Treatment Service Specifications (TSS) aim to provide guidance to both purchasers
and providers of NGO services regarding the principles and key elements of different
types of Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) treatment. They aim to facilitate statewide
consistency of contemporary and high quality, evidence-based service delivery
by NGOs. The intention of treatment service specifications is to give the provider
sufficient guidance that they can plan the organisational structures, conditions and
resources needed to deliver the service; and to give purchasers clarity about what
they are purchasing. TSS are not the same as clinical guidelines – clinical guidelines
provide direction to clinicians in working with an individual client. The TSS are also not
a planning document.
These treatment service specifications are specific to NGO alcohol and other drug
treatment in NSW.
There are four treatment types covered:
• Withdrawal management
• Psychosocial counselling
• Residential treatment
• Day programs.