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Initial Assessment and Referral (IAR) Decision Support Tool for mental health
A tool to assist GPs and clinicians to recommend the most appropriate level of care for a person seeking mental health support is being rolled out. The Initial Assessment and Referral Guidance and Decision Support Tool (IAR DST) is being expanded and implemented in primary care by the Department of Health and Aged Care. CHN will work in collaboration with primary care providers and key stakeholders to implement IAR within the ACT.
People may present with a range of interconnected factors that can make it challenging for a GP to determine the most appropriate level of stepped care to meet their individual needs. The tool:
- provides a standardised, evidence-based, and objective approach to assist with mental health care recommendations.
- brings together information from a variety of sources including Australian and international evidence and advice from a range of leading experts.
- is used alongside a usual mental health assessment and the information gathered is then used to determine severity across eight domains (four primary care and four contextual domains).
Click here for further information about training and training dates.