Quick links
Overview
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.
The IAR Guidance (IAR) and Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST) are designed to establish a national, standardised approach to conducting initial mental health assessments and support general practitioners and other health professionals in recommending the most appropriate level of care for a person seeking mental health support. The IAR and the IAR-DST are an Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Aging initiative, bringing together information from various sources, including Australian and international evidence and advice from various leading experts.
WentWest (Western Sydney PHN) has been appointed as the National Training provider for the IAR Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST).
Benefits of the IAR-DST
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Aims to minimise risks that can occur through under-servicing (poor outcomes) and over-servicing (unnecessary burden of care for the individual).
Training
To use the IAR-DST, you need to complete one of the two training options:
- An online 2-hour training workshop;
- An online e-Learning module (for health professionals suitably qualified and experienced in mental health assessment and/or treatment).
IAR-DST training workshops - A range of dates and times are available for online workshops. Visit our Events page to register for upcoming IAR-DST training workshops.
e-Learning self-paced module - register for the e-Learning module to complete at your own pace. More information about the e-Learning module can be found in this video.
Accessing the IAR-DST
Once you have completed either the 2-hour training workshop or the self-paced e-Learning module, you can use the IAR-DST tool.
We recommend bookmarking this page for easy reference.
