Description
The following report provides the results of an analysis of Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) withdrawal options available across Aotearoa. The report will use the term withdrawal however the term detox is also commonly used in the AOD/Addiction sector. Withdrawal has replaced the term detoxification as it better describes the physical and psychological symptoms that accompany the reduction or cessation of substances that have been used regularly over a prolonged period (American Society of Addiction Medicine, 2020, Matua Raki, 2019). Past workforce and whānau surveys undertaken by Te Rau Ora through Whare Tukutuku have highlighted the lack of withdrawal services available to whānau. The outcome of previous survey reports specifically discussed the difficulty accessing withdrawal support due to location, eligibility criteria and wait times. This analysis was undertaken to gather further insight into what the workforce and whānau survey results portrayed about the lack of AOD withdrawal options available.