Denver CARES is a publicly operated withdrawal management and residential treatment program in Denver, Colorado, run by Denver Health and operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The program has provided withdrawal management services in the City and County of Denver for nearly five decades.
Withdrawal Management and the Emergency Service Patrol
Denver CARES operates a 100-bed, non-medical, clinically managed withdrawal management facility at 1155 Cherokee Street. All clients are triaged by a registered nurse upon arrival and receive vitals monitoring, sleeping accommodations, meals, medication-assisted treatment where applicable, and group counseling. The program treats all substance use disorders and offers specific medication management pathways for alcohol, opioid, and methamphetamine use disorders. Clinical staff provide assessment, motivational counseling, treatment planning, and referrals to the next appropriate level of care. Clients may arrive through self-referral, court or probation referral, law enforcement, health care providers, or through Denver Health’s Emergency Service Patrol, a dedicated unit that responds to more than 10,000 calls annually, transporting publicly intoxicated individuals safely to Denver CARES from across the city.
Transitional Residential Treatment
For clients requiring longer-term support following withdrawal management, Denver CARES offers a Transitional Residential Treatment program with stays ranging from 45 to 90 days. The male dorm accommodates up to 28 clients and the female dorm up to 14. Programming includes group counseling covering coping skills, relapse prevention, CBT, mindfulness, grief and loss, yoga, art therapy, anger management, and smoking cessation, along with weekly individual counseling sessions. Case coordinators support clients with employment, housing, and continuation of treatment goals following discharge.
Withdrawal Management and Residential Treatment in Denver
For individuals in the Denver metro area requiring clinically managed withdrawal management or transitional residential treatment, Denver CARES offers a 100-bed facility in central Denver with 24-hour access, medication-assisted treatment pathways, and a full residential program for both men and women.
