You should refer the person if they are drinking large amounts of alcohol or have developed a severe withdrawal reaction, or when there is a serious medical condition like diabetes mellitus, or chronic liver disease. If a person has a severe mental illness (SMI) in addition to their alcohol use, then they should be referred to the nearest mental health service. When the person is taking multiple substances, in addition to alcohol, they should be referred to the nearest substance treatment centre or mental health facility with an in-patient service.

Last modified: Friday, 4 July 2014, 5:38 PM