Denver committee approves $675,000 CARES renovation, $3.67 million crisis-center extension
The CARES work is intended to expand opioid-use-disorder treatment capacity, while the crisis-center contract amendment would extend services through August 2027.
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Denver’s Health and Safety Committee approved $675,000 for renovations and expansion at Denver CARES and a $3,670,867 increase to the Behavioral Health Solutions Center contract on Oct. 21. The committee approved both measures by consent.
The Denver CARES project is intended to turn the facility into a coordinated recovery and stabilization hub and bring it in line with Level 3.5 residential treatment standards. The city’s contract request says the work includes renovating aging infrastructure and updating the facility’s layout, heating and ventilation, and plumbing. The renovation is intended to increase capacity for evidence-based opioid-use-disorder services. The project targets completion before the July 1, 2027, compliance deadline, and the contract runs through May 15, 2028.
The committee also approved an amendment adding $3.67 million to the Mental Health Center of Denver’s contract to operate the Behavioral Health Solutions Center. The city’s request describes the center as a 24-hour voluntary crisis-care facility for adults, providing assessment, crisis stabilization, treatment, medication services, peer support and referrals. It also provides transitional shelter and related support for eligible people who are homeless or unstably housed.
The amendment raises the contract total to $27,079,152 and extends it through Aug. 15, 2027. The city says the extension is intended to maintain services while it delays a planned procurement as state rules for crisis stabilization clinics are revised.
The measures still awaited full City Council action as of Oct. 22. The city’s Denver CARES resolution page and crisis-center resolution page listed committee approval but no final Council action; the next full Council meeting was scheduled for Oct. 26.