Behavioral health

Behavioral health specialists help individuals to overcome mental health challenges and addiction disorders. Whether you’re dealing with the stress of daily living or facing a crisis, you can find compassionate care at a UCHealth facility in northern Colorado or metro Denver.

Our network of hospitals and facilities gives you access to evidence-based treatment from leading experts across Colorado. We offer behavioral health services for people of all ages, from infants, children, and teens to adults at all stages of life.

Outpatient and inpatient behavioral health care for all ages

Our services include 24-hour crisis emergency care, inpatient treatment, detox, substance abuse treatment, outpatient therapy, medication management, substance abuse, and adult and adolescent behavioral intensive outpatient programs. In addition, we are implementing more behavioral health services within the primary care setting.

Because mental health affects the whole family, we’ll work with you and those you love to restore your well-being and quality of life.

CeDAR - Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation

Metro Denver's premier addiction treatment center

CeDAR – Center for Dependency, Addiction and Rehabilitation is UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital’s premier addiction treatment center. Our innovative, evidence-based programs not only save lives, they provide a meaningful foundation for long-term recovery from addiction.

We deliver the highest level of comprehensive treatment for people 18 years and older who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse. As part of UCHealth, CeDAR is the most qualified treatment center for working with addiction-related medical and psychiatric conditions.

UCHealth Mountain Crest Behavioral Health Center

Award-winning behavioral care in northern Colorado

UCHealth Mountain Crest Behavioral Health Center helps adults and adolescents with mental health issues and substance abuse issues achieve a balanced life and a high level of health and well-being.

Mountain Crest offers thorough mental health assessments and treatment programs for adolescents, adults, senior citizens and families. Inpatient and outpatient programs are available.

With accreditation by national and state agencies, Mountain Crest is a service of Poudre Valley Hospital but operates in a modern stand-alone center on a beautiful campus with trees, lawns and other outdoor benefits for therapeutic use.

Counseling services for patients in the hospital

When you’re in the hospital, you and your family can receive counseling for a variety of issues and concerns, including:

  • Advance directives and end-of-life care.
  • Child and adult protection.
  • Conflict mediation.
  • Domestic violence.
  • Emotional support.
  • Inpatient counseling and outpatient referrals.
  • Organ, bone and tissue donation.
  • Substance abuse.

Our team of licensed clinical social workers has special expertise and training to address a range of psychological and social areas that affect patients and families. We can also provide referrals for outpatient counseling.

We’re available on an extended schedule and on call for emergencies. Ask your nursing staff for assistance contacting us.

Outpatient psychiatric services

UCHealth in metro Denver and Mountain Crest Behavioral Health Center offer a full range of outpatient psychiatric services for infants, children and adolescents through older adults.

Patient-centered treatment

We incorporate evidence-based techniques in patient treatment plans. Our approach is:

  • Client-centered: We focus on individual needs and concerns in the context of our patients’ lives.
  • Strength-based: We focus on solutions rather than problems using available client and community resources.
  • Inclusive of multiple modalities: We use a variety of approaches, such as psychotherapy, crisis management, medications, environmental support and community resources.

Conditions we treat

We treat all major psychiatric conditions, such as:

Conditions we don’t treat

Currently we do not provide the following services:

  • Forensic evaluations.
  • Intensive case management services.
  • Primary services for developmental disabilities.
  • Services to individuals who have a legal status other than voluntary.
  • Specialized care for drug and alcohol conditions (see instead CeDAR, Mountain Crest entries above).

Types of therapy

Forms of treatment include individual, groups, family and couples therapy. Group therapy services include:

  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (coping and mindfulness)
  • Medication maintenance
  • Psychodynamic (insight-oriented)
  • Relationship Counseling

Community-based psychiatry

UCHealth offers community-based psychiatry to support children, adolescents and parents and to preserve families. Our services include:

  • Early Childhood Intensive Family Therapy: For children age 0-6 with mental health diagnosis and behavioral disorders or at high-risk for abuse or neglect.
  • Intensive Family Therapy: For children and youth age 0-17 with mental health issues.
  • Multisystemic Therapy: For youth age 12-17 involved in the legal system with co-occurring mental health issues.
  • Rapid Response: For children and youth age 0-17 transitioning from hospital placement.

Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program

A virtual group therapy model that removes barriers to access.

UCHealth launched its Virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) in 2022, to improve patient access to specialized behavioral health care. The goal is to ensure vulnerable Coloradans continue to receive high-level therapy and support, no matter where they live.

The virtual IOP provides intensive treatment for Coloradans who are struggling with life issues that are interfering with work, school or daily living. Their mental health challenges might include depression, PTSD, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, substance use or other major illness. The program includes virtual group therapy sessions for three hours, three times per week, for six to eight weeks.

Removing barriers

Prior to the implementation of this program, patients would be seen in private, in-person therapy. The virtual group therapy model removes barriers, such as needing to travel a long distance from home multiple times per week, and increases access to what can be life-saving treatments, especially in rural parts of the state where therapy gaps exist.

Currently our IOP program consists of five different therapy groups. The largest one, the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) group, is for patients who are experiencing symptoms of trauma, emotion dysregulation, challenges with relationships, symptoms of borderline personality disorder, or, at times, challenges with mood and suicidal ideation and self-harm.

Additional groups include Depression and Anxiety; Adolescent IOP; Mental Health and Substance Use; and Grief and Trauma. These groups are completely virtual and take place in the comfort of the patient’s home.

How to connect

Patients can be connected to the virtual IOP by their UCHealth provider, or they can self-refer.

To learn more, or to be screened to join the program, call 970.266.4144 or 970.207.4805.

Behavioral health in primary care

Access mental health services in your primary care provider's office

We’re integrating behavioral health services within primary care to provide even more access to mental health treatment and care. Many UCHealth primary care clinics offer behavioral health services for existing patients.

We plan to integrate behavioral health resources into most UCHealth primary care clinics in the coming months.

Coordinated care to promote overall wellness

Licensed clinical social workers, psychologists or other behavioral health specialists will work alongside primary care physicians to provide immediate resources to current primary care patients. If a patient needs a consultation with a psychiatrist during his or her visit, UCHealth’s Virtual Health Center will provide a video connection right to the exam room.