CuraWest, Colorado Substance Use Disorder Treatment Center, Now In-Network with Colorado Access and Colorado Community Health Alliance

DENVER, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, May 3, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- CuraWest, a Guardian Recovery Network facility, announces its in-network contract with Colorado Access and Colorado Community Health Alliance (CCHA), two Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program) regional organizations.

Colorado Access and CCHA are Health First Colorado regional organizations serving the counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, El Paso, Gilpin, Jefferson, Park, and Teller. They administer physical and behavioral health benefits and coordinate care and services for over 1 million members statewide. CuraWest’s in-network status with Colorado Access and CCHA removes a significant financial barrier many Colorado residents face when seeking treatment for substance use disorders.

Coloradans cite inadequate insurance coverage and absence of affordable treatment services as the largest preventative factors they face in receiving behavioral healthcare services. The 2019 Colorado Health Access Survey found that over 2.5% of Coloradans 18 and older (95,000 individuals) did not get treatment or counseling to address their dependencies, predominantly because of financial barriers.

Brian Tierney, CuraWest’s Executive Director, shared that the new contract is in line with the organization's mission to help all those suffering with substance use disorders (SUDs). “Working with Colorado Access and CCHA allows us to serve more people in need of life-saving care before it's too late.”

Rob Bremer, PhD, Vice President of Behavioral Health for Colorado Access, adds, “Colorado Access is excited to add CuraWest to our network of providers. Their work to expand SUD services will be extremely beneficial to Coloradans with Medicaid.”
Medicaid Removes Barriers to Accessible Care

In 2022, approximately 25% of Coloradans (1.73 million individuals) received healthcare through Health First Colorado. However, very few privately funded treatment centers in the Denver area accept coverage from regional accountable entities (RAEs), like Colorado Access and CCHA. CuraWest is unique in that it is a privately-run treatment center that offers a highly individualized curriculum of care and works with RAEs in Denver and surrounding areas.

“As the number of Colorado residents covered by Health First Colorado increases, so does the need for quality providers that accept their coverage,” says Joshua Foster, Chief Operating Officer at Guardian Recovery Network. “Never has there been a more important time for providers, who often exclusively serve commercially-insured patients, to expand their services to those covered by state-funded insurances. Since its start, Guardian Recovery Network has worked diligently to provide care to every person in need of substance use treatment. We are thrilled we can now serve more Coloradans.”

The Colorado Opioid Epidemic

Becoming in-network with Colorado Access and CCHA also allows CuraWest the opportunity to further combat the statewide opioid epidemic. Drug overdose death rates have increased dramatically in Colorado. Most of these deaths are linked to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid roughly 100 times more potent than morphine. Colorado saw a near 70% increase in fatal fentanyl overdoses from 2020 to 2021, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

“Opioid overdose deaths have increased year after year since the pandemic,” says Foster. “Providing Colorado Access and CCHA-covered Coloradans with a high level, step-down treatment program means fewer addiction cases and fewer untimely overdose deaths.”

Fentanyl is found in both powder and pill form and is frequently mixed with other substances like cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. Controlled substances found in Colorado are rarely pure, putting even novice and first-time users at risk.

“There is an increased sense of urgency attached to the Colorado opioid epidemic,” Tierney says. “Waiting to ‘hit rock bottom’ is no longer an option; using fentanyl once can result in a fatal overdose. Thresholds need to be raised and barriers to care must be rapidly eliminated. Removing the financial barrier to treatment is essential.”

CuraWest’s Commitment to Accessible & Effective Addiction Treatment

In Spring 2022, CuraWest expanded to include residential substance use disorder treatment, offered as a follow-up level of care at a newly remodeled, state-of-the-art facility in the Porter Medical Plaza. Once a client has been physically stabilized in the detoxification portion of the program, they are encouraged into the inpatient program where they will remain engaged in intensive therapeutic treatment for between 7 and 21 days.

Transitioning from medical detoxification directly into a supplemental level of care provides an invaluable opportunity for a more comprehensive and tailored treatment plan. Clients make lasting lifestyle changes, gain a deeper understanding of their disorder, and develop the skills necessary to maintain their recovery.

“Providing medical detoxification and inpatient treatment in the same setting provides clients with improved outcomes,” Tierney explains. “Aftercare programming offered through CuraWest provides an added layer of support as those in recovery transition back to the larger community, their job, and families. This continuum of care offers clients a better chance at maintaining long-term sobriety and we are pleased that we can now offer it to more Coloradans.”

Donald Prince
Guardian Recovery Network
+1 5615739944
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.