This data briefing presents findings from the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS-NMDS) for Victoria. 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 Victoria in 2002-03, 148 government-funded alcohol and other drug treatment agencies and outlets provided 45,306 '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 (62%), with over one-third of all treatment episodes (35%)
provided for clients in the 20-29 year age group
Male clients in Victoria accounted for nearly two-thirds (63%) of all closed treatment episodes.
In Victoria, alcohol (37%) and heroin (25%) were the most common principal drugs of concern in closed treatment episodes, followed by cannabis (22%).
Of all treatment episodes in Victoria, counselling was the most common form of main treatment provided (49%), followed by withdrawal management
(detoxification) (21%).
In Victoria, 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 26%, compared
to 13%) and less likely to seek treatment for alcohol (19% and 21%, compared to 53%).
