A program of Empower Recovery

Adolescent substance use treatment that meets youth where they are.

Licensed IOP and outpatient care for youth ages 12–17 across the Denver metro and Jefferson County. Trauma-informed. CBT and DBT based. Built around family involvement and peer recovery support.

About Momentum

Built specifically for adolescents and the families around them.

Momentum Youth Services is the adolescent program of Empower Recovery, LLC, a licensed behavioral health agency serving Colorado. Our approach is grounded in evidence-based clinical practice, trauma-informed care, and the recognition that adolescent recovery does not happen in isolation — it happens within families, schools, peer groups, and community systems.

We launched Momentum because the Denver metro and Jefferson County need more youth treatment options that combine clinical rigor with the kind of relational, developmentally appropriate care that adolescents actually engage with. We believe young people deserve programs designed for them — not adult programs in smaller doses.

Program Highlights

Empower Recovery, LLC operates Momentum Youth Services as an expansion of its licensed BHA services. Our model integrates four evidence-based frameworks within a 12-week intensive outpatient curriculum, paired with optional step-down outpatient care.

12–17
Age range served
9 hrs
Clinical contact / week
12 wk
IOP target length
Our Approach

An integrated clinical model adapted for adolescents.

Momentum combines four evidence-based frameworks within a developmentally appropriate group structure. Every component is paired with active family engagement and dedicated peer recovery support.

CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Adolescents learn to identify the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that drive substance use, and to map and interrupt patterns in their own lives.

DBT

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

Mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness — taught with adolescent-appropriate language and pacing.

TIC

Trauma-Informed Care

Universal trauma-informed practice across all clinical contact. Group programming does not require trauma narrative disclosure.

MI

Motivational Interviewing

Motivation is built through curiosity and reflection, not lecture. Adolescents are met with respect for where they are in change.

FAM

Family Engagement

Required, not optional. Bi-weekly family contact, parent orientation at intake, and ongoing parent education group.

PEER

Peer Recovery Coaching

Every youth is paired with a peer coach who has lived adolescent recovery experience and Colorado-recognized credentialing.

Who We Serve

Adolescents ages 12–17 across multiple referral channels.

We accept referrals from a wide range of community partners. Youth presenting with primary substance use disorder, with or without co-occurring mild-to-moderate mental health concerns, are appropriate for the Momentum program when outpatient level of care is clinically indicated.

School districts and student services
Juvenile probation officers
Juvenile diversion programs
Juvenile courts and family advocates
Department of Human Services caseworkers
Hospital emergency department social workers
Community mental health intake teams
Pediatricians and primary care providers
Self-referral and family-initiated referral
Levels of Care

Two levels of clinical care, with family education running alongside.

Programming launches community-based with a long-term goal of operating from a dedicated Empower Youth Center. All programming is delivered in the late afternoon and early evening to accommodate school schedules.

IOP

Intensive Outpatient

  • 3 sessions per week, 3 hours per session
  • 9 hours of clinical contact weekly
  • 12-week target completion
  • Cohort size capped at 4–8 youth
  • CAS facilitator + Peer Recovery Coach
  • Bi-weekly individual session with CAS
OP

Outpatient Step-Down

  • 1 group per week, 90 minutes
  • Monthly individual session
  • Typical duration 8–12 weeks
  • Used as step-down after IOP completion
  • Or initial level for lower-acuity referrals
  • Continuity with peer recovery coach
FAMILY

Family Education Group

  • Bi-weekly, 60-minute group
  • Concurrent with youth enrollment
  • Master's-level clinician facilitated
  • Adolescent substance use education
  • Family communication skills
  • Caregiver coping strategies
How to Refer

A simple, low-friction process designed around what referring partners actually need.

We know referring a youth is a high-stakes decision. Our process is built to give you confidence in the handoff and to keep you informed about the youth's engagement.

01

Submit a Referral

Use the form below, call our intake line at (720) 779-1359, or email referrals directly. We respond within one business day.

02

Brief Phone Screen

Our intake team conducts a 20-minute phone screen with the youth and guardian to confirm clinical fit and answer questions.

03

Intake Appointment

Scheduled within 5 business days of screen. Full biopsychosocial assessment, treatment plan development, and program orientation.

04

Coordination With You

With appropriate releases, we keep you informed of attendance, treatment plan reviews, and major clinical events throughout the youth's care.

Make a Referral

Tell us about the youth.

Submit the form below and our intake team will reach out within one business day to schedule a phone screen. For urgent referrals, please call our intake line directly.

If you are a youth or family member seeking services for yourself or someone in your family, this form works for you too. Use the same form and indicate the relationship in the field below.

Intake
(720) 779-1359
Direct
(720) 364-7268
Area
Denver metro & Jefferson County
Thank you. Your email client should now open with the referral details ready to send. If it doesn't, please call our intake line at (720) 779-1359.

For urgent referrals or anytime you'd rather talk to a person, call (720) 779-1359.
Do not include personal health information you would not feel comfortable sending via email.