ARTS – Peer I - Denver, CO

About ARTS – Peer I

Peer 1 is a residential treatment program at Addiction Research and Treatment Services, also called ARTS. They provide comprehensive mental health and addiction care, community mental health, and diversion services for male adults in Denver, Colorado. Their program operates under the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and includes medication assisted treatment and residential treatment. Specialized services are available for clients in the criminal justice system and clients with co-occurring conditions.

Before beginning residential treatment, you’ll complete personalized assessments to help providers understand their needs. Assessments help to identify symptoms of substance use disorders and/or co-occurring mental health conditions, like depression. Therapeutic modalities in the Peer 1 program include individual counseling, motivational interviewing, group therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and medication assisted therapies.

One of the treatments available in the peer program involves the use of FDA-approved addiction medication in combination with counseling for the treatment of alcohol and opioid use disorders. This is considered the gold standard of treatment for opioid addiction.

The residential treatment program at ARTS addresses substance use and mental health disorders in three distinct stages, using evidence-based practices. Phase 1 involves orientation, assessment, treatment planning, motivation counseling, and an introduction to program philosophy, which takes around 30 days. Phase 2 lasts four to six months and focuses on your skill development, peer support groups, strengthening pro-social skills, in-house job assignments, job searching and employment, and healthy support systems. Phase 3 is the transitional phase and involves resocialization through ongoing skills training, increased community contact, employment placement and monitoring, and money management.

Upon completion of the Peer program, participants are eligible to participate in the ARTS Outpatient Therapeutic Community for one year.

They accept Medicaid, commercial insurance, and self-pay, with sliding scale payments and financial aid available. Verify your coverage with your individual provider as out of network benefits may vary.

Insurance & Financials

Private Insurance
Self-pay options
Financial aid
Sliding scale payment assistance
Medicaid

Levels of Care

Outpatient

Individuals who successfully complete treatment at Peer I are able to receive aftercare services at ARTS’ Outpatient Therapeutic Community. The Outpatient Therapeutic Community (OTC) is a continuing care model for men from Peer I and women from the Haven who successfully complete residential treatment and progress to a non-residential status. The outpatient component is a minimum of one year or until a client fulfills their legal obligation. The primary goal of the OTC is to foster and support a positive reintegration into the community. Services are gender-specific and include educational and therapy groups, as well as family activities. The OTC program also assists with clients with housing as they transition to the community.

Intensive Outpatient

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) are for those who want or need a very structured treatment program but who also wish to live at home and continue with certain responsibilities (such as work or school). IOP substance abuse treatment programs vary in duration and intensity, and certain outpatient rehab centers will offer individualized treatment programs.

Inpatient

Peer I is a 125-bed Therapeutic Community (TC) that offers long-term, intensive treatment for adult males with chronic substance use disorders, related anti-social behaviors and co-occurring mental health disorders. While in treatment, individuals receive services that not only focus on recovery from substances and maintenance of mental health, but treatment that focuses on social functioning, education/vocational skills, and positive community and family ties.

Aftercare

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.

12-Step

12-step programs are addiction recovery models based on Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). A number of substance abuse programs (including some drug and alcohol rehab centers) use the 12 steps as a basis for treatment. Beginning steps involve admitting powerlessness over the addiction and creating a spiritual basis for recovery. Middle steps including making direct amends to those who've been hurt by the addiction, and the final step is to assist others in addiction recovery in the same way. 12-Step offshoots including Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA), Dual Recovery Anonymous (DRA), Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) and Gamblers Anonymous (GA).

Sober Living Homes

Sober Living Houses (SLHs), aka sober homes or halfway houses, are safe, substance-free, supportive living facilities for those recovering from substance abuse. Ideal for those who've just been through inpatient or outpatient treatment, SLHs are supervised environments with rules that support sobriety, such as curfews, shared chores, and therapeutic meetings. Residents are also often trained on life skills and coping skills to make it easier to transition into society. SLHs also provide a strong sense of community that can lead to the kind of deep and lasting connections with other sober individuals that supports a new, healthy lifestyle.

Medically Assisted Detox

Drug and alcohol addiction often takes a heavy toll on one's body. Over time, a physical dependence can develop, meaning the body physiologically needs the substance to function. Detox is the process of removing drugs and/or alcohol from the body, a process that can be lethal if mismanaged. Medical detox is done by licensed medical professionals who monitor vital signs and keep you safe, healthy, and as comfortable as possible as you go through detox and withdrawal.

Programs

Adult program

Program for men

Young adult program

Total Beds

125

Settings and Amenities

Residential setting
Private setting
Recreation room
Hiking
Day school

Treatment

Alcoholism

The goal of treatment for alcoholism is abstinence. Those with poor social support, poor motivation, or psychiatric disorders tend to relapse within a few years of treatment. For these people, success is measured by longer periods of abstinence, reduced use of alcohol, better health, and improved social functioning. Recovery and Maintenance are usually based on 12 step programs and AA meetings.

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

Many of those suffering from addiction also suffer from mental or emotional illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders. Rehab and other substance abuse facilities treating those with a dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorder administer psychiatric treatment to address the person's mental health issue in addition to drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse

A combined mental health and substance abuse rehab has the staff and resources available to handle individuals with both mental health and substance abuse issues. It can be challenging to determine where a specific symptom stems from (a mental health issue or an issue related to substance abuse), so mental health and substance abuse professionals are helpful in detangling symptoms and keeping treatment on track.

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.

Clinical Services

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.