The Initial Assessment and Referral (IAR) for Mental Healthcare Guidance and Decision Support Tool (DST) assists general practitioners and clinicians in recommending a level of care for a person seeking mental health support.

Each level of care is based on the least intensive and least intrusive evidence-based intervention that will likely lead to the most significant possible gain.

The IAR is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (The Department) and brings together information from various sources, including Australian and international evidence and advice from leading experts. The Department is expanding through Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and implementing the Initial Assessment and Referral Decision Support Tool (IAR-DST) into primary care settings to support General Practitioners and other specialists, allied health professionals, and referrers to recommend a level of care for a person seeking mental health support.

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