The Initial Assessment and Referral Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST) aims to build a common language and framework that the mental health workforce can share to guide referral decision-making.

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Overview

The Initial Assessment and Referral (IAR) is a national initiative from the Department of Health on establishing effective systems for the initial assessment and referral of individuals presenting with mental health conditions in primary health care settings. Each PHN has an IAR Training and Support Officer to provide training to General Practitioners and clinicians in their catchment to learn about, use and embed the IAR Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST) into clinical practice.

Guided by clinicians’ own assessment and clinical judgement, the IAR-DST provides a consistent framework to deliberate decisions when matching a person’s mental health needs with the right level of service intensity, at the right time. National widespread use of the IAR-DST aims to build a common language across the mental health sector about treatment needs based on the person-centred and evidence-based stepped care approach.

The tool considers a limited number of holistic domains that are important for referral decision making in mental health, including:

  1. Symptom Severity and Distress
  2. Risk of Harm
  3. Functioning
  4. Impact of Co-Existing Conditions
  5. Treatment and Recovery History
  6. Social and Environmental Stressors
  7. Family and Other Support
  8. Engagement and Motivation 

Benefits and uses of the IAR-DST

  1. Supports clinicians by providing a standardised framework to deliberate their decisions when connecting people with the right intensity of mental health care, at the right time
  2. Provides a framework to articulate treatment needs and improve transparency around how referral decisions are made, aiming to reduce frustration when referrals are not accepted
  3. Widespread uptake of the IAR-DST will promote a nationwide common language across the mental health sector about what level of service intensity a person requires
  4. Brings together existing initial assessment findings into eight holistic domains that are important for referral decision making, rather than replace (or require additional) existing clinical assessment
  5. Aims to minimise risks that can occur through under-servicing (poor outcomes) and over-servicing (unnecessary burden of care for the individual).

Training Dates

To use the IAR-DST, you first need to complete a 2-hour training workshop. IAR-DST training is offered at multiple dates and times, via Zoom (online).

Check our events calendar for dates and times and to register for an upcoming session.

Please contact the IAR-DST Project Team (details below) if you would like to organise an IAR-DST Training Session(s) specifically for your service.

Please note: the maximum number of participants who can register for one training session is 35. 

Accessing the IAR-DST

Once you complete the training, you can use the tool here https://iar-dst.online/#/.
We recommend bookmarking this page for easy reference.


Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is IAR-DST?

    The Initial Assessment and Referral (IAR) is an initiative by the Department of Health on establishing effective systems for the initial assessment and referral of individuals presenting with mental health conditions in primary health care settings. You can view the Guidance of this initiative here.

    The IAR Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST or DST) is a decision support aid to assist clinicians in matching a person's mental health treatment needs with the right level of service intensity, which you can view here: https://iar-dst.online/#/ 


  • Who can do the training?

    We welcome everyone from the mental health workforce to attend the training and learn about IAR. Specific guidance on which clinician groups should complete the initial assessment and how to engage peer workers, youth workers, and workers trained in the delivery of low intensity services to undertake components of the initial assessment is outlined on page 20 of the Guidance, which can be found here. 

  • How long does the IAR-DST take to complete?

    Following a comprehensive mental health assessment, filling out the IAR-DST takes approximately 2-3 minutes for frequent users and 5-10 minutes for infrequent users.

  • Should our team do the training together?

    Some organisations may prefer to complete the training as a team or service to learn together, while others may prefer to register for training alongside other organisations in the open-registration sessions. 

  • How long does the training take?

    The workshop is 2-hours in duration.

  • What format is the training?

    IAR-DST Training sessions are delivered via Zoom (online). Please contact the IAR-DST Project Team if you would like to express your interest in face-to-face training. 

  • Who delivers the training?

    SEMPHN’s IAR Training Support Officer is Natalie Eckberg, Clinical Psychologist. Natalie has worked across Victoria and New South Wales in headspace centres, hospital-based alcohol and other drug services, private practice and in schools. Natalie will be joined by another SEMPHN staff member as the supporting facilitator to deliver the training.

  • What do you receive after the training?

    Following completion of the training, you will receive: 

    • Certificate of attendance (please note, you must participate in the full 2-hour workshop to receive a certificate of attendance) 
    • Continued support from the IAR-DST Training Support Officer
    • Key resources and helpful links relevant to IAR-DST.

Questions or queries about IAR-DST?

Please contact Natalie Eckberg (IAR Training and Support Officer) at IAR-DST@semphn.org.au.

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