TOWARD AN INTEGRATED TREATMENT EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH CO-OCCURRING ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG USE AND MENTAL ILL-HEALTH
The challenge of delivering integrated treatment experiences for young people with both alcohol and other drug (AOD) use problems and mental ill-health is a recurrent policy issue in Australia.
A substantial proportion of lifetime mental ill-health starts between the ages of 12 and 25 years. Similarly, the onset of problematic AOD use increases from adolescence into early adulthood. The potential for the two health issues to overlap, contributing to or exacerbating each other, makes this a key health issue for young people. Mental illness and AOD use disorders co-occur at high rates in young people.
This policy paper focuses on recognising where progress toward integrated treatment experiences have been made and identifying the opportunities for further improvement.
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