Evaluation of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS)

facilitation of appropriate referrals to general practitioners and other health services as
indicated through the assessment and requested by the entrant
with the permission of the entrant, ensuring that critical information is provided to health
service practitioners necessary to the effective treatment of the entrant, including any issues
that may influence the entrant’s acceptance of assessment and treatment procedures, and
any pre-existing treatment regimes.
(c) A comprehensive and appropriately structured assessment of psychological symptomatology and
social functioning that takes into account the effect of past experiences of trauma and torture and their
potential to inhibit the entrant’s ability to settle in Australia. The psychosocial and psychological
assessments include:
an assessment of post-traumatic symptoms including depression, anxiety, and associated
symptoms as well as the effects of grief, loss and anger as components of the trauma response
an assessment of the quality of daily functioning and the extent to which, if at all, psychosocial
issues may be contributing to a diminished level of participation in the community or other
settlement support services
the formulation of case plans arising from the assessment that details the range of interventions
required and agreed to by the entrant
where assessments indicate the need, the facilitation of referrals to a range of health and
community service providers
development of measures to commence to address the entrant’s needs in various areas as they
are identified in the assessment process.
(d) A range of short-term psychosocial and psychological interventions that will:
assist the entrant to manage their recovery from serious traumatic and psychological difficulties
assist the entrant to benefit from the health, community support and resettlement services
available to them
prevent deterioration of entrants who need long term counselling by providing interim counselling
as appropriately indicated through assessments, interventions consisting of a range of possible
strategies including:
psycho-educative strategies designed to strengthen the entrant’s understanding of issues
affecting them and their families and how these can be managed
provision of symptom management strategies that alleviate symptoms of psychological
distress and reinforce the entrant’s capacity to cope independently
working through the case plans arising from the assessment with the interventions required
and agreed to by the entrant
the provision of short term counselling that assists entrants in addressing those emotional and
psychological difficulties which are significantly affecting their ability to cope in the early
stages of the resettlement process
facilitating referrals for longer-term counselling and casework services in situations where the
psychological difficulties have been compounded by new information or experiences, or
where the traumatic effects of past experiences require long term interventions.
In addition to direct services to entrants, EHAI service providers are required to provide training to a
range of service providers including mainstream health services, general and specialised medical
practitioners, settlement services providers, IHSS funded services, and other relevant services, in
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Evaluation of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy 27 May 2003