Expert Insights
My heart was so happy to read that an abandoned building in Aurora that once operated as a liquor store is now an art gallery, giving local artists the opportunity to offer healing through art. As a state ravaged by addiction, particularly alcohol addiction, it seems poetic that the new East Colfax Art Gallery and Studio will give back to locals instead of taking away their health for profit. And what’s even better is that the art is local diverse voices that truly represent the people of Aurora — a place where over 90 languages are spoken. I think this is an innovative approach to tackling addiction: replacing alcohol with creativity and community!
How We Rank Listings
Every facility on this page is a licensed or accredited provider drawn from public treatment registries and verified against state licensing records. We prioritize listings by the completeness and accuracy of their program information, their accreditation status, and the range of care they offer so that people searching for help in Aurora see relevant, trustworthy options first.
Our ranking process weighs several factors:
- Verified state licensing and third-party accreditation, such as the Joint Commission, CARF, and NAATP membership
- Levels of care offered, from medical detox through outpatient and continuing care
- Accepted payment types, including Health First Colorado (Medicaid), Medicare, private insurance, and self-pay
- Specialized programming for populations such as veterans, young adults, and LGBTQ+ clients
- Completeness and recency of the facility’s published program details
We do not accept payment in exchange for higher placement. Listings are informational and are not an endorsement or a substitute for a clinical recommendation.
Rehab in Aurora: What to Know
Aurora is Colorado’s third-largest city and sits mostly in Arapahoe County, with portions reaching into Adams and Douglas counties on the eastern edge of the Denver metro area. That location gives residents access to a dense regional network of care: Our directory lists 37 treatment facilities in and around the city, and many more sit a short drive away across the wider metro. People comparing options here can also browse the full Colorado rehab directory to see programs in neighboring communities like Denver, Centennial, and Littleton.
Aurora anchors a large share of the region’s behavioral health infrastructure. The city is home to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, and Aurora Mental Health & Recovery operates one of the metro’s busiest crisis and outpatient behavioral health systems. Because Aurora spans three counties, residents may qualify for services through more than one county health department depending on their address, which is worth confirming when you begin looking at addiction treatment options.
Opioids, and fentanyl in particular, have driven much of the local need for treatment. Arapahoe County recorded its highest-ever fentanyl death toll in 2023 before deaths began to decline in 2024, and the county has invested opioid-settlement dollars into detox, sober living, peer navigation, and harm reduction. If opioid use disorder is part of the picture for you or a loved one, several Aurora-area programs offer medication-assisted treatment alongside counseling.
Cost, insurance, and the type of care you need will shape your options. The sections below break down what treatment tends to cost in Colorado, how people in Aurora pay for it, the levels of care available locally, specialized programming, and free or low-cost resources for those who need immediate support.
Cost of Rehab in Aurora
The cost of treatment in Aurora depends far more on the level of care than on the city itself. Medical detox and residential inpatient programs, which include housing and round-the-clock supervision, sit at the high end. Outpatient counseling and medication-assisted treatment cost considerably less because you continue living at home.
Statewide, published estimates place a typical 30-day residential stay in the tens of thousands of dollars, while outpatient care over the same period runs a fraction of that. Because Aurora is part of the higher-cost Denver metro, local prices tend to land at or above the Colorado average.
Insurance changes this math significantly. Colorado has one of the lower uninsured rates in the country, and both private plans and Health First Colorado (the state’s Medicaid program) cover medically necessary substance use treatment.
Verifying your benefits before you commit is the single most useful step you can take to understand your out-of-pocket cost. Our guide to verifying your rehab benefits walks through how to do that.
Several factors move the final price up or down:
If you are weighing a residential program against an outpatient one, it helps to understand how the two differ in structure and price. Our overviews of inpatient rehab and outpatient rehab explain what each level of care involves.
How to Pay for Rehab in Aurora
Across the 37 facilities listed in Aurora, most accept some combination of self-payment, private insurance, and public coverage, and many offer more than one path to make treatment affordable. The breakdown below shows how many local programs accept each payment type.
The right payment path depends on your coverage and circumstances. The subsections below cover the most common options for Aurora residents.
Medicare
Medicare covers substance use treatment for eligible older adults and people with qualifying disabilities, including inpatient care, outpatient services, and medication. Nine facilities in Aurora accept Medicare. Coverage details, including deductibles and coinsurance, depend on whether you have Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, so it is worth confirming what your plan includes before you enroll in a program.
Medicaid
Health First Colorado, the state’s Medicaid program, is one of the largest payers for addiction treatment in Colorado and covers comprehensive substance use services at no cost to eligible residents. That includes medical detox, inpatient and outpatient care, and medication-assisted treatment such as buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone.
Sixteen Aurora facilities accept Health First Colorado. Adults earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level generally qualify, and you can apply through the state’s enrollment system.
Military Benefits
Aurora has a significant veteran and active-duty population, anchored by the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center. Ten local facilities accept TRICARE, and veterans may also access substance use care directly through the VA. If you or a family member served, our rehab resources for veterans outline the coverage and treatment options available.
Insurance and Private Pay
Twenty-four Aurora facilities accept private health insurance, and 35 accept self-payment. Most private plans cover medically necessary treatment, though your out-of-pocket cost will depend on your deductible, coinsurance, and whether the facility is in your network. Calling both your insurer and the facility to confirm coverage before admission can prevent surprises later.
Other Low-Cost Options
For those without robust coverage, 16 Aurora facilities offer sliding-scale fees based on income, 14 offer financial assistance, and six offer financing plans. These options can bring the cost of treatment within reach even for people paying largely out of pocket.
Free Treatment Programs
Two facilities in Aurora offer free treatment, and additional no-cost support is available through community and county programs described later on this page. Some facilities also participate in scholarship programs that cover part or all of the cost of care. Our overview of rehab scholarships explains how these work and who qualifies.
Many Aurora-area facilities work with major insurance carriers, including:
- Aetna
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Cigna
- Health First Colorado
- Kaiser Permanente
- Medicare
- TRICARE
- UnitedHealthcare
Levels of Care Available in Aurora
Aurora offers a full continuum of care, from medically supervised detox through long-term outpatient support. Our directory lists 12 detox facilities, 10 inpatient programs, and 36 outpatient clinics in the area, along with programs for co-occurring mental health conditions.
Medical detox is often the first step for people dependent on alcohol, opioids, or benzodiazepines, since withdrawal from these substances can be dangerous without supervision. Aurora’s 12 detox facilities provide medically managed withdrawal before the transition into ongoing treatment. Learn more about what to expect from medical detox.
Inpatient and residential rehab provide 24-hour care in a structured, live-in setting, typically over 30, 60, or 90 days. This level of care suits people with more severe substance use disorders or unstable home environments, and it often begins right after detox.
Partial hospitalization and outpatient programs let people live at home while attending treatment. Aurora’s 36 outpatient clinics range from intensive day programs to weekly counseling, making this the most flexible and widely available level of care in the area. Programs are typically structured by intensity, from partial hospitalization down to standard weekly sessions.
Dual diagnosis care treats substance use and a co-occurring mental health condition together. With 26 local programs offering it, this is a strength of Aurora’s treatment landscape, which is important given how often substance use overlaps with conditions like depression and anxiety.
Recovery rarely ends when a program does. Continuing care, whether through a sober living home, ongoing therapy, or peer support, plays a major role in maintaining progress. Our guide to rehab aftercare covers how to build a plan for the months after treatment.
Specialty Programs in Aurora
Many Aurora facilities tailor their programming to specific populations, recognizing that effective treatment often depends on addressing the particular circumstances a person brings with them. The programs below reflect the specialties most represented among local facilities.
Aurora’s 28 alcohol use disorder programs and 18 opioid-focused programs reflect the two substances most often behind local treatment admissions. For younger clients, the area’s 31 young adult programs address the specific pressures facing young adult and college student substance use.
The city’s 12 LGBTQ+ affirming addiction care programs and six veterans and military programs serve populations that often face added barriers to treatment. Women’s, men’s, and older-adult programs round out the local options.
Free and Low-Cost Rehab Resources in Aurora
Cost should never be the reason someone goes without help. Aurora and the surrounding counties offer a range of free and low-cost services, from 24-hour crisis support to harm reduction and county behavioral health programs.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. For urgent emotional or substance use support, the resources below are available at no cost.
Crisis Lines
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/ Call or text 988 for free, confidential support 24/7. In Colorado, calls also connect to the state crisis system. Learn more about crisis and suicide prevention resources.
- Colorado Crisis Services / 988 Colorado Mental Health Line: https://www.988colorado.com/en Call or text 1-844-493-8255 for mental health, substance use, and emotional crisis support, available 24/7 in English and Spanish.
- SAMHSA National Helpline: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357). A free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information service in English and Spanish.
County Health and Behavioral Health
- Aurora Mental Health & Recovery, Crisis Walk-In Clinic: https://www.auroramhr.org/get-help/crisis-services/ Potomac Pavilion, 1290 S. Potomac St., Aurora, CO 80012. Same-day, 24/7 screening, assessment, and stabilization for mental health and substance use crises. Call (303) 617-2300.
- Arapahoe County Public Health: https://www.arapahoeco.gov/your_county/county_departments/public_health_department/index.php Offers community behavioral health information and referrals to treatment across the county.
Harm Reduction
- Arapahoe County Public Health, Prevention Point: https://www.arapahoeco.gov/your_county/county_departments/public_health_department/community_health/substance_use/prevention_point_mobile_service.php A mobile harm reduction service offering syringe access and disposal, naloxone (Narcan) distribution, fentanyl test strips, and referrals to treatment. The county also operates fixed-site syringe access and Narcan kiosks across the region.
- Syringe access, Aurora: https://www.ittakesavillagecolorado.org/ It Takes a Village, 1475 Lima St., Aurora, CO 80010 (through the door marked B4E), Monday and Friday, 1 to 4 p.m. Call ahead to confirm hours. I
Veterans and Military
- Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center: https://www.va.gov/eastern-colorado-health-care/locations/rocky-mountain-regional-va-medical-center/ 1700 N. Wheeling St., Aurora, CO 80045. Provides substance use and mental health treatment for enrolled veterans. Veterans in crisis can call 988 and press 1.
Government and Medicaid
- Health First Colorado (Colorado Medicaid): https://www.healthfirstcolorado.gov/ Covers comprehensive substance use treatment at no cost for eligible residents. Apply through the state enrollment system or call 1-800-221-3943.
Drug and Alcohol Use Statistics in Aurora
Aurora’s treatment need is shaped by the opioid crisis affecting Arapahoe County and the wider Denver metro. Fentanyl drove overdose deaths to record levels in 2023 before the county began to see a decline in 2024, a shift local officials credit in part to expanded naloxone distribution and harm reduction efforts. The figures below capture the most recent county and state data available.
Statewide, opioids remained the leading driver of fatal overdoses. In 2023, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids were involved in 61 percent of all overdose deaths in Colorado, underscoring why so much of the region’s opioid treatment capacity focuses on medication-assisted care. Neighboring Adams County, which includes part of northern Aurora, recorded 136 fentanyl deaths in 2023, among the highest county totals in the state.
These numbers reflect real strain on Aurora-area families and providers, but the 2024 decline in Arapahoe County offers a measure of encouragement. For a broader picture of substance use trends, see our national substance use statistics.
Resources
- Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office / Denver7. (2026). Arapahoe County sees progress fighting overdose deaths with Narcan kits and kiosks. https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/in-your-community/aurora-arapahoe-county/arapahoe-county-sees-progress-fighting-overdose-deaths-with-narcan-kits-and-kiosks
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Vital Statistics Program. (2025). Colorado Drug Overdose Data and Trends. https://cdphe.colorado.gov/center-for-health-and-environmental-data/registries-and-vital-statistics/state-unintentional-drug
- USAFacts. (2026). How many drug overdose deaths happen every year in Colorado? https://usafacts.org/answers/how-many-drug-overdose-deaths-happen-every-year-in-the-us/state/colorado/
- Colorado Sun. (2024). Colorado fentanyl deaths continue to rise. https://coloradosun.com/2024/05/22/colorado-fentanyl-deaths-dea-approach/
