Heroin and Opioid Detox in Colorado Springs: What to Expect at a Residential Facility

Medically Reviewed By: Trina Deleon-Gagne, FNP-BC

Key points

Opioid withdrawal is rarely dangerous on its own, but it is genuinely hard, and the risk of returning to use during it is high. Medical supervision exists to manage both.

Medications are a normal part of withdrawal management, not a shortcut. Buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone are established treatments for opioid use disorder.

Detox is the stabilization step. It is not treatment for a substance use disorder on its own.

Tolerance drops quickly during a period without opioids, which is why the days after detox, or after release from jail, carry elevated overdose risk. Planning the next step matters.

Health First Colorado (Colorado Medicaid) covers substance use disorder treatment; in El Paso County, behavioral health benefits are administered through the regional accountable entity.

Why medically supervised withdrawal matters

Many people seeking detox have tried to stop using opioids on their own before, only to return to use when withdrawal symptoms and cravings become too difficult to self-manage. It is important to understand why this occurs.

Opioid withdrawal is, by itself, seldom life-threatening in the way that unmanaged alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal can be. However, symptoms can be severe, complications such as dehydration can occur, and return to opioid use during or after withdrawal increases overdose risk, particularly as tolerance falls. [1]

Medically supervised withdrawal management means medical and nursing staff monitor symptoms, treat them, watch for complications, and manage co-occurring medical and mental health conditions at the same time. [1] The point is not comfort for its own sake. It is that a person who is being cared for is far more likely to still be there at the end of the week.

What opioid withdrawal actually feels like

Being told what to expect helps. Opioid withdrawal commonly involves muscle aches, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating and chills, runny nose and watering eyes, dilated pupils, agitation, anxiety, insomnia, and intense craving. [1] People often describe it as a severe flu layered over an overwhelming urge to make it stop.

The course varies with the specific opioid involved, the pattern and duration of use, and the person’s overall health. Short-acting and long-acting opioids can have different withdrawal timelines and can be further complicated by contamination of additional substances. [2] Your clinical team assesses this individually rather than relying on a single generic timeline.

What happens during medical detox

At a residential facility, the sequence is usually:

1. Assessment. Medical and clinical staff review substance use history, physical health, mental health, medications, and current withdrawal status.
2. Stabilization. Symptoms are actively managed with medication and supportive care, and staff monitor vital signs and mental status throughout.
3. Co-occurring care. Mental-health symptoms and physical health conditions are assessed during withdrawal management. Anxiety, depression, and trauma-related symptoms may be caused or intensified by acute withdrawal, so treatment may sometimes be deferred until stabilization provides a clearer baseline. Severe symptoms, safety concerns, or other clinical indications warrant more immediate intervention. [1][3]
4. Transition planning. During withdrawal management, the team begins planning what comes next, including but not limited to: residential treatment, ongoing medication management, recovery supports, and family involvement where appropriate.

That last step is not administrative. SAMHSA is explicit that detoxification is not in itself treatment for a substance use disorder, and that the essential function of withdrawal management is to connect a person to ongoing care. [1]

Medications used in opioid withdrawal management

Three medications are approved to treat opioid use disorder: buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. SAMHSA describes these as effective treatments, used together with counseling and behavioral therapies. [4]

• Buprenorphine can reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms and cravings and may be initiated during withdrawal management when clinically appropriate. With standard initiation, it is generally started after appropriate objective withdrawal is present because starting buprenorphine too soon after a full-agonist opioid can precipitate withdrawal. Timing is individualized based on the opioid used, current withdrawal findings, fentanyl exposure, and the initiation strategy. [4]
• Methadone is a long-established treatment for opioid use disorder, dispensed under specific federal and state regulatory requirements.
• Naltrexone blocks opioid effects and is FDA-approved for treatment of opioid use disorder, but it does not treat acute opioid withdrawal. It requires an adequate opioid-free interval before initiation to avoid precipitated withdrawal; the appropriate timing is a clinical decision. [4]

Supportive medications for nausea, cramping, sleep, and anxiety are also commonly used. Which combination is appropriate is determined by the prescriber based on assessment.

One thing worth saying plainly, because it still gets in people’s way: taking medication for opioid use disorder is treatment. The National Institute on Drug Abuse describes medication as an evidence-based component of care for opioid use disorder, not a substitute for recovery. [5]

Spring Grove Recovery in Colorado Springs provides medical detox and residential treatment, with medication options including buprenorphine (Subutex), Suboxone, and naltrexone (Vivitrol).

What comes after detox

Residential treatment is where the work that keeps someone well actually happens: individual and group therapy, medication management, co-occurring mental health care, relapse prevention, family involvement where appropriate, and discharge planning.

NIDA describes effective treatment as combining medication with behavioral therapy and support, sustained over time, rather than any single intervention. [5] The level of care and its length are clinical determinations made with you by the treatment team.

The risk nobody warns you about: reduced tolerance

This is the most important paragraph on this page.

After a period without opioids, through detox, a hospital stay, or time in custody, the body’s tolerance drops. A dose that was previously survivable can become an overdose. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies the period following a break in opioid use as a time of elevated overdose risk for exactly this reason. [6]

Two practical implications:

• Continuing directly into evidence-based treatment after withdrawal management is not an upsell as it is clinically important. Withdrawal management alone does not treat opioid use disorder, and loss of tolerance combined with return to opioid use can increase overdose risk. [1][6]
• Naloxone should be readily available. It is an opioid-overdose reversal medication, and several intranasal naloxone products are FDA-approved for over-the-counter use. [7] If an overdose is suspected, give naloxone if available and call 911 because overdose is a medical emergency.

If your loved one is in jail in El Paso County

Many Colorado families first encounter the treatment system through a justice-involved relative, and this is where the tolerance issue becomes most urgent.

Colorado law contains specific requirements for medication treatment and withdrawal-management care for people with opioid use disorder in county jails. A 2026 University of Colorado Anschutz study reviewed all 46 Colorado county jails and found that nearly 40% lacked publicly available OUD policies. Among the 28 jails with policy information, only 46% indicated offering all three FDA-approved OUD medications. [8]

If someone you care about is in custody, that finding translates into three concrete questions to ask:

1. Is medication for opioid use disorder available in this facility, and which medications?
2. If they were on medication before, will it be continued?
3. What is the plan for the day of release, and who arranges it?

Do not wait until the release date to ask. Spring Grove Recovery accepts justice-involved individuals, and it helps the clinical team to have court or release information at the start of the admissions conversation rather than at the end.

Paying for detox in Colorado

Health First Colorado, the state’s Medicaid program, covers substance use disorder treatment. Behavioral health benefits are administered regionally through a Regional Accountable Entity; for El Paso County that entity is Colorado Community Health Alliance. [9]

One thing to verify rather than assume: as of January 1, 2025, behavioral health facility licensing in Colorado moved from the state health department to the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration, which licenses programs as Behavioral Health Entities. [10] Guidance still pointing families to the health department for facility licensing is out of date. Any facility should be able to give you its BHE license number.

Spring Grove Recovery accepts Health First Colorado. Both Medicaid and commercial insurance accepted, neither undercuts the other, private pay is available, and we work with people who are uninsured. Spring Grove Recovery is accredited by The Joint Commission.

Talk to Spring Grove Recovery

Spring Grove Recovery, 4185 Briargate Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80920.

Medical detox and residential treatment for adults, accredited by The Joint Commission.

Admissions is available 24/7. Call 719.415.3460 to verify your benefits or begin an assessment.

Frequently asked questions

Is heroin or opioid withdrawal dangerous? Opioid withdrawal is seldom life-threatening on its own, but symptoms can be severe and complications such as dehydration from persistent vomiting and diarrhea can be serious. Return to opioid use during or after withdrawal also carries overdose risk, particularly after tolerance has decreased. Medical supervision can treat symptoms, monitor for complications, and help connect the patient to ongoing treatment. [1][6]

How long does opioid withdrawal last? It varies with the specific opioid, the pattern and duration of use, and the person’s overall health, so it is assessed individually rather than predicted from a chart. [1][2] Your clinical team will explain what to expect in your situation.

Can I detox at home? People do attempt opioid withdrawal at home, but symptoms can be much more difficult to manage without support. Medical supervision allows symptoms to be treated, complications to be identified, and co-occurring conditions to be assessed. [1] Speak with a medical professional before making that decision, particularly if alcohol, benzodiazepines, pregnancy, significant medical or psychiatric concerns, or other complicating factors are involved.

Will I be given medication during detox? Medications are commonly given during withdrawal management to relieve symptoms such as nausea, cramping, diarrhea, pain, anxiety/autonomic symptoms, and insomnia. [4] Medication to treat opioid use disorder is a separate, individualized treatment decision based on the patient’s preferences, clinical assessment, and what is medically appropriate.

Is detox the same as treatment? No. SAMHSA is explicit that withdrawal management stabilizes a person through the acute withdrawal period, but it is not, by itself, treatment for opioid use disorder. Evidence-based ongoing treatment should be offered or arranged; CDC specifically advises against detoxification alone without treatment for OUD because of increased risks of resumed opioid use, overdose, and overdose death. [1][4]

Why is overdose risk higher right after detox? Tolerance can fall during a period without opioids, so returning to a previously tolerated amount can increase overdose risk. CDC identifies the period after a break in use as a time of elevated overdose risk. [6] This is why continued treatment and access to naloxone matter. [7]

Does Health First Colorado cover detox and residential treatment? Health First Colorado covers substance use disorder treatment, with behavioral health services administered through the Regional Accountable Entity for your region, which is Colorado Community Health Alliance in El Paso County. [9] Coverage for a specific withdrawal-management or residential service depends on the member’s benefits, medical necessity, and further authorization requirements.

How do I verify a Colorado treatment facility is licensed? Since January 1, 2025, the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration is the state agency responsible for Behavioral Health Entity licensing. [10] Ask the facility for its current BHE license information. Independent accreditation, such as The Joint Commission, is separate from state licensure and should be verified directly for the specific facility.

Sources

1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. TIP 45: Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment. https://library.samhsa.gov/product/tip-45-detoxification-and-substance-abuse-treatment/sma15-4131
2. National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Fentanyl DrugFacts.” https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/fentanyl
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Common Comorbidities with Substance Use Disorders Research Report.” https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/common-comorbidities-substance-use-disorders
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. TIP 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder. https://library.samhsa.gov/product/tip-63-medications-opioid-use-disorder/pep21-02-01-002
5. National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Treatment and Recovery.” https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-drug-addiction/treatment-recovery
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Overdose Prevention.” https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/
7. National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Naloxone DrugFacts.” https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/naloxone
8. University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. “Study finds many Colorado jails still lack public opioid treatment policies despite state mandate,” 2026. https://news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories/study-finds-many-colorado-jails-still-lack-public-opioid-treatment-policies-despite-state-mandate
9. Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. “Behavioral Health.” https://hcpf.colorado.gov/behavioral-health
10. Colorado Behavioral Health Administration. “Behavioral Health Licensing and Designation.” https://bha.colorado.gov/for-service-providers/licensing-and-contracting/behavioral-health-licensing-designation-and