These Guidelines were funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and developed by the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use to support health services and AOD (alcohol and/or other drug) treatment service workers to more accurately identify and manage the needs of clients with co-occurring mental health conditions. The information contained in these Guidelines is provided for general information purposes only, and does not constitute medical or professional advice. These Guidelines do not claim to reflect all considerations. As with all guidelines, recommendations may not be appropriate for use in all circumstances. These Guidelines should only be followed subject to the AOD worker’s judgement in each individual case and professional advice, as appropriate.
Whilst the Guidelines are considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the Guidelines. While the Guidelines have been prepared and presented with all due care, The University of Sydney does not warrant or represent that the Guidelines are entirely free from error or omission. They are made available on the understanding that The University of Sydney and its employees and agents shall have no liability (including liability by reason of negligence) to the users for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of using or relying on the Guidelines. Links to a selection of available internet sites and resources are identified.
Links to other internet sites that are not under the control of The University of Sydney are provided for information purposes only. Care has been taken in providing these links as suitable reference resources. It is the responsibility of users to make their own investigations, decisions and enquiries about any information retrieved from other internet sites. The provision and inclusion of these links do not imply any endorsement, non-endorsement, support or commercial gain by The University of Sydney. While the Guidelines were prepared after an extensive review of the literature, review by an expert advisory committee and broad consultation, the authors do not bear any clinical responsibility for actions undertaken on the basis of this information.
Copies available at www.comorbidityguidelines.org.au
Suggested citation:
Marel C, Siedlecka E, Fisher A, Gournay K, Deady M, Baker A, Kay-Lambkin F, Teesson M, Baillie A, Mills KL. (2022). Guidelines on the management of co-occurring alcohol and other drug and mental health conditions in alcohol and other drug treatment settings (3rd edition). Sydney, Australia: Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney.
The updating of these Guidelines through the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney was supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the members of the expert panel, discussion forums, key-stakeholders, and all other people who have made contributions to this important document.
Specifically, we would like to acknowledge and thank Keiron Andrews, Zoe Baynes, Georgia Bolt, Manhara Brownlee, Jeff Buckley, Tarryn Burrows, Catherine Cox, Fleur Creed, Clare Davies, Michael Doyle, Peter Fairbanks, Marlyn Gavaghan, Suraj Ghimire, Chris Gough, Martina Greenaway, Kay Holland, Melanie Holland, Jennifer Holmes, Fern Hunter, Jody Kamminga, Michelle Kudell, Evelyn Lavell, Nicole Lee, Steve Leicester, Gai Lemon, Vivian Leung, Tanja McLeish, Goodwell Mhlanga, Jane Moreton, Rebecca Morrison, Huong Nguyen, Latha Nithyanandam, Chloe Oosterbroek, Kim Pearce, Stephanie Penny, Lesley Porter, Luke Powell, John Reilly, Nikki Ridley, Elizabeth Stubbs, Adrian Webber, and Christine Webster.
We would also like to thank James Gooden, Sharlene Kaye, Julia Lappin and Sarah McGuire for providing invaluable advice, support, feedback and comment.
Several of our colleagues and friends from the Matilda Centre provided helpful assistance and advice during the set-up and testing of our online consultation platforms, to whom we extend our deepest appreciation and thanks, in particular: Louise Birrell, Cath Chapman, Chloe Conroy, Anna Grager, Katherine Haasnoot, Ashling Isik, Maddy Keaveny, Ivana Kihas, Erin Kelly, Paul Newman, Natalie Peach, Corey Tutt, and Jack Wilson. Thank you also to Melissa Gray for providing additional assistance during the consultation sessions, Meaghan Lynch for her invaluable advice and support, as well as Sam Lynch and Kate Ross for their assistance and support.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank Sylvia Eugene Dit Rochesson, who was involved in conducting extensive literature searches and updating of the evidence for this document. Erin Madden also provided vital project support across all phases of the development of the third edition, for which we are extremely grateful.
Our sincere thanks also go to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care for funding the update and revision of these Guidelines.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge previous work that has influenced the development of these Guidelines.