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Getting it on the agenda: younger people, the evidence in policy and practice

First published: 09 May 2019 | Last updated: 20 May 2019

This paper will review the emerging evidence for the effectiveness of specific therapies, adapted for use in this age group. It will initially review the evidence for brief interventions in young people. Further therapies will then be reviewed, to include motivational enhancement therapies, cognitive behavioural therapies, and generally counselling, and 12 step facilitation. Family therapies, their general similarities and their effectiveness will be considered. The pharmacological approaches used in this age group will be briefly reviewed. The available outcome research will be considered, its relevance to the settings and therapies employed. The integration of these therapies and more comprehensive care will be presented, alongside the barriers to this integrated care. The paper will then discuss the development of these services both internationally and in the UK, the principles applied to these developments, the barriers to treatments, the variety of settings used. Future challenges for service providers, commissioners and researchers will be presented.

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Report Author

Professor Eilish Gilvarry

Honorary Professor of Addiction Psychiatry


Newcastle and North Tyneside Drug and Alcohol Services, Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Director of Specialties at Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust and Consultant Psychiatrist in Addictions at the Newcastle & North Tyneside Addictions Service, Eilish has been involved with addictions services in the UK over many years, with a particular interest in young people. She has recently been appointed Honorary Professor of Addiction Psychiatry at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Eilish was Chair of the Executive Committee of the Addictions Faculty of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and has been involved with a number of working parties: a member of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on opiate detoxification (2007) and on the review of the ‘orange’ clinical management guidelines with the Department of Health (2007). In 2010 she chaired a review of injectables treatment for drug users, was a member of the NICE guidelines on clinical management of alcohol related physical complications and also a member of the NICE guidelines on management of alcohol harm and dependence. She is Chair of the Secretary of State for Transport’s advisory committee with the DVLA on drugs and alcohol, and President of the Society for the Study of Addictions. Eilish has edited a number of books, published widely and is currently involved in research particularly with young people and brief interventions for alcohol misusers.

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