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Indigenous risk impact screen (IRIS) and brief intervention

The Indigenous Risk Impact Screen and Brief Intervention program provides a culturally secure and validated screening instrument and brief intervention designed to meet the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Queensland and across Australia.

The Indigenous Risk Impact Screen (IRIS) is a two factor screen that assesses alcohol and other drug use and associated mental health issues. The screening instrument allows for the assessment of risk factors for alcohol and other drug use and associated mental health issues in a culturally appropriate and timely manner.

The IRIS program seeks to:

• provide timely advice to clients and family about the extent and nature of the substance misuse and possible interventions and treatment pathways
• enable both mainstream and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service providers and health agencies to better target their response to Indigenous client’s needs
• provide Community Workers with support that will enable them to address the alcohol and other drug issues that affect their Indigenous clients in urban, regional and rural areas
• ensure its sustainability by encouraging the uptake of the IRIS tool through the provision of training and ongoing support to workers and agencies from health, community control, correction, government and non-government sectors

IRIS was developed in response to recommendations from both national and state reports which identified alcohol and other drug issues as the cause and symptom for health and environmental factors affecting the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Since 2006, the implementation of the IRIS program across Queensland has been funded by the Australian Government - Department of Health and Ageing. As of July 2009 the Australian Government has extended funding for the IRIS program to allow program roll out across Australia.

The screening tool and brief intervention has been validated. It is now supported and recommended as a culturally validated screen for working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people identifying alcohol and other drug, and mental health issues. The IRIS program is included in the Australian Department of Health and Ageing – Alcohol Treatment Guidelines for Indigenous Australians.

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For more information

IRIS Training
IRIS Materials
IRIS Updates
IRIS Contacts
IRIS Program Summary   (PDF 20KB)
IRIS Research Paper   (PDF 174KB)

IRIS training

The IRIS Team offer training to all workers who have contact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.

The Team visits sites and communities across Australia to provide training.  There are two IRIS training programs offered:

1. The IRIS 2 Day Workshop that trains participants how to use the tool kit in a culturally appropriate framework
2. The IRIS 4 Day Train the Trainer Program provides further training for those participants that have completed the 2 Day Workshop (pre-requisite) and wish to facilitate their own 2 Day Workshop

If you would like more information about training, view the IRIS workshop and training schedule  or please contact the IRIS Team on + 61 7 3837 5731.

IRIS materials

There is a range of IRIS materials to support participants in delivering the IRIS Brief Intervention. 

For more information contact the IRIS Team.

Indigenous Risk Impact Screen and Brief Intervention Tool Kit	Effects of Alcohol use  Body card	Emotional well-being  Body card

                  

IRIS Updates

Newsletters:

• December 2009
• August 2009
• April 2009
• December 2008

IRIS contacts

Coralie Ober (Program Director/Research Fellow)
Phone: +61 7 3837 5720
Mobile: 0408 437 493
Email: c.ober@sph.uq.edu.au or coralie_ober@health.qld.gov.au

Riya Engelhardt (Program Coordinator)
Phone: +61 7 3837 5722
Email: riya_engelhardt@health.qld.gov.au

Robert Assan (Training Consultant)
Phone: +61 7 3837 5713
Email: robert_assan@health.qld.gov.au

Frank Togiatama (Training Consultant)
Phone: +61 7 3837 5731
Email: frank_togiatama@health.qld.gov.au

Jonathan Lee (Admin Officer)
Phone: +61 7 3837 5789
Email: jonathan_lee@health.qld.gov.au

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