Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) in Denver

What is a partial hospitalization program for substance use in Denver?

A partial hospitalization program (PHP) in Denver is day treatment for addiction at level 2.5 of the ASAM Criteria, the placement standard published by the American Society of Addiction Medicine. These programs usually provide 20 or more hours of services a week.

Many hospital PHPs that appear in Denver searches treat mental health only, so ask whether a program treats addiction directly. If depression, trauma or another condition is also present, look for listings that note co-occurring care, or browse dual diagnosis programs in Denver.

Day treatment sits between intensive outpatient and residential care, with group therapy, individual sessions and medication visits on most weekdays while you sleep at home or in a recovery residence. Daily use of alcohol, opioids or sedatives can mean medically managed withdrawal should happen before day treatment starts.

Length depends on your assessment and progress rather than a fixed calendar, with regular reviews and a step down to intensive outpatient or outpatient care when that fits. Coverage varies, so check with both the program and your insurer. Medicare’s day-treatment benefit was designed mostly for mental health care, so ask how the program bills it.

How does PHP compare with IOP and residential care?

PHP sits between outpatient and live-in care in both hours and setting. An intensive outpatient program in Denver usually runs at least 9 hours a week around work or school. Residential rehab in Denver means staying on site around the clock. Day treatment tends to fit people who need daily structure and also have a stable, substance-free place to sleep.

Withdrawal can be a reason to start somewhere else first. People who drink heavily or use opioids or sedatives daily may need medically managed withdrawal before day treatment, so ask for an assessment before choosing a PHP. Detox options in Denver are listed separately.

How many hours a day is PHP in Denver, and how long does it last?

A typical substance use PHP runs on weekdays for much of the day. Group therapy, individual sessions and medical or medication visits add up to 20 or more hours a week. Your assessment and progress set the length, not a fixed calendar. Plan for several weeks, with regular reviews and a step down to IOP or outpatient care when that fits.

Getting to the program every day matters as much as the clinical plan. RTD runs over 100 bus routes and 10 rail lines across the metro, and listed programs draw people from places such as Wheat Ridge, Aurora and Littleton. Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport is the closest airport for nine in ten listed programs, a median of 13.6 miles away. Half sit within 25 miles of a river, most often the North Fork South Platte. Ask whether you will sleep at home or in a recovery residence. Colorado certifies recovery residences through CARR, and direct licensing by the Behavioral Health Administration is due by July 1, 2027.

Will Health First Colorado, Medicare or private insurance pay for PHP in Denver?

Coverage depends on your plan, so ask both the program and your insurer before you start. In Denver County, Health First Colorado members may be enrolled in Elevate (Denver Health) Medicaid Choice, which handles behavioral health through Colorado Access. Ask whether level 2.5 day treatment is covered and whether it needs prior approval, or see programs that accept Medicaid. Medicare’s partial hospitalization benefit is written mainly around mental health care, so check how a program bills Medicare. Medicare rehab in Denver lists options. Private plans generally must follow federal parity rules for substance use benefits.

Denver residents who are uninsured or underinsured can call Signal Behavioral Health Network, the regional safety-net administrator, at 888-607-4462. To check a program’s license, search the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration, which licenses providers through its Behavioral Health Entity license. In a crisis, call or text 988, which now answers for Colorado’s statewide crisis line. For day treatment elsewhere in Colorado, see PHP programs across Colorado, or return to all treatment listed in Denver.