Your First Visit
What to Expect at Your First Visit
Your first visit is a medical assessment, and if methadone is right for you, a first dose taken here. Plan for two to three hours. Walk-ins are welcome before 11:30 AM, and calling ahead means we can have everything ready for you.
The assessment comes first
Before anyone receives a dose, a clinician reviews your opioid use history, your medical history, any other medications you take and your mental health. All of those change what a safe starting dose looks like, which is why the assessment cannot be skipped or rushed.
Expect a physical check, a urine sample, and direct questions about what you have been using and how much. Those are dosing questions rather than moral ones, and an incomplete answer makes your first dose less safe rather than more.
Start low and go slow is the principle. Your first dose is deliberately modest and is adjusted over the following days, so if you leave feeling it was not quite enough, that is expected and it is not your final dose.
Good to know before you come
- Bring a photo ID, and your insurance or Health First Colorado information if you have it
- Arrive before 11:30 AM if you are hoping to be dosed the same day
- Plan for two to three hours, and try not to drive yourself home
- We verify your benefits during the visit, so you know your share before treatment begins
- Nobody here will judge you, and you can stop the process at any point
Can you walk in?
Yes, walk-ins are welcome before 11:30 AM, and same-day admission is possible when you are eligible for it. The reason for the cut-off is the assessment: it takes two to three hours, so arriving later in the morning usually means booking you back in rather than dosing that day. Calling first is never wasted, because we can tell you what to bring and make sure there is time set aside.
Call 720-756-7162Step By Step
How the first visit runs
Arrive and register
Come to 6310 E. Exposition Ave with your ID. Before 11:30 AM if you would like to be dosed that day.
Medical assessment
A clinician reviews your history and current health. This is the longest part of the visit and it decides your starting dose.
Paperwork and consent
Consent forms and confidentiality paperwork, including your rights under the federal rules that protect these records.
Your first dose
If methadone is appropriate for you, your first dose is taken here and observed. Conservative by design, and adjusted over the following days.
Come Prepared
What to bring
Bringing these turns a long morning into a shorter one. If you are missing something, come anyway and tell us: we would rather sort it out with you than have you put the visit off.
- Photo identification
- Your insurance card, or your Health First Colorado information
- A list of the medications you take, including anything another doctor prescribed
- Contact details for any other clinicians involved in your care
- If you are transferring, your current dose and your previous clinic's details
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Questions
Frequently asked questions
Walk-ins are welcome before 11:30 AM. Calling 720-756-7162 first is still worth it, because we can tell you what to bring and set aside the time for your assessment. If you arrive later in the morning we will usually book you back in rather than rush a first dose.
Not in the way buprenorphine requires. Methadone can be started while opioids are still in your system. Be honest about when you last used, because that timing informs your starting dose, and do not use more than usual beforehand to prove anything: it makes the first dose less safe. Tell staff about any benzodiazepines, alcohol or other sedatives too, because combined with methadone those raise the risk of respiratory depression, and that risk is highest while your dose is still being set.
That is not the goal and it is usually not the experience. A correct dose removes withdrawal and quiets cravings without producing a high, which is why the first one is deliberately conservative. Some people feel drowsy on day one as their body adjusts, which is why it is better not to drive yourself home. If you feel very sedated, tell staff straight away.
Yes, and substance use treatment records carry heightened federal protection on top of the ordinary rules. We do not confirm to an employer, a family member or anyone else that you are a patient here without your written consent. If you need documentation for work, probation or another clinician, ask us and we provide it to the party you name.
We verify your benefits during your first visit, so you know your expected share before treatment begins. Health First Colorado covers medication for opioid use disorder, most commercial plans cover opioid treatment, and we offer a sliding scale if you have no coverage.
Come in, or call first
Walk in before 11:30 AM, or call 720-756-7162 and we will book your assessment and tell you exactly what to bring.
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Hours
Mon to Fri: 5:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Sunday: Closed