New Denver program accepts patients with depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and PTSD, as well as those struggling with substance use. No addiction diagnosis required.
DENVER, Sept. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AspenRidge Recovery launches a mental health center in Denver's Lowry neighborhood, its first location in the city and its first program built around mental health as the primary diagnosis. The center accepts patients with mood disorders, PTSD, anxiety disorders, personality disorders and addiction. Patients do not need a history of substance use to participate, a requirement that turns people away at similar programs.
Michael Damioli, LCSW, CSAT, AspenRidge's chief clinical officer, led the expansion.
"I am fortunate to be in recovery myself, because I got help when I needed it," Damioli said. "Most Coloradans struggling with mental health challenges can't say that. When someone is ready for mental health treatment, it needs to be high quality, discreet and accessible. That is what defines our Denver clinic."
Damioli has worked in psychiatric hospitals, detox units and outpatient clinics as a therapist and clinical director for nearly a decade. He is trained in family systems therapy and is an expert in addiction treatment.
Colorado's mental health system is shrinking while demand climbs. A March 2026 survey by the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council found 77% of its member organizations operating at break-even or a loss and 62% cutting services or freezing hiring. Nearly a quarter of insured Coloradans put off mental health care in 2025 because of cost, according to the Colorado Health Institute.
"People call us every week who need real psychiatric care but never had a substance problem," Damioli said. "Before now, we had to turn them away."
AspenRidge Denver moves in the other direction. The center runs day treatment, intensive outpatient programs and traditional outpatient therapy. Psychiatric and medical providers work on site alongside licensed mental health therapists, addiction counselors, case managers and peer support specialists.
AspenRidge accepts Colorado Medicaid, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente and most other commercial plans, with sliding-scale self-pay. Staff assess patients the same day they call. Most begin treatment within 48 hours.
"We've run a therapy-heavy program from the start, and our clinicians are dually licensed in mental health," said Cortland Mathers-Suter, who founded AspenRidge in 2015. "Lowry is a natural expansion of that, not a new direction."
The center is at 130 N. Rampart Way, Suite 200, in East Denver off Quebec Street. Intake: 866-271-7173. Program details at aspenridgerecoverycenters.com/colorado/denver
About AspenRidge Recovery
AspenRidge Recovery and Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery (CMAR) operate as an integrated treatment organization serving adults across Colorado. It specializes in treatment for mental health, addiction, co-occurring disorders and complex trauma. Its continuum of care includes ambulatory detox, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient programs and outpatient counseling, including medication-assisted treatment. Locations exist in Denver, Lakewood, Thornton, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs. For more information, visit aspenridgerecoverycenters.com or call 866-271-7173.
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SOURCE AspenRidge Recovery
