This data briefing presents findings from the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS-NMDS) for the ACT. The AODTS-NMDS is a nationally agreed set of common data items collected by government funded service providers of clients of alcohol and other drug treatment services.
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%).
