WellPower opens same-day walk-in clinic for opioid treatment

WellPower has launched a Medication-Assisted Treatment Walk-In Clinic in Denver to give people with opioid use disorder or withdrawal immediate, low-barrier care. The clinic is designed to speed access to medication, peer support and recovery services as overdose deaths rise again in Colorado and Denver.

Why it matters: - The new clinic is meant to remove delays that can keep people from starting opioid treatment when they are ready. - Same-day access can be critical for people experiencing withdrawal or trying to enter recovery before a crisis worsens. - WellPower opened the clinic as overdose deaths rise again in Colorado and Denver, even as national trends improve.

What happened: - WellPower opened a Medication-Assisted Treatment Walk-In Clinic in Denver to serve people with opioid use disorder or withdrawal. - The clinic provides same-day support without appointments. - The clinic is at WellPower’s Recovery Center, 4455 E. 12th Ave. in Denver. - The clinic is currently open Wednesdays from 1 to 4:30 p.m. - WellPower plans to expand the clinic’s hours as the program grows.

The details: - The model combines peer supporters with lived experience, pharmacists and behavioral health clinicians. - Depending on a person’s needs and insurance coverage, services may include same-day medication to manage opioid withdrawal symptoms. - Services may also include short-term prescriptions from trained pharmacists. - The clinic can connect people to ongoing treatment and recovery services. - Peer supporters welcome people to the clinic, answer questions, offer encouragement and help explain treatment options. - WellPower said peer support can help people begin treatment and sustain recovery. - Jud Felder, a peer specialist at the clinic, said the goal is to meet people where they are. - WellPower described itself as Colorado’s largest community mental health center. - WellPower serves more than 22,000 individuals each year across more than 30 sites and nearly 200 community locations.

Between the lines: - The clinic reflects a growing push toward low-barrier addiction care that reduces friction at the moment someone seeks help. - Embedding peers in the first point of contact can make treatment feel more approachable for people who may be wary of traditional clinical settings. - The focus on same-day medication and immediate guidance suggests WellPower is trying to narrow the gap between withdrawal, readiness and treatment entry.

What’s next: - WellPower plans to add more clinic hours as demand grows. - The program’s impact will likely depend on whether the walk-in model can keep drawing patients into ongoing care after the first visit. - More information is available at the clinic page or by calling (303) 504-7700.

The bottom line: - WellPower is betting that faster, lower-barrier access can help more people start opioid treatment before they give up or deteriorate.