Skip to main content
Frequently Asked Questions Before Moving Into Treatment

FAQs

What should I bring to treatment?

The following is a list of items that you may bring with you to treatment or have a loved one drop off after you have admitted into the care of Flatirons Recovery.

  • Current medications – All medications must be prescribed for the client, and have the client’s name clearly identified on the packagin, or they will not be allowed.
  • Insurance information – This may be a physical card, or a good resolution digital copy.
  • Driver’s license/Identification Card – This may also be a physical card, or a good resolution digital copy.
  • At least 7 days of clothing, including socks, shoes, flip-flops, and slippers.
  • Hiking boots/snow boots – Clients can expect to go on a number of outdoor activities throughout the year, and a good pair of boots will keep you comfortable on those challenging hikes through the Rocky Mountain foothills.
  • Snow gear (October – March) Winter Hats/Warm Gloves/Scarfs/ski pants/socks/warm clothes – There’s an old saying in Colorado that, if you don’t like the weather, just wait a couple of hours. The weather can be quite unpredictable—especially in the mountains—so please come prepared for the elements.
  • Exercise clothes/shoes – Movement (yoga, hiking, etc.) is a core component of Flatirons Recovery programming both at the treatment center, as well as the house. If it is safe to do so, clients taking part in sober living can expect to go to the gym at least three times per week, and otherwise may utilize the sober living’s exercise equipment.
  • Personal Water Bottle – Hydration is incredibly important for everyone in early recovery, and especially for those coming to Flatirons Recovery from lower altitudes. Please bring your own water bottle, as we strongly discourage clients sharing them with each other.
  • Musical Instruments – Please, please, please feel free to bring musical instruments to play during your time in treatment with us, as music is an extraordinarily positive and effective coping activity.
  • Sunglasses – Proper eye protection at higher altitudes is essential.
  • Headphones/MP3 player
  • Cigarettes – House Managers typically make one run per week to afford clients an opportunity to purchase nicotine, so please bring enough cigarettes to last for the week and money to buy more at that time.
  • Hair dryer/curling iron/brushes/combs
What NOT to bring to treatment
  • Weapons of any kind.
  • Clothing that advertises alcohol, or any other kind of drugs such as for marijuana dispensaries.
  • Illegal or unauthorized narcotics and/or drug paraphernalia.
  • Colognes, and/or perfumes.
  • Any medications that have been prescribed for other people, or that are without a label.
  • Any kind of erotic toys, pornography, or videos.
  • Any kind of toiletries, aerosols, or anything at all that contains alcohol.
  • Valuables, as Flatirons Recovery is not liable for any lost or stolen items during your time in treatment.
Can I take leave from work?

Often times, clients wishing to engage in addiction treatment cannot do so while continuing to work a full, or even part-time, job.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal labor law that provides eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year. The law also requires group health benefits to be maintained during the leave as if employees continued to work instead of taking leave. Employees are also entitled to return to their same or an equivalent job at the end of their FMLA leave.

If you qualify for FMLA leave from your job, Flatirons Recovery staff will work with you and your human resources representative to provide them with all of the necessary documentation to have your leave approved while you are engaging in treatment.

Will I be paid while taking leave from work?

Many employers offer their employees Short Term Disability benefits as a part of their comprehensive benefits packages. This benefit may pay you a portion of your salary while you are on leave from your job due to a qualified medical condition, such as entering treatment for a substance use disorder.

To determine if you have Short Term Disability benefits, contact your company’s benefits administrator, or human resources representative.

If you do have Short Term Disability benefits, Flatirons Recovery staff will work to assist you in providing your benefits administrator with all of the necessary documentation to file your claim.

Am I allowed to have visitors while I am in treatment?

Family Visitation:
Provided that clients have completed the two week Orientation Phase, family members are allowed to visit clients at the counseling center one time during the week, Monday – Friday during the lunch period from 11:30am to 12:15pm.

Clients must fill out a pass for these visits, and they must be approved and coordinated with the Clinical Director, client’s Primary Therapist, or Case Manager.

Weekend Passes:
Provided that clients have completed Orientation Phase, they may be eligible to leave Flatirons Recovery’s housing on a weekend pass for up to 4 hours from 8am – 8pm on Sundays.

The purpose of Weekend Passes are for clients to reconnect with people who are supportive of their recovery process, and approval of them is at the sole discretion of their treatment team.

How long is treatment?

The length of treatment for substance use disorders varies depending upon many different variables, including legal circumstances, finances, family considerations, and employment.

Flatirons Recovery recommends that any client considering substance use disorders treatment at the PHP or IOP levels of care engage for a period of at least 30-days, in order begin in earnest the process of internalizing new skills for maintaining recovery from a substance use disorder, as well as any co-occurring mental health disorders.

Often, engagement in program of treatment for substance use disorders and any co-occurring mental health disorders is only the first step on a path of recovery. For this reason, Flatirons Recovery works with clients to develop strong plans for their aftercare that will focus on a personalized combination of continued therapeutic treatment, engagement with community recovery and/or faith communities, changes in diet, as well as getting plenty of exercises.

What is an IOP or Intensive Outpatient program?

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), intensive outpatient treatment, or IOP, is defined as a program that “typically consists of 9 or more hours of service a week or 6 or more hours for adults and adolescents respectively to treat multidimensional instability. Level 2 encompasses services that are capable of meeting the complex needs of people with addiction and co-occurring conditions. It is an organized outpatient service that delivers treatment services during the day, before or after work or school, in the evening, and/or on weekends.”

At Flatirons Recovery, our IOP program meets Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 5:30 – 8:30pm for group therapy, and also includes 1-hour of weekly individual psychotherapy.

Our IOP program lasts anywhere from 30 to 120 days to meet the individual treatment needs of different clients.

Clients participating in Flatiron Recovery IOP program typically live independently at home, or in a nearby sober living facility.

What is a PHP, or Partial Hospitalization program? Will I be in a hospital?

The good news is that you will not be in a hospital, not even partially!

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) partial hospitalization treatment, or PHP, is defined as a program that “typically provides 20 or more hours of service a week for multidimensional instability that does not require 24-hour care. Level 2 encompasses services that are capable of meeting the complex needs of people with addiction and co-occurring conditions. It is an organized outpatient service that delivers treatment services usually during the day as day treatment or partial hospitalization services.”

Otherwise known as day treatment, our PHP program meets Monday through Friday, from 8:30am – 3:00pm. During the week, clients will participate in a structured, comprehensive group therapy curriculum that includes, but is not limited to, education focused on relapse prevention, developing mindfulness skills, nutrition for early recovery, and engagement in community-based recovery models such as Smart Recovery and AA/12-Step.

It is recommended that clients wishing to engage in PHP live in our staffed sober living house for the duration of their PHP treatment program. For more information about Flatirons Recovery sober living, please click here.

During day treatment, clients will also meet with a therapist for 1-hour of individual therapy per week, participate in family therapy on an as needed basis, as well as meet regularly with our Medical Director for any medication and/or physical health needs.

Our PHP program may last anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks to meet the individual treatment needs of different clients.

Often times, clients will transition from our PHP program to our IOP, for anywhere from 4-12 weeks in order to continue receiving support, structure, and accountability, while re-engaging in work and/or independent living.