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Out of all of the treatment programs available to Colorado residents who are dealing with a drug or alcohol problem, around 400 are outpatient programs which comprise over 90% of the treatment available in the state. These are for the most part regular and intensive treatment facilities, although a small portion of the outpatient programs in the state provide day-treatment and partial hospitalization. For individuals who need detoxification services on an outpatient basis, there are 18 facilities providing such treatment as well as 8 providing opiate maintenance services. Opiate maintenance outpatient programs administer either methadone or buprenorphine to opiate dependent clients to help reduce or eliminate cravings and stop opiate withdrawal. This approach is one which will be an indefinite one, and for most a permanent maintenance regiment that will need to be maintained every day to stop withdrawal and cravings. So it is a personal choice and a quality of life issue as to which outpatient program is chosen in Colorado.

In Colorado, regular outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment services differ only in the intensity in which treatment is offered for the most part. In a regular outpatient treatment program clients are typically required to take part in treatment services 1 day per week, whereas intensive outpatient clients are involved in treatment for at least 3 days per week for 9-12 hours per day. Intensive outpatient in Colorado is the best option for someone who needs a more robust system of support than what a regular outpatient programs can offer, such as someone who is at a high risk of relapse because of a co-occurring disorder or simply because they are newly abstinent and are not confident about remaining drug free. Outpatient clients who attend either a regular or intensive outpatient program typically receive individuals counseling and group therapy, and some programs even offer family therapy. There are both 12-step models available and alternative outpatient programs in Colorado including those which offer a holistic approach.