This section includes information and resources for the treatment of Co-Existing Problems (CEP) for tamariki & taiohi | children and youth, e.g. recommended therapeutic guidance, harm reduction and relapse prevention.
Please click on the tab headings below to view resources:
A number of individual therapies have shown promising results as interventions in the management of CEP in children and young people.
The best evidence has been found for Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Motivational Interviewing
Solutions Focused Therapy
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach
Narrative Therapy
Family Focused Interventions
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Acceptance Commitment Theory
► Youth AOD Toolbox provides further information on models which can be accessed
Adolescent Detoxification Guidelines
These guidelines were developed to for health professionals supporting young people going through withdrawal from substances.
The following worksheets can be used in individual treatment sessions with the young people you are working with that provide motivational interviewing and CBT frameworks and concepts:
Decisional Balance Exercise
This exercise aims to build motivation to change substance use (or other behaviour) by reflection and eliciting change talk.
Readiness Rulers Exercise
Visual scales that help assess motivation, by measuring a belief in importance of change and confidence in ability.
Harm Reduction includes a wide range of strategies and information aimed at minimising the harmful effects of substance use on young people's lives.
Young people respond more positively to strategies that recognise and respect their ability to make their own decisions. The following resources provide AOD information, and include some harm reduction strategies for young people to help them keep safe and make positive changes.
Assessing and Managing Harm: Giving the best advice
We have some Harm Reduction advice tips on our SACS ABC desktop quick reference guide, these tips (below) offer some general advice on strategies you can use with young people to encourage positive change. For more targetted tips, see more under the table.
A collection of resources to enable a 'whole of school' approach to alcohol and other drugs preparedness.
Having young people engaged with education is proven to be a significant protective factor for young people regarding a number of negative health and social outcomes, including substance use problems.
Tūturu helps NZ schools to implement school-wide changes that improve the wellbeing of their students and develops their critical thinking.
The first focus area of Tūturu is reducing alcohol and other drug-related harm in ways that promote student engagement and wellbeing.
The goal is to prepare students to live healthy and successful lives in a world where alcohol and other drugs exist.
Please see www.tuturu.org.nz for more information and check out the video below:
Leading Lights: (Canterbury NZ) Leading Lights provides guidance pathways to help educators and supporting services in Canterbury recognise and respond to the needs of individual children in Years 1 to 8.