Inpatient Withdrawal Management

Medically managed Withdrawal Unit for Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Patients in treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) receive care for withdrawal management (WM) on the third floor of the Della Cava Family Medical Pavilion.

Withdrawal management refers to the medical and psychological care of patients who are experiencing withdrawal symptoms in response to ceasing or reducing use of their drug of dependence.

Admittance to this treatment program is voluntary, by visiting Foothill’s Hospital’s Emergency Department - with a referral from a BCH provider or another provider. Once admitted, each patient will receive assessment and ongoing evaluation from a board-certified psychiatric practitioner.

Della Cava’s medically managed withdrawal unit for substance misuse:

• Eases early withdrawal symptoms
• Provides 24/7 support on a safe, secure unit
• Is a multifaceted program led by licensed addiction counselors (LACs), registered nurses and behavioral health technicians.
• Monitors patients around-the-clock until symptoms stabilize and coping skills for a safe transition to the next level of care are established.

For patients who are not good candidates for outpatient detoxification, inpatient treatment may be ideal. Our inpatient program can accommodate up to 24 patients, providing constant medical supervision by specialized professional staff and treatment options for serious complications. The inpatient setting also prevents patient access to misused substances and a separation from the environment and individuals that can trigger substance abuse.

For information about admission to Inpatient Withdrawal Management,
please call 303-415-7778or 303-415-8621.

What to Expect

The average expected stay for each WM patient is around 72 hours. For patients who are dependent on opioids and consent to receive methadone maintenance treatment, our providers can dispense this schedule II-controlled medication for a duration of three days - known as the “Three Day Rule” according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). After this timeframe, patients will be connected with a community partner to receive their daily methadone doses.

All patients, including those who receive methadone and suboxone medication-assisted treatments (MAT), will be asked to screen for a range of illicit and prescription drugs. Screening may require a urine test or other lab tests. This also includes a urine test and any additional required lab tests.

To Note

BCH offers Medically Monitored Inpatient Withdrawal Management (MMIW) ASAM Level 3.7-WM Setting. MMIW is provided in an inpatient, non-hospital environment aligned with the current edition of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Level 3.7-WM.

The 3.7 license is separate from BCH’s Inpatient Behavioral Health license. WM patients often require behavioral health treatment following withdrawal management to identify the root of addiction and ensure sustained abstinence. WM is an important first step before a patient commences any psychotherapy treatments.

Since BCH’s program is not Level 4 - Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient Services - all WM patients must be medically stable and not in need of intravenous (IV) medications. BCH’s 3.7 license allows for oral or intramuscular administration of medications.