The Initial Assessment and Referral (IAR) and Decision Support Tool (DST) helps general practitioners and clinicians to recommend the most appropriate level of care for a person seeking mental health support.
The IAR-DST is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and brings together information from a range of sources including Australian and international evidence and advice from leading experts. It is part of the wider Medicare Mental Health website, phone line and centres – which aims to connect people with the right mental health supports first time, free of charge.
The IAR-DST is designed to assist the various parties involved in the assessment and referral process, including:
- GPs and other clinicians seeking to determine the most appropriate care type and intensity for individuals.
- Service providers, intake teams and PHNs responsible for undertaking initial assessments which may involve making recommendations on the level of care required.
Designed to complement the GP or clinician’s clinical judgement, IAR-DST is best used as part of a comprehensive mental health assessment.
To arrange IAR-DST training for your practice or service, please compete our Service Request Form
The Medicare Mental Health phone service uses the IAR-DST and all mental health clinicians are trained in its use to determine the most appropriate level of care for individuals seeking mental health support. One referral is all the GP needs to make as, once the patient is accepted into the Medicare Mental Health system, they are connected to the most appropriate services and supports.
Training is also available for GPs in the use of this tool. GPs and GP registrars who successfully complete both workshops will be remunerated $300* and CPD hours are available.
The IAR-DST is helping to create a common language across the mental health sector about patients’ treatment needs and means the patient only has to tell their story once.
*With the exception of GPs who are already being paid for their time by a Commonwealth funded service or they attend out of hours. Only GPs who attend the full training session are eligible for the remuneration payment, no pro rata payments can be made.
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IAR-DST training
WA Primary Health Alliance is providing GPs and mental health clinicians in WA with IAR-DST training via two online workshops.
Workshop 1 (30 minutes)
Delivered as an online video via the Open Learning platform. The content covers the Initial Assessment & Referral (IAR) framework – the 8 assessment domains and the 5 levels of care. Simply watch the video and complete 5 multiple choice questions, prior to attending Workshop 2.
Workshop 2 (90 minutes)
Delivered as a live webinar via Microsoft Teams. Following a brief review of the IAR, participants will apply their clinical knowledge to a consumer/patient scenario, using the online Decision Support Tool (DST) to generate a recommended level of care.
Register now
To register, click on your preferred Workshop 2 date below. Once registered, we’ll send you the link for Workshop 1 to complete prior to your attendance to Workshop 2.
- Thursday 17 April at 11am
- Thursday 1 May at 4:30pm
- Thursday 15 May at 11am
- Thursday 29 May at 4:30pm
- Thursday 12 June at 11am
- Thursday 26 June at 4:30pm
Please note: Workshop 1 must be completed prior to attending Workshop 2.
National training options
The national training comprises both Workshop 1 and Workshop 2 in one online session (please allow two hours).
The workshops are facilitated by an experienced IAR Training and Support Officer (TSO) from the National TSO Network.
For training dates and times, view the workshop schedule (training times are in AEST).
Minimum attendance numbers required to enable a participatory and collaborative learning environment. Sessions will be cancelled 48 hours before commencement if the minimum number of participants is unmet.
Initial assessment in mental health
The IAR is designed to assist assessment and referral discussions and decisions when a person presents in the primary care system with mental health symptoms and/or psychological distress.
The aim of the IAR is to assist clinicians with collecting sufficient social, health and clinical information to determine whether the person presenting requires further assessment or intervention, and the level of intervention or care required (i.e. the appropriate level from the stepped care model for primary mental health care).
Appropriate use of the IAR-DST
Initial assessment should be undertaken by a health professional who is suitably qualified and experienced in mental health assessments and treatment with the specific population where the IAR is being used (e.g. children, adolescents, adults, older adults and priority population groups).
Suitably qualified and experienced professionals generally include the following:
- General practitioners (GPs), medical specialists, nurse practitioners and other clinicians trained in mental health.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners, health workers and mental health workers.
- Mental health nurses.
- Mental health social workers.
- Occupational therapists.
It may be appropriate to engage staff other than those listed above (i.e. non-clinical staff) in undertaking assessment and completing the IAR-DST to obtain a recommended level of care.
Where non-clinical staff are involved in the initial assessment process, service providers should ensure that service models and delivery of care adhere to the relevant health care standards.
For further information, contact the training support officers by emailing PrimaryCareLearning@wapha.org.au