Medical & Mental Health in Colorado (CDOC)

Health care and the co-pay

CDOC Clinical Services provides medical, dental, mental-health, and substance-use care, structured to work like a community health system. Colorado charges a co-pay — set by procedure and capped by state law at $5 per visit — for visits a person requests for themselves. Submitting the request form (a “kite”) is free, and no one is denied care for inability to pay. A 2025 bill to repeal the co-pay was vetoed, so it remains in effect; confirm the current amount, which is set by CDOC procedure.

Mental health and substance use

Services include group and individual therapy, psychiatric care, crisis intervention, inpatient mental health, and residential treatment for severe mental-health needs. For opioid use disorder, CDOC has a medication-assisted treatment program; it has been grant-funded and its scope and availability can change, so confirm what is offered for a specific person.

Getting health information and raising a concern

Staff share a person’s health information with family only when a valid HIPAA release naming that family member is on file — a power of attorney does not satisfy this, and the person files the release through a kite. To raise a concern, contact CDOC Constituent Services: email cdoc@state.co.us, call (719) 226-4569, or write to Constituent Services, 1250 Academy Park Loop, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 — include the person’s name, DOC number, and facility.

Grievances and oversight

The formal grievance process (Administrative Regulation 850-04) belongs to the person inside: informal resolution first, then a written grievance, with levels of appeal. Colorado does not have a dedicated independent prison ombudsman; oversight runs through CDOC’s internal Office of the Inspector General and Office of Internal Affairs.

Verify Before Acting

For the general, nationwide overview of this topic, see the national guide: Know Your Rights.