Agencies

Agencies providing alcohol and other drug treatment services

The Australian Government and state and territory governments fund non-government and government organisations to provide a range of alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment services. Services are delivered in residential and non-residential settings, and include treatments such as detoxification and rehabilitation, counselling, and pharmacotherapy.

The Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS NMDS) contains information on publicly funded AOD treatment agencies.

Number of agencies

In 2017–18, 952 publicly funded AOD treatment agencies reported to the AODTS NMDS. The number of agencies in each jurisdiction ranged from 16 in the Australian Capital Territory to 390 in New South Wales.

The number of agencies reporting to the AODTS NMDS increased from the previous year’s total of 836. This is mostly due to improvements in reporting for some agencies via new systems, and funding variations in a few jurisdictions.

Over the last 10 years, there has been a national increase in the number of participating agencies (from 653 in 2008–09 to 952 in 2017–18), driven largely by increases in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.

Service sector

A mix of government and non-government agencies deliver government-funded AOD treatment services. Nationally, over half (61%) of AOD treatment agencies were non-government, and these agencies provided over two-thirds (70%) of closed treatment episodes. In the last decade, the proportion of non-government agencies has increased from 56% to 61% nationally.

In New South Wales, the majority (66%) of AOD treatment agencies were government agencies. In each of the remaining states and territories, the majority of AOD treatment agencies were non-government agencies, with proportions ranging from 58% in South Australia to 100% in Victoria.

More than half (58%) of all treatment agencies were located in Major cities, and over one-fifth (22%) were in Inner regional areas. Fewer agencies were located in Remote or Very remote areas (4% and 2% respectively).