AODTS-NMDS reporting, explained.
A plain-English guide to the national alcohol and other drug treatment data set: who reports, the key concepts, the annual timeline and the data-quality issues to fix before you submit.
What is the AODTS-NMDS?
The Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Services National Minimum Data Set (AODTS-NMDS) is the national collection of information about publicly funded AOD treatment in Australia. It is managed by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), and its specification is published on METEOR, the AIHW's metadata registry. A companion national best endeavours data set (NBEDS) sits alongside it for items collected on a best endeavours basis.
The collection counts closed treatment episodes. Each year covers episodes that ended in a single financial year, from 1 July to 30 June. Episodes still open at 30 June are not included until the year in which they close.
The specification and the AIHW's Data Collection Manual are reissued each year. The 2025-26 and 2026-27 versions report no changes to the data elements.
Who has to report to the AODTS-NMDS?
The collection covers publicly funded government and non-government agencies that provide specialist AOD treatment, whether residential or non-residential. This includes specialist AOD units in hospitals that treat non-admitted patients, and Aboriginal or mental health services that provide specialist AOD treatment.
The current manual lists several types of agency as out of scope, including:
- agencies whose only function is prescribing or dosing opioid pharmacotherapy
- agencies that mainly provide accommodation, such as sobering-up shelters
- agencies that mainly provide health promotion, such as needle and syringe programs
- prison and correctional treatment services
- hospital AOD units that treat only admitted patients
- private agencies that receive no public funding
At the client level, the collection includes people aged 10 or older who are assessed and/or accepted for treatment for their own or someone else's AOD use. People who only receive opioid pharmacotherapy, with no other in-scope treatment, are excluded.
Data usually flows from agencies to their state or territory health authority, which combines it and sends it to the AIHW. Agencies funded through the Australian Government's Drug and Alcohol Program (DAP) or by Primary Health Networks (PHNs) may report directly to the AIHW. Submissions are loaded through the AIHW's Validata tool as CSV files.
What are the key concepts in the AODTS-NMDS?
Treatment episode. A period of contact with a defined start and end date. An episode ends when treatment is completed, when there has been no contact for three months, when treatment ceases, or when the main treatment type, principal drug of concern or delivery setting changes. A change to any of those three opens a new episode.
Client versus episode. One person can have several episodes in a year, at one agency or across several. Each episode carries the agency's own person identifier and a statistical linkage key (SLK-581), built from parts of the client's name, date of birth and sex. The SLK allows records belonging to the same person to be brought together, which is what makes it possible to report on clients as well as episodes. Both the person identifier and the SLK must be provided.
Client type. Clients are recorded as seeking treatment for their own drug use or for someone else's. For people supporting someone else, the drug-related fields are left blank and some treatment types cannot be used.
Principal drug of concern. The main substance that led the client to seek treatment, coded using the Australian Standard Classification of Drugs of Concern. Up to five other drugs of concern can also be recorded.
Main treatment type. The treatment that makes up the largest share of the episode: withdrawal management, counselling, rehabilitation, pharmacotherapy, support and case management, information and education, assessment only, or other. Up to four other treatment types can be recorded.
Reason for cessation. Why the episode ended, for example treatment completed, transferred to another provider, ceased by mutual agreement, ceased without notice, or a change in treatment type, drug or setting. A blank value is not accepted.
The episode file has 33 items in total, including delivery setting, source of referral, injecting drug use status and Indigenous status.
When is AODTS-NMDS data due?
Services collect data throughout the year and may report to their state or territory more often than the national cycle. Check your service agreement for your own deadlines.
For the 2025-26 collection, the AIHW's published timeline is:
- August 2026: the AIHW requests data and releases the 2025-26 Validata tool
- End of October 2026: DAP and PHN-funded agencies submit their data
- End of November 2026: jurisdictions submit clean data, and DAP and PHN-funded agencies give final sign-off
- 15 December 2026: final sign-off by jurisdictions
The AIHW then compiles the national data set, with the annual report planned for mid 2027. The 2026-27 collection, covering episodes that close between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027, follows the same pattern a year later.
What are the most common AODTS-NMDS data-quality issues?
The AIHW's guidance for submitters highlights these common problems:
- Episodes left open. An episode with no contact for three months should be closed. If it is not, it drops out of the year it belongs to.
- SLK mismatches. The date of birth and sex built into the SLK must match the separate date of birth and sex fields. The default SLK may only be used with matching default values.
- Logic errors. For example, a method of use of "injects" alongside an injecting status of "never injected", or drug fields completed for a client supporting someone else.
- Duplicate drug codes. Other drugs of concern must not repeat the principal drug or each other.
- Overuse of "not stated". Indigenous status should only be "not stated" when the client declines or cannot answer and no one can answer for them.
- File problems. Wrong column order, incorrect date formats, blank mandatory fields, extra columns or formatting left in the CSV, and dates outside the reporting period.
- Duplicate episodes. The same client, dates, drug and treatment type reported more than once.
How does software help with AODTS-NMDS reporting?
A clean return starts with capturing the right data once, as part of everyday work. In Mimaso, client, episode and service data is recorded in notes and forms on desktop or the mobile app.
Missing or invalid fields are flagged as they are entered. Before submission, the whole return is validated again, and the AODTS-NMDS file is produced in the format the collection requires. Mimaso also covers MDS, NIAA and PRIMHD returns, and funder-specific reports can be configured to match your service agreements.
Mimaso has supported health and welfare services for more than 21 years and is ISO/IEC 27001 certified. Your data belongs to your organisation, with a full export available if you ever leave.
AODTS-NMDS frequently asked questions
Does the AODTS-NMDS include open episodes?
No. Only episodes that closed during the financial year are included. An open episode is reported in the year it closes.
Is the AODTS-NMDS the same as a state minimum data set?
Not quite. NSW, for example, collects a larger state data set, and the national items are a subset of it. The state health department then supplies the national data to the AIHW.
Do we report clients or episodes?
You report episodes. The SLK-581 attached to each episode allows records for the same person to be linked, which is why accurate name, date of birth and sex details matter.
Have the data elements changed for 2026-27?
The AIHW's 2026-27 data collection guide reports no changes to the data elements. Check the current manual each year, as coding guidance can still be updated.
Sources
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: AODTS-NMDS Data Collection Manual 2025-26, AODTS-NMDS Data Collection Guide 2026-27, the AODTS-NMDS specification on METEOR, and Guidelines for AODTS-NMDS data submitters. NSW Health: NSW Minimum Data Set for Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services fact sheet.
This guide is general information, current as at November 2026. Check the latest collection manual and your service agreement for your own requirements.