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Finding Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Lakewood
Lakewood is the largest city in Jefferson County and part of the Denver metro, which means treatment for opioid use disorder is generally within reach here. Opioid treatment programs operate in Lakewood itself and across the neighboring Denver area, and office-based prescribers and telehealth widen the options further.
Three medications are the foundation of care: methadone, buprenorphine (including Suboxone), and naltrexone (including the Vivitrol injection). Which one fits depends on your history, your goals, and a conversation with a clinician. Use the listings on this page to see programs serving the area, and call the helpline if you want help finding a starting point.
Medication Options and Where to Find Them
Opioid use disorder is treated with three medications approved by the FDA, sometimes grouped under the terms medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) or medication-assisted treatment (MAT). The biggest practical difference between them is where each is available.
Methadone for opioid use disorder is dispensed only through a licensed opioid treatment program, often called an OTP, where you take your dose on site until you become eligible for take-home doses.
Buprenorphine, which includes Suboxone and other buprenorphine-naloxone products, can be prescribed in a regular doctor’s office and filled at a pharmacy, or it can be provided through an OTP. It also comes as a monthly extended-release injection (Sublocade).
Naltrexone, including the monthly Vivitrol injection, is not a controlled substance and can be prescribed by any licensed provider, but it starts only after you have been off opioids for a stretch of time.
Care happens in two main settings: opioid treatment programs, which handle methadone and can also offer buprenorphine and naltrexone, and office-based opioid treatment (OBOT), where a clinician prescribes buprenorphine or naltrexone that you fill at a pharmacy.
If you are weighing the choice, it helps to see how methadone and Suboxone compare in everyday life before you call. No option is the right one in the abstract. The best fit is the one you and a clinician choose together, based on your needs.
Starting Treatment, and What the First Visit Is Like
Getting started usually begins with an intake assessment, where a clinician reviews your history and recommends a medication and setting. Bring an ID and any insurance details if you have them, though many programs will still see you if you do not.
Because most opioid overdoses in the area now involve fentanyl, timing matters when starting buprenorphine. Taking it too soon after fentanyl use can trigger sudden, severe withdrawal (called precipitated withdrawal), so a clinician plans your first dose with you.
Methadone induction happens inside the OTP and does not carry that same timing trap. Same-day or next-day starts exist at some programs but vary, so ask when you call.
Jefferson County Public Health also runs a low-barrier Bridge Clinic that can start buprenorphine or naltrexone quickly and connect you to longer-term care. If you are coming off fentanyl specifically, it is worth reading how treatment works after fentanyl use.
Take-Home doses, Telehealth, and Current Policies
Federal rules updated in 2024 matter most if you are transferring or returning to care. Under SAMHSA’s revised standards, opioid treatment programs can provide take-home methadone up to a 28-day supply for patients who are stable in treatment.
Programs can also begin treatment through telehealth, and buprenorphine can be started by telehealth, including by phone in many cases, without a prior in-person visit. Those buprenorphine telehealth flexibilities are current through 2026 and are still being finalized, so confirm what applies with a provider.
Methadone for opioid use disorder is still dispensed on site through an OTP, not at a pharmacy. If you are moving to Lakewood or switching programs, ask a new program about guest dosing and transferring your dose so there is no gap in your long-term methadone treatment.
Paying for Treatment in Colorado
Cost is often the first worry, so start with coverage. Health First Colorado, the state’s Medicaid program, covers all three opioid use disorder medications: methadone through opioid treatment programs, and buprenorphine and naltrexone through the pharmacy benefit.
If you are not enrolled, an OTP or a community health center can often help you apply. Private insurance and Medicare also cover medications for opioid use disorder, though what you pay out of pocket depends on your plan.
If you are uninsured, ask programs about self-pay rates and sliding-scale fees, and about federal SAMHSA block grant funding that some programs use to cover care for people who cannot pay. For the statewide picture, see methadone and MOUD treatment across Colorado.
The Overdose Picture in Jefferson County
Local numbers give useful context without telling the whole story. In 2023, Jefferson County recorded 124 fentanyl-involved deaths, according to preliminary data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
Statewide, the trend has since turned: CDPHE reported that total drug overdose deaths in Colorado fell from 1,865 in 2023 to 1,603 in 2024, with fentanyl-involved deaths dropping from roughly 1,097 to 761 over the same period. Public health officials link part of that decline to wider naloxone distribution and better access to treatment.
Fentanyl is the main driver of opioid deaths here, which is why getting onto an effective medication early makes such a difference. If you want to understand the condition behind these numbers, our overview of opioid use disorder is a plain-language place to start.
Overdose Prevention and Naloxone in Lakewood
Naloxone, the medication that reverses an opioid overdose (you may know it as Narcan), is available over the counter and at pharmacies across Colorado under a statewide standing order from CDPHE. This medication is worth keeping on hand if you or someone close to you uses opioids.
In Lakewood, Jefferson County Public Health runs Points West, a syringe services program at 645 Parfet Street that distributes free naloxone and fentanyl test strips. This location also ffers overdose-response training and links people to testing and treatment. The county’s broader coalition, the Jefferson County Substance Use Partnership, coordinates overdose-prevention work across the area.
Colorado’s 911 Good Samaritan Law also protects people who report an overdose in good faith from certain drug charges, so calling 911 is always the right move. Keep in mind that a return to use can happen. It is a common part of a chronic condition, not a personal failure, and naloxone plus a quick call for help keep it from becoming fatal.
Reentry, Pregnancy, and Other Specific Situations
Some paths into treatment come with additional needs. For people leaving jail, Colorado law now requires many jails to offer medications for opioid use disorder.
Senate Bill 19-008 and House Bill 22-1326 created a jail-based MOUD requirement that took effect July 1, 2023, so more people can continue buprenorphine, naltrexone, or in some cases methadone through custody and connect to community care at release. If you or someone you love is getting out, ask about a community referral and a naloxone kit before release.
For pregnant women, methadone and buprenorphine used in pregnancy are the recommended standard of care, and Colorado’s Medicaid preferred drug list authorizes buprenorphine during pregnancy. Treatment improves outcomes for the parent and lowers the severity of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) when it occurs, so staying in care protects both of you.
Common Questions About Treatment in Lakewood
Is methadone or Suboxone the better choice?
Neither is better in general. Methadone is a full opioid agonist taken daily at an OTP at first, while buprenorphine (Suboxone) is a partial agonist you can often get from an office-based prescriber and a pharmacy. The right fit depends on your history, schedule, and goals, and is a decision to make with a clinician.
Can I start treatment the same day?
Sometimes. Some Lakewood-area programs offer same-day or next-day intake, and Jefferson County Public Health’s Bridge Clinic is built for low-barrier, quick starts on buprenorphine or naltrexone. Availability changes week to week, so call the programs in the listings or the helpline to ask what is open now.
Do I have to go in every day?
At first, methadone is usually dosed on site daily. As you stabilize, federal rules allow take-home methadone up to a 28-day supply, decided by your program. Buprenorphine and naltrexone from an office-based prescriber typically involve far fewer visits and are often filled monthly at a pharmacy.
Will Health First Colorado cover it?
Yes. Health First Colorado, the state Medicaid program, covers all three medications: methadone through opioid treatment programs, and buprenorphine and naltrexone through the pharmacy benefit.
Private insurance and Medicare cover treatment too, though out-of-pocket costs vary by plan. If you are uninsured, ask programs about self-pay and sliding-scale options.
Can I begin Suboxone by phone?
Often, yes. Buprenorphine can be started through telehealth, including by phone in many cases, without a prior in-person visit. These flexibilities are current through 2026 and still being finalized, so confirm what applies with the provider. Methadone still starts through an OTP, sometimes with a telehealth visit.
Isn’t methadone just trading one addiction for another?
No. Taking a prescribed, steady medication that prevents withdrawal and cravings is treatment for a medical condition, not a new addiction, even when it continues long term. If you are weighing dependence against addiction, our explainer on whether you can get addicted to methadone walks through the difference.
Details and Disclosures
Last reviewed July 2026.
Sources
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado drug overdose data and overdose prevention, 2024. https://cdphe.colorado.gov/overdose-prevention
- Jefferson County Public Health, Substance Use Services (Points West, Bridge Clinic, Jefferson County Substance Use Partnership), 2025. https://www.jeffco.us/3621/Substance-Use-Services
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, telemedicine rule for buprenorphine access and 42 CFR Part 8 standards, 2024 to 2025. https://www.samhsa.gov/about/news-announcements/statements/2025/dea-and-hhs-issue-final-telemedicine-rule-for-buprenorphine-access
- Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, Health First Colorado pharmacy benefits, 2026. https://hcpf.colorado.gov/pharmacy-benefits
- Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Misuse Prevention, naloxone access and Colorado’s 911 Good Samaritan Law, 2023. https://corxconsortium.org/naloxone/
Not a provider: MethadoneCenters.com is a referrer service that shares information about addiction treatment providers and facilities. It is not a medical provider or treatment facility, does not provide medical advice, does not endorse any facility, and does not guarantee the quality of care or the results of any treatment. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
About the helpline: The helpline on this page is sponsored. Calls to a general helpline may be answered by SAMHSA or a verified treatment provider. We receive no commission or fee based on which provider a caller chooses, and there is no obligation to enter treatment.