Turning Point releases new cognitive impairment guidelines for AOD clinicians

9 Feb 2022

Turning Point are pleased to release and share with the AOD sector new guidelines "Managing Cognitive Impairment in AOD Treatment: Practice Guidelines for Healthcare Professionals". The practice guidelines are a comprehensive update to the 2006 edition.

Managing Cognitive Impairment In AOD Treatment

Experiences of cognitive difficulty in individuals seeking treatment for Alcohol and Other Drug use disorders are being increasingly recognised, along with their impact on treatment engagement and outcomes. This places additional demands among clinicians regarding how to best identify and manage cognitive concerns and when to refer on for specialist neuropsychology input. 

Turning Point clinical neuropsychologist, Dr James Gooden, says the guidelines provide both practical, practice-informed and evidence based strategies to assist clinicians working in AOD contexts to better understand and manage cognitive impairment.

"These guidelines are developed by clinicians, academics and researchers, and are informed by the latest scientific literature and clinical expertise, and include common clinical aetiologies and presentations of impairment," Dr Gooden said.

The guidelines also include real world examples and case discussions, along with discussion of complex populations, screening and history taking, management strategies and rehabilitation.

The publication was funded by the Victorian Department of Health  and is freely available to download here: https://www.turningpoint.org.au/treatment/clinicians/Managing-Cognitive-Impairment-in-AOD-Treatment-Guidelines.