Objective: to investigate the criteria used by health professionals to identify the phase of consumption of alcohol and drug users, and actions directed to their care.
Method: a qualitative study developed with 14 professionals from a Brazilian Psychosocial Care Center for Alcohol and Drugs (Centro de Atenção Psicossocial Álcool e Drogas) based in the south of the country. Data were collected in June 2017 through semi-structured interviews and then submitted to thematic analysis.