Interventions and Treatment for Problematic Use of Methamphetamine and other Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS)

Summary

These guidelines have been developed for use across a wide range of settings for those working with people adversely affected by methamphetamine use. It is a useful resource for frontline workers, including those in Mental Health Services, the Police, Department of Corrections, Emergency Departments, General Practitioners, Primary health care workers and the specialist addiction treatment sector.

March 2014

In 2010 Matua Raki developed Interventions and Treatment for Problematic Use of Methamphetamine and Other Amphetamine-Type Substances (ATS) for the Ministry of Health in response to the 2009 Methamphetamine Action Plan and Cabinet Briefing Paper. The guidelines informed the workforce about the impact of methamphetamine and other ATS use and highlighted evidence based best practice for a stepped care approach to treatment including withdrawal management, pharmacotherapy and therapeutic interventions.

Matua Raki recently reviewed the guidelines to ensure that they were still relevant and continued to reflect current knowledge and evidence based best practice. A literature review indicated that the recommendations contained within the original guidelines continue to be relevant and congruent with current evidence based best practice.

What’s new in Interventions and Treatment for Problematic Use of Methamphetamine and Other Amphetamine-Type Substances (ATS) (docx, 2.16 MB) summarises the literature about new and emerging developments in the knowledge about methamphetamine and ATS and the treatment of problematic methamphetamine and ATS use.