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High-frequency telephone support from a familiar psychotherapist reduces the risk of relapse after inpatient treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), according to a study reported in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Many patients resume drinking within the first few months after residential treatment, so continuous care in this high-risk period is crucial. Typically, this involves face-to-face counselling, but compliance is often low and there is a need for alternative options to improve outcomes during the vulnerable phase. Individualized phone-based support from staff or volunteers, and automated text message-based support, are two lower-cost and user-friendly approaches. In pilot studies these appear to be well accepted and feasible, but data on efficacy have varied, probably because of differences in program delivery and patient populations. The latest study compared the effectiveness of phone and text-based continuing care programs following a 12-week residential A