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Adult Outpatient Services

Adult Outpatient Clinics | Intensive Case Management for Homeless | Residential Programs

The People We Serve

We treat persons - 18 and older - with significant mental illness. For many, prior to coming to MHCD, their illnesses have gone untreated and they have no stability in life. Their basic needs like housing, food, and safety are not met. They are homeless or at risk of being homeless, hospitalized, or have been in jail. Life is full of despair and they are at risk of being victimized and of committing suicide. Approximately one-half have a substance abuse disorder in addition to mental illness.

Consumer Engagement

MHCD staff partners with consumers. We work to help them achieve their life goals and work toward their recovery. At intake and at various intervals throughout treatment, consumers define recovery for themselves and we match the level of service we provide to their needs. Together, we create individual treatment plans (ISPs) that focus on their strengths and provide support in all areas of life, allowing them to realize their vision of recovery.

Adult Outpatient Clinics and Services

Six adult outpatient clinics serve Denver. All MHCD clinics are staffed by multi-disciplinary teams of psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, nurses, case managers,social workers, substance abuse counselors, medical assistants and support staff that deliver a specialized array of services:

• Crisis and emergency services
• Counseling and mental health services; individual, group and family therapy
• Combined mental health and substance abuse treatment for co-occurring disorders
• Case management services to work with consumers in the community. Assistance with coordinating community services; medical care, housing resources, substance abuse treatment, and education and vocational training
• Individual treatment planning
• Psychiatric evaluation, prescription of medication, and medication monitoring
• Psycho-education

Intensive Case Management (ICM) for the homeless or those at-risk of homelessness

Intensive Case Management arose from the settlement of a class action lawsuit filed in 1981 against the City of Denver and the State of Colorado on behalf of mental health consumers who were being underserved. Read more about the Goebel lawsuit.

In a settlement of the lawsuit, the state of Colorado contracted with MHCD to provide a special array of services to 1600 adults recovering from mental illness that are also homeless or at risk of being hospitalized.

MHCD has specific staff designated to work closely with hospitals, social service organizations, and shelters that serve homeless people to identify and engage them in treatment.

Nine intensive case management and treatment teams work with these consumers at various levels of intensity providing:

residential treatment, psychiatric services including medication management, linking people to natural supports in the community, finding appropriate housing, accessing education and vocational rehabilitation, finding jobs, and increasing social supports and much more.

The foundations of this program are Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and Integrated Dual Diagnosis Disorders Treatment (IDDT) for those needing substance abuse and mental health treatment.

Residential Programs

It's our goal to help our consumers locate safe, stable and affordable housing that meets their needs – needs that change during their recovery process .

Residential Treatment Facilities

MHCD staffs eighteen licensed assisted living residences operated as residential treatment facilities designed as alternatives to hospitalization to stabilize mental health and substance abuse issues. And to promote recovery.

• Programs are for MHCD consumers or those referred to MHCD.
• Programs are for individuals 18 and over.
• Programs teach life skills, provide group and individual therapy, and substance abuse treatment.
• Programs vary in length from 4-7 days for up to 90 days a year.

Two residential facilities are a part of SURGE (Substance Use Recovery Gaining Empowerment or SURGE ) specializing in Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment (IDDT.) This nationally recognized model developed by MHCD provides comprehensive treatment to those with major mental illness and substance abuse. Read "Letting Recovery Take Root."

Congregate Apartments

MHCD oversees five apartment buildings that provide consumers an opportunity for independent living, many for the first time.

Five buildings have on-site managers who are MHCD employees who provide support for residents beginning the independent living experience.

Housing subsidies MHCD's housing office manages over 600 state and federal housing subsidies for MHCD consumers. Homeownership MHCD housing subsidy programs provide assistance to consumers who want to buy their own homes.