Treatment
In 2017–18, the majority of closed treatment episodes for all clients, included:
- counselling as the most common main treatment in Queensland (37% of episodes), followed by information and education only (25%) and assessment only (16%) (Figure 11; Table SE QLD.20)
- where an additional treatment was provided as supplementary to the main treatment, counselling (5%) was also the most common type of additional treatment, followed by other (2%), and pharmacotherapy (2%).
Over the period 2013–14 to 2017–18:
- the proportion of all closed treatment episodes where counselling was the main treatment type fluctuated between 30% of closed treatment episodes in 2013–14 and 37% in 2017–18. Counselling replaced information and education only as the most common main treatment type in 2016–17
- information and education only as a main treatment type substantially decreased in 2017–18, dropping from 33% in 2015–16 to 25% in 2017–18 (Table SE QLD.20)
- the proportion of episodes for information and education only as a main treatment in Queensland was over 3 times the national rate in 2017–18 (25% compared with 8%) (Tables SE QLD.20 and ST.5).
In Queensland, treatment episodes provided to people diverted into AOD services by police and court diversion programs are recorded as information and education only. The diversion programs have contributed to the high rates of information and education only treatment episodes in Queensland due to the state initiatives. Treatment involves a 60–90 minute session, including comprehensive alcohol/other drug assessment, assessment of risk-taking behaviours, physical/ mental health and provision of information to assist in reducing/ceasing drug use and referral to further treatment if required.