Sober Living Homes in Colorado

What is a sober living home and how is it different from rehab?

A sober living home, also called a recovery residence, is shared housing free of alcohol and drugs that supports recovery but is not treatment, while rehab is a clinical program. In Colorado, residential treatment programs deliver therapy and medical care on site and are licensed by the Behavioral Health Administration.

A correctional halfway house is different again, because it houses people under justice supervision. A typical sober home is a private living arrangement with its own rules on curfew, guests, chores and drug testing, and rent is usually paid by the resident.

Many Coloradans move into a sober home after a stay listed under residential rehab in Colorado, or while attending an intensive outpatient program or outpatient care nearby. Policies on buprenorphine and methadone differ from house to house, so ask before applying.

Oversight of these homes is changing. The Colorado Association of Recovery Residences currently certifies them against national standards, and a new state law moves them to direct licensing by the Behavioral Health Administration by July 1, 2027. Until then, ask any home to show its current certificate and look it up with the association.

Are sober living homes in Colorado certified or regulated?

Colorado has a state-approved certification system for recovery residences, and that system is moving to direct state licensing. Under section 25-1.5-108.5 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, added by HB 19-1009, the BHA approved the Colorado Association of Recovery Residences (CARR) as the certifying body, and CARR applies national NARR standards. NARR writes the standards; certification itself runs through state affiliates such as CARR.

Senate Bill 26-113 shifts oversight to the BHA itself. The agency plans to accept licensure applications from May 1, 2027, and recovery residences must hold a BHA license by July 1, 2027. Until then, ask any home whether it holds current CARR certification, ask to see the certificate, and look the home up with CARR. After mid-2027, ask for the BHA license instead.

What do the NARR levels of support mean?

NARR levels describe how much staffing a home offers.

How much does sober living cost in Colorado, and who pays?

Rent for a Colorado sober home is usually paid by the resident, and the amount varies with the home, its level of support and its location.

Public money does reach recovery support in Colorado. The Colorado Opioid Abatement Council directs opioid settlement funds through 19 regional councils that can fund recovery services, and the BHA administers federal opioid response grants that include recovery support. People in a court-ordered program can ask their case team about housing, and state-funded treatment in Colorado may help cover the clinical side. Health First Colorado, the state’s Medicaid program, pays for covered treatment services; ask both the home and your plan before assuming rent is included (see Medicaid rehab).

What should you ask before moving into a sober home?

Before moving in, ask how the house handles rules, testing, length of stay, money and a return to use. Useful questions cover curfew, guest and chore rules; how and how often drug testing is done; any minimum or maximum stay; and the refund policy if you leave early. Some Colorado homes discharge residents after a return to use, so ask whether staff help arrange a safe next step, such as a detox program, rather than leaving someone with nowhere to go.

People in recovery from a substance use disorder are generally protected from housing discrimination under the federal Fair Housing Act, and a resident who believes a landlord or local rule treated them unfairly can file a complaint with federal fair housing authorities.

Can you live in a sober home while taking medication for opioid use disorder?

Some Colorado sober homes accept residents taking buprenorphine or methadone and some do not, so ask before applying. Residents who need a prescriber can look at Suboxone clinics in Colorado or methadone clinics.

Is naloxone kept in the home?

Naloxone in the house is a reasonable thing to ask about, along with whether residents know how to use it. Tolerance drops after time without opioids, so a return to use, especially soon after leaving a home, carries a higher overdose risk. Colorado’s chief medical officer issues naloxone standing orders that let agencies give naloxone to anyone at risk of experiencing or witnessing an overdose, and the state’s Good Samaritan law, C.R.S. 18-1-711, offers immunity to people who report an overdose emergency.

How do you find a sober living home in Colorado here?

The listings below can be filtered by gender, medication-friendly policy, populations served, location and languages spoken. Listed Colorado sober homes are mostly urban, at 56 percent, and sit high, at a median elevation of 5,340 feet. Three in four lie within 25 miles of a river, most often the North Fork South Platte River, a median of 12.2 miles away, and one in four is within 25 miles of a hot spring, most often Penny Hot Springs. Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport is the most common nearest airport, at a median airport distance of 14.2 miles.

Listing details come from government treatment registers, state licensing records, accreditor listings and information the providers supply themselves, so call the home to confirm rules, rent and openings. For other care across the state, start from the Colorado treatment page, or read the national guide to sober living homes.