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How to Choose a Drug Treatment Program in Colorado Springs

Clinically Reviewed By: Tia Conard, LCSW-S · Reviewed October 29, 2026

Key points

  • El Paso County recorded 178 accidental overdose deaths in 2025, a 16% rise over 2024, according to the El Paso County Coroner’s Office, with methamphetamine and fentanyl, alone and together, found in the largest number of cases. If someone may be overdosing, call 911. Choosing well matters here.
  • SAMHSA names five signs of a quality treatment program: state licensing, FDA-approved medication, evidence-based practices, family involvement, and ongoing support. Ask every program all five.
  • Some people need two stages of care, medically supervised withdrawal management (medical detox) and residential treatment, and the clinical assessment on admission decides where to start.
  • Spring Grove Recovery in Colorado Springs provides medical detox and residential treatment, is licensed by Colorado’s Behavioral Health Administration and accredited by The Joint Commission, and holds Colorado’s Behavioral Health Safety Net provider designation.
  • Medicaid, commercial insurance and private pay are accepted. For Colorado Medicaid (Health First Colorado), Spring Grove Recovery is in network when the plan named on your card is CO Access, Colorado Community Health Alliance or Rocky Mountain Health Plan. Coverage check happens on the call. Admissions answers 24/7 at 719.415.3460.

In this article

Why the choice matters in El Paso County

The El Paso County Coroner’s Office 2025 Annual Report counted 178 accidental overdose deaths in the county in 2025 and stated that “accidental drug overdose deaths rose 16% from 2024 to 2025.” Methamphetamine appeared most often, and “fatalities involving methamphetamine increased by 18%, occurring 42% of the time in combination with fentanyl” [1]. The Colorado Springs Gazette noted on September 8, 2026, that the county’s increase bucks a national trend of falling overdose deaths [2]. If someone may be overdosing, call 911.

When the local numbers are moving the wrong way, families cannot afford to pick a program on a billboard and a phone number. This guide gives you the questions to ask, the answers to listen for, and the red flags that should end a conversation.

Start with the two-stage picture

Treatment for a substance use disorder usually happens in two stages, and a good program can explain both.

Medically supervised withdrawal management, often called medical detox. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines detoxification as “a set of interventions aimed at managing acute intoxication and withdrawal” with three parts: evaluation, stabilization, and “fostering the patient’s entry into treatment” [3]. Nursing staff monitor the person, qualified medical providers treat symptoms with medication when appropriate, and the team keeps the focus on what comes next.

Residential treatment. Living at the program while receiving individual and group therapy, treatment for co-occurring mental health conditions, and discharge planning. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that medically assisted detoxification is “only the first stage” of treatment and by itself “does little to change long-term” use [4]. Detox alone is not sufficient treatment. A detox-only program should arrange a transition to appropriate ongoing care, which may be provided by another program.

The clinical assessment on admission decides where a person starts. SAMHSA’s guide for families explains that “everyone entering treatment receives a clinical assessment,” which is “needed to help treatment professionals offer the type of treatment that best suits him or her” [5].

The five questions to ask every program

SAMHSA’s guide to finding quality treatment frames the search as five questions [6]. Write them down and ask every program the same way.

Sign of qualityAsk thisListen for
Licensing and accreditation”Has the program been licensed or certified by the state? Is the program currently in good standing in the state?”A named state licensing body and a named accrediting organization, offered without hesitation.
Medication”Does the program offer FDA approved medication for recovery from alcohol and opioid use disorders?”A clear yes, and a qualified medical provider who decides when it is appropriate.
Evidence-based practices”Does the program offer treatments that have been proven to be effective in treating substance use disorders?”Named approaches: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing.
Families”Does the program include family members in the treatment process?”Specific answers: family therapy, family education, how and when.
Supports”Does the program provide ongoing treatment and supports beyond just treating the substance issues?”Case management, co-occurring mental health care, and a discharge plan that starts early.

NIDA’s research-based guide backs up the logic behind these questions. It notes that no single treatment is right for everyone, since treatment “varies depending on the type of drug and the characteristics of the patients” [4], that effective treatment must address a person’s substance use “and any associated medical, psychological, social, vocational, and legal problems” [4], and that “medications are an important element of treatment for many patients, especially when combined with counseling and other behavioral therapies” [4].

Red flags that should end the conversation

  • Guarantees. No one can promise an outcome. A program that promises one is telling you something about its honesty, not its results.
  • A fixed number of days quoted before anyone has been assessed. Length of stay should be determined by medical necessity.
  • Vague answers about licensing. “We’re fully licensed” is not an answer. Ask by whom.
  • No willingness to discuss medication. FDA-approved medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders are part of quality care [6].
  • Pressure. Urgency about your loved one’s safety is real. Pressure about a deposit or a bed “that won’t be there tomorrow” is a sales tactic.

How Spring Grove Recovery answers the five questions

Spring Grove Recovery is on Briargate Parkway in Colorado Springs. Here is how it answers SAMHSA’s five questions:

  • Licensing and accreditation. Licensed by the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration as a behavioral health entity, and accredited by The Joint Commission. Spring Grove Recovery also holds Colorado’s Behavioral Health Safety Net provider designation, a Behavioral Health Administration approval that Colorado law defines for licensed behavioral health entities that provide care coordination and designated safety net services [7].
  • Medication. Medication-assisted treatment with FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder is available when a qualified medical provider determines it is appropriate.
  • Evidence-based practices. CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing, trauma therapy and trauma-informed therapy, relapse prevention therapy, and person-centered therapy, in individual and group formats, alongside 12-Step, SMART Recovery, and Refuge Recovery meetings.
  • Families. Family psychoeducation in person, right before visitation, and family therapy in person, once the patient signs a release of information. See for families.
  • Supports. Case management throughout, co-occurring mental health conditions treated by the same team as part of the same plan, and a personalized discharge plan with aftercare support.

Spring Grove Recovery provides both stages of care, medical detox with 24/7 nursing support and residential treatment. The program is co-ed, couples are welcome, and transportation is arranged 24/7. Length of stay is determined by medical necessity, not a set number of days.

If your loved one is on methadone

Families sometimes assume that being on methadone rules out residential treatment. At Spring Grove Recovery it does not. People on methadone are welcome; daily dosing continues through a licensed opioid treatment program while the person is in care, or the medical team can support a transition to another medication when that is the right plan. Ask about it on the call.

Paying for treatment in Colorado

Medicaid, commercial insurance and private pay are accepted. For Colorado Medicaid (Health First Colorado) [8], Spring Grove Recovery is in network when the plan named on your card is CO Access, Colorado Community Health Alliance or Rocky Mountain Health Plan. Coverage depends on your specific plan, so have your member ID ready when you call. Admissions will verify benefits before admission. Coverage check happens on the call. The paying for treatment page has more detail.

Safety at home while you decide

Deciding takes time. Two risks do not wait.

Overdose risk after any break in use. SAMHSA’s Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit lists “using drugs after a recent period of abstinence, which may decrease previous tolerance levels” as a risk factor for overdose [9]. In a county where methamphetamine and fentanyl are so often found together [1], naloxone belongs in the house. Signs of an opioid overdose include being unable to wake the person, “slow or shallow breathing or difficulty breathing such as choking sounds,” and lips or fingernails turning blue or purple. The toolkit’s instruction: “If the person does not respond or you are not sure what to do next, call 911” [9].

Thoughts of suicide. If someone is having thoughts of suicide, that is an emergency. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day by call or text, and 911 is the right call if someone is in immediate danger [10].

A one-page checklist for the call

  1. Who licenses you, and are you in good standing? Who accredits you?
  2. Do you provide medical detox, residential treatment, or both? How do you decide where someone starts?
  3. Which evidence-based therapies do you use? Name them.
  4. Do you offer FDA-approved medications for opioid or alcohol use disorder? Who decides?
  5. How are families included, and when?
  6. How are co-occurring mental health conditions treated?
  7. What does discharge planning include, and when does it start?
  8. Which plans are you in network with, and what do you need from me for the coverage check?
  9. Can you help with transportation?

Frequently asked questions

What should I look for in a treatment program in Colorado Springs?

Use SAMHSA’s five signs of quality treatment: state licensing and accreditation, FDA-approved medication, evidence-based practices, family involvement, and ongoing supports. Ask every program the same five questions and compare the answers.

Does Spring Grove Recovery offer medical detox and residential treatment?

Yes. Spring Grove Recovery provides medically supervised withdrawal management with 24/7 nursing support and residential treatment. The clinical assessment on admission decides where a person starts.

Does Spring Grove Recovery accept Colorado Medicaid?

Medicaid, commercial insurance and private pay are accepted. For Colorado Medicaid (Health First Colorado), Spring Grove Recovery is in network when the plan named on your card is CO Access, Colorado Community Health Alliance or Rocky Mountain Health Plan. Coverage depends on your specific plan, so have your member ID ready. Coverage check happens on the call.

Can someone on methadone come to Spring Grove Recovery?

Yes. Daily dosing continues through a licensed opioid treatment program while the person is in care, or the medical team can support a transition to another medication when that is the right plan.

How long does treatment take?

Length of stay is determined by medical necessity, not a set number of days. It depends on the person’s health, history, and progress, and the care team reassesses throughout.

Can my family be involved?

Yes, once the patient signs a release of information. Spring Grove Recovery offers family psychoeducation in person, right before visitation, and family therapy in person.

What is Colorado’s Behavioral Health Safety Net designation?

It is a Colorado Behavioral Health Administration approval, defined in state law, for licensed behavioral health entities that provide care coordination and designated safety net services. Spring Grove Recovery holds this designation.

Start with one call

If you or someone you love in Colorado Springs needs treatment, call admissions at 719.415.3460. Admissions answers 24/7. Bring the checklist above. Admissions can answer the questions on it, run the coverage check, and explain the next step.

Sources

  1. El Paso County Coroner’s Office. 2025 Annual Report. https://epc-assets.elpasoco.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/Remediated_EPCCO-2025-Annual-Report.pdf
  2. Colorado Springs Gazette. “Coroner’s report: Overdose deaths rise in El Paso County, buck national trend.” September 8, 2026. https://gazette.com/2026/09/08/coroners-report-overdose-deaths-rise-in-el-paso-county-buck-national-trend/
  3. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Quick Guide for Clinicians Based on TIP 45: Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment. https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/samhsa_detoxification_and_substance_abuse_treatment.pdf
  4. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition). https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/podat-3rdEd-508.pdf
  5. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families (SMA14-4126). https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sma14-4126.pdf
  6. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Finding Quality Treatment for Substance Use Disorders (PEP18-TREATMENT-LOC). https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/pep18-treatment-loc.pdf
  7. Colorado Revised Statutes § 27-50-101, Definitions (Behavioral Health Administration). https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_27-50-101
  8. Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program). https://www.healthfirstcolorado.com/
  9. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit (PEP23-03-00-001). https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/overdose-prevention-response-kit-pep23-03-00-001.pdf
  10. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org/
Questions?

Admissions answers 24/7.

Admissions answers 24/7, 365 days a year. The coverage check happens on the call.

Call 719.415.3460 Paying for Treatment