Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services in New South Wales

Findings from the National Minimum Data Set (NMDS) 2002 - 03 for NSW

Full publication (248K PDF)

• Highlights
  • In New South Wales (NSW) in 2002-03, 229 government-funded alcohol and other drug treatment agencies provided 41,166 'closed treatment episodes' (see below for the definition of 'closed treatment episodes').
  • The majority of closed treatment episodes were for clients aged between 20 and 39 years of age (63%), with one-third of all treatment episodes (33%) provided for clients in the 20-29 year age group.
  • Male clients in NSW accounted for over two-thirds (68%) of all closed treatment episodes.
  • In NSW, alcohol (42%) and heroin (21%) were the most common principal drugs of concern in closed treatment episodes, followed by cannabis (15%).
  • Of all closed treatment episodes in NSW, counselling was the most common form of main treatment provided (38%), followed by withdrawal management (detoxification) (23%) and assessment only (17%).
  • Treatment episodes in NSW most commonly ceased because the treatment was completed (51%).
  • In NSW, clients aged 10-19 and 20-29 years were more likely than clients aged 30 years or more to seek treatment for cannabis (42% and 21% compared to 9%) and amphetamines (15% and 16% compared to 7%) and less likely to seek treatment for alcohol (19% and 23% compared to 57%).