Alcohol and other drug treatment services in the Australian Capital Territory

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

Full publication (242K PDF)

• Highlights
  • In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 6 government-funded alcohol and other drug treatment agencies provided 3,001 '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 (61%), with over one-third of all treatment episodes (36%) provided for clients in the 20-29 year age group.
  • Male clients in the ACT accounted for nearly two-thirds (64%) of all closed treatment episodes.
  • In the ACT, alcohol (40%) and cannabis (15%) were the most common principal drugs of concern to clients in closed treatment episodes, followed by amphetamines (6%).
  • Of all closed treatment episodes in the ACT, withdrawal management (detoxification) was the most common form of main treatment provided (51%), followed by support and case management only and counselling (16% each).
  • In the ACT, clients aged 10-19 and 20-29 years were more likely than clients aged 30 years or more to seek treatment for cannabis (40% and 15%, compared to 9%) and less likely to seek treatment for alcohol (24% and 29%, compared to 53%).