A new residential recovery center for men experiencing homelessness or addiction is coming to Colorado Springs

By: Eleanor Sheahan
Posted 5:15 PM, Jul 01, 2025 and last updated 6:51 PM, Jul 01, 2025

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A new resource for men struggling with homelessness and addiction is coming to Colorado Springs. The residential program is called Step Springs. The facility is currently being built on Northpark Drive off of Garden of the Gods Road.

Step Springs will be a 50 bed residential program for men experiencing homelessness and suffering from the disease of addiction.

“(It's important) To be able to find freedom from that addiction and rebuild their lives from the ground up,” said Meghan Shay, Executive Director of Step Denver.

She said the program addresses family reconciliation, healthy social and recreational activities, mental and physical health, finance and budgeting.

“All of the parts of your life that need to be in order, need to be healthy for you to have a good quality of life. There is no stone left unturned,” said Shay.

Shay said they offer same day admission. She said there is no cost to enter and no medicaid or insurance needed.

“It's very important to us that when men enter our doors, they do not feel that they are walking into a shelter. We want this to feel like home,” said Shay.

When residents walk into the facility, they will be greeted at the front desk. Down the hall, there's a bathroom and a laundry room.

“So, our men actually do all of their own laundry, just like in the real world. So, we're rebuilding all the life skills for those who may have been on the streets for quite some time,” said Shay.
Step Springs is a branch of Step Denver, a 41-year-old nonprofit that has helped homeless people in downtown Denver get sober, stay sober and rebuild.

“Step Denver was founded in 1983, we have continued to evolve the program and make it better and more comprehensive,” said Shay.

She said over the past ten years, Step Denver's outcomes of how men are doing after they leave the program are more than double the national average.

“So, we know this is a model that works and should be replicated and brought to men in other communities who have desperate needs,” said Shay.

The goal is to help men be successful after they leave the program.

“To make real progress towards self sufficiency, independence and stability for their life to be able to continue to be successful after they leave our program,” said Shay.

The need for more addiction recovery services in Southern Colorado is what brought Step to Colorado Springs.

“We heard a resounding message from all of the providers who are working in this space with this population, telling us, 'yes, there is a genuine need for your program. You would fill a verified gap.' One of the executive directors said I could think of five men I would send you right now if you were open. So, it was once we heard from those leaders that we said, 'Okay, we have to make this happen,'” said Shay.

Once construction is complete and the new doors open, residents in the program will meet with recovery support managers. The support managers are councilors who graduated from the Step Denver program.

Residents can also participate in group sessions. These include a variety of topics such as spirituality, meditation, yoga, and the 12 steps to recovery program.

“Be able to see the results of that hard work. Have some real achievements and be able to prepare for transition, ultimately, to safe, independent, sober living arrangements where they can be self-sufficient,” said Shay.

A big part of taking the next step towards recovery is finding a job.

“Within 30 days, 77% of our men last year were able to get full time tax paying jobs in the community. It's almost 100% by 45 days,” said Shay. “This is a pretty significant feat considering most of our men have criminal backgrounds, large gaps in their employment history, and really believe know one would hire them. So ,we prepare them to go out, land that job and be successful.”

On the second floor of Step Springs will be a career center. They expect to serve anywhere from 160 to 200 men in the first year and at least 800 men and their families in the first five years.

Residents will live in the dormitory on the second floor or in one of the 25 private rooms, some of which have a view of Pikes Peak.

“We know that the length of stay directly correlates with the successful outcomes, and so, we want to give them a space that they want to come home to and are proud to come home to every day,” said Shay.
The center is designed to feel like a home with living, dining, kitchen and bathrooms.

Step Springs will officially open its doors in October. To learn more, visit their website.