Keep it under a minute, name behavior rather than character, and end with a single question.
“I’ve been worried about you. You missed work twice last week and I found the bottles in the garage. I’m not here to argue about it. I called a place in Broomfield this morning and they can do an assessment. Will you let me drive you tomorrow?”
Calling admissions. State the facts in order and let the clinician steer.
“I’m calling about my brother. He’s 34, he’s at my house in Denver, and he’s been drinking about a fifth of vodka a day for six months. His last drink was around 9 last night and he’s shaking. He has UnitedHealthcare, and I have the member ID. Can someone screen him for withdrawal risk today?”
Do not threaten, itemize past failures, or promise outcomes nobody can guarantee. If they ask whether treatment works, say honestly that it improves the odds and that nobody can promise a result.
6. Arrange transport, then hand over the offer
Decide on transport before the conversation, not after. Use EMS for unstable vital signs, severe withdrawal, or anything a clinician has flagged for monitored transport. For a stable person, a sober driver and a confirmed arrival time is enough.
Give them one offer with every blank already filled: the facility name, the arrival time, who is driving, and what happens on arrival.
What to bring:
- Photo ID and the insurance card, plus Medicaid documentation if applicable
- A written medication list with doses, times, prescriber names and pharmacy
- Recent medical, psychiatric or prenatal records if you can get them
- Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and closed-toe shoes
- Any court paperwork, protective orders, or guardianship documents
- Emergency contacts and a post-discharge address
Leave valuables, alcohol-based personal products, and outside medications at home unless staff has approved them. Intake typically runs one to three hours and includes vital signs, a withdrawal screen, and medication reconciliation.
7. Get the family into treatment too
Families do better with structure than with willpower. Our Michael Barnes Family Institute family program runs on two levels: a five-week multi-family telehealth program covering addiction as a chronic disease, trauma, secondary trauma and communication, then an optional twelve-week individual family coaching track.
Dr. Michael Barnes built it from forty years of clinical work and research, in collaboration with Life Lab Studios at Arizona State University. It exists because the person who calls admissions is usually the one closest to burning out.
Pregnancy, co-occurring diagnoses, and medication continuity
Say these things on the first call. Each one changes the clinical plan and the intake sequence.
Pregnancy. Ask for obstetric input before any withdrawal decision. Abrupt tapering of buprenorphine or methadone in pregnancy is generally not recommended, so bring gestational age, last menstrual period, and the prenatal provider’s contact information. Our women’s rehab program coordinates gender-specific care alongside obstetric needs.
Co-occurring mental health conditions. Name the diagnoses, the current psychiatric medications, and any recent hospitalization. Dual diagnosis treatment treats the substance use and the mental health condition together rather than in sequence, which matters most when mood stabilizers, antipsychotics or benzodiazepines are already in the picture.
Medication-assisted treatment. Bring the medication name, exact daily dose, time of last dose, prescribing clinic, dispensing pharmacy and prescriber phone number. Continuing methadone from an opioid treatment program requires coordination between that program and the receiving facility, so the sooner admissions has the prescriber’s details the smoother it goes. Our opioid addiction treatment page covers how that continuity works.
Can you force someone into rehab in Colorado?
Sometimes, but the bar is high and the process is slow. Colorado allows involuntary commitment for substance use under state law, and the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration’s summary of the SB 20-007 civil commitment updates describes how the process now works: a physician examination within 10 days before the petition is filed, no mandatory hearing on the initial petition, and a hearing set within 10 working days if the person contests it. An initial commitment can run up to 90 days.
Three separate legal paths exist, and families often conflate them:
- Emergency hold. Short-term detention by law enforcement or a hospital for immediate evaluation when someone is an imminent danger.
- Civil commitment. A court process that can order longer-term treatment after a petition, evidence, and a hearing.
- Guardianship. A court grants another person decision-making authority after finding the individual lacks capacity to make safe decisions.
Start with your county behavioral health office to learn local filing procedure, and talk to an attorney who handles commitment and guardianship. If the danger is immediate, call 911 instead of filing anything. Voluntary admission is faster, less adversarial, and usually produces better engagement in treatment.
Treat the above as general information about Colorado law, not legal advice. Procedures vary by county.
If they refuse
Keep the offer open and specific rather than escalating. “The assessment is still there when you want it” leaves a door that an ultimatum closes.
Meanwhile, do three things. Remove the immediate safety risks you can control. Get naloxone and learn to use it if opioids are involved. Enter the family program yourself, since your own regulation is what makes the next conversation possible.
If refusal has repeated, or there is violence, pregnancy, active psychosis, or a recent overdose in the picture, bring in a credentialed interventionist or licensed clinician instead of running another family meeting. If your loved one is closer to considering it than refusing it, our guide on signs treatment is needed is written for them to read rather than for you to relay.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get someone into rehab?
The clinical assessment usually happens on the same phone call. What follows depends on the level of care recommended, the benefits verification, whether the plan requires prior authorization, and medical clearance if withdrawal risk is high. Call admissions to get a timeline for your specific situation rather than a general estimate.
Can I check someone into rehab without their consent?
Not voluntarily on their behalf. An adult admits themselves. Involuntary treatment requires a court process under Colorado’s civil commitment statutes, or an emergency hold when someone is an imminent danger. Guardianship is a separate court track for people who lack decision-making capacity.
Do they need to detox before residential treatment?
Only if withdrawal poses a medical risk. A withdrawal-risk screen during admissions answers this. Heavy alcohol use, long-term benzodiazepine use, and complicated opioid withdrawal usually route to medically supervised detox first, then step down to residential care without a gap.
Will Medicaid pay for detox and residential treatment?
Colorado Medicaid covers substance use treatment, subject to medical-necessity criteria and the plan’s authorization rules. We accept Region 1, 2, 3 and 4 Medicaid. Coverage for any individual depends on their eligibility and clinical presentation, so a benefits check is the only reliable answer.
What if they have no insurance?
Ask admissions for financial counseling and a Medicaid eligibility screen. Many people who assume they are uninsured qualify for Colorado Medicaid and have never enrolled. State-funded and community options may also be available while enrollment is pending.
Can they keep taking Suboxone or methadone in treatment?
Continuity is the goal, and it depends on documentation. Bring the medication name, exact dose, time of last dose, prescriber contact and pharmacy. Methadone from an opioid treatment program requires coordination between that program and the receiving facility, so flag it on the first call.
Should I stage a formal intervention?
Only with a plan and a confirmed placement. An intervention without an available bed, verified benefits, and arranged transport tends to produce a fight rather than an admission. Choose a private setting, a time when the person is sober, one clear offer, and short factual statements from each participant.
What happens on the first day?
Intake includes a clinical interview, vital signs, a withdrawal screen, medication reconciliation, and a safety screening, typically over one to three hours. Staff then build an individualized care plan that may include medication, medical monitoring, and trauma-informed therapy, plus a plan for continuing care after discharge.
Can the family be involved once they are admitted?
Yes, with the patient’s signed release of information. Family programming runs alongside the patient’s treatment rather than after it, which is why the Michael Barnes Family Institute levels are open to families whose loved one is entering or already in care.
Medically reviewed by Jasmine Aranda, Chief Clinical Officer, Foundry Front Range. Published September 2, 2026. Last updated September 2, 2026.
Foundry Front Range is licensed by the State of Colorado and accredited by The Joint Commission. Our admissions team is reachable at (720) 807-7867.
This article 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 or someone you love is in crisis, call or text 988. For treatment referrals and information, the SAMHSA National Helpline is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
