The Alcohol ABC approach: The Counties Manukau experience

Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for health loss and a key driver of inequities, disproportionally impacting underserved communities including young people, Māori and those living in areas of socio-economic deprivation. Between the years 2016 and 2023, Counties Manukau Health (CM Health) developed a district-level programme to adapt and implement a model of screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment (SBIRT; an evidence-based best practice for reducing alcohol harm) called the Alcohol ABC Approach. This work was one part of a broader alcohol harm minimisation programme, which focused on alcohol as a key determinant of population health, wellbeing and equity outcomes, and prioritised prevention and early intervention actions.

The purpose of this report is to provide population health advice on potential opportunities related to the Alcohol ABC Approach. Specific objectives are to: 1) describe the Counties Manukau (CM) experience and learnings from implementing the Alcohol ABC Approach in a range of settings; 2) outline the current context of Alcohol ABC Approach implementation; and 3) identify opportunities to support Alcohol ABC Approach implementation.