Organization Guide: Managing Referrals

This guide explains how to review, respond to, and manage referrals that caseworkers submit to your organization's resources.

What are Referrals?

Referrals are requests from caseworkers to connect their clients with your organization's resources. When a caseworker identifies that a client needs a service you provide, they create a referral.

Understanding Referrals

Referral Lifecycle

Referrals move through these statuses:

  1. Draft - Caseworker is preparing the referral
  2. Submitted - Referral sent to your organization
  3. In Review - You're evaluating the referral
  4. Accepted - You've approved the referral
  5. Denied - Referral declined (with reason)
  6. Completed - Service has been delivered
  7. Cancelled - Referral withdrawn by caseworker

Types of Referrals

Incoming Referrals

  • Referrals TO your resources
  • Requests for your services
  • You need to review and respond

Outgoing Referrals (if applicable)

  • Referrals FROM your organization
  • Referrals your caseworkers create
  • You can track and follow up

Accessing Referrals

View All Referrals

  1. Log in as organization administrator
  2. Click "Referrals" in the main navigation
  3. You'll see a list of referrals

Filter Referrals

Filter to see:

  • Status - Submitted, In Review, Accepted, etc.
  • Resource - Specific resource/program
  • Date Range - Recent, this month, etc.
  • Your Resources - Only referrals to your organization

Reviewing New Referrals

Step 1: Find Pending Referrals

  1. Go to Referrals page
  2. Filter by status: "Submitted" or "In Review"
  3. Or check your dashboard for pending count

Step 2: Open Referral Details

  1. Click on a referral to view details
  2. You'll see:
    • Client/household information
    • Resource requested
    • Caseworker notes
    • Eligibility information
    • Priority level

Step 3: Evaluate Eligibility

Check if client meets requirements:

  • ✅ Income eligibility
  • ✅ Household size
  • ✅ Geographic location
  • ✅ Other specific requirements
  • ✅ Documentation provided

Step 4: Check Availability

Verify your resource has capacity:

  • ✅ Slots available (if slot-based)
  • ✅ Funding available (if funding-based)
  • ✅ Within service area
  • ✅ Currently active

Responding to Referrals

Accepting a Referral

When client is eligible and you have capacity:

  1. Open the referral
  2. Review all information
  3. Click "Accept Referral" or "Approve"
  4. Add any notes (optional):
    • Next steps for client
    • Contact information
    • Required documents
    • Timeline
  5. Status changes to "Accepted"
  6. Caseworker is notified

Denying a Referral

When client doesn't qualify or no capacity:

  1. Open the referral
  2. Review why it doesn't qualify
  3. Click "Deny Referral" or "Decline"
  4. Required: Add reason for denial:
    • Doesn't meet eligibility
    • No capacity available
    • Outside service area
    • Missing documentation
    • Other (specify)
  5. Status changes to "Denied"
  6. Caseworker is notified with reason

Requesting More Information

If you need additional details:

  1. Add a note requesting specific information
  2. Update status to "In Review" (if not already)
  3. Specify what you need:
    • Additional documentation
    • Clarification on circumstances
    • Verification of information
  4. Caseworker can respond with information

Updating Referral Status

Mark as In Review

When you start evaluating:

  1. Open referral
  2. Click "Mark as In Review"
  3. Add note if needed
  4. Status updates immediately

Update to Accepted

After approval:

  1. Open referral
  2. Click "Accept"
  3. Add notes about next steps
  4. Status updates, caseworker notified

Update to Denied

After determining ineligibility:

  1. Open referral
  2. Click "Deny"
  3. Required: Add denial reason
  4. Status updates, caseworker notified

Mark as Completed

After service delivery:

  1. Open referral
  2. Click "Mark as Completed"
  3. Add outcome notes:
    • Service provided
    • Results achieved
    • Follow-up needed
  4. Status updates, referral closed

Adding Notes

When to Add Notes

Add notes to:

  • ✅ Provide additional information
  • ✅ Request clarification
  • ✅ Explain decisions
  • ✅ Document outcomes
  • ✅ Communicate with caseworker

Note Types

Provider Notes

  • Internal notes for your team
  • Not visible to caseworker
  • Use for internal coordination

Caseworker Notes (if you can add)

  • Visible to caseworker
  • Use for communication
  • Explain decisions or requests

Best Practices for Notes

  • Be Clear - Use plain language
  • Be Specific - Provide details
  • Be Timely - Add notes promptly
  • Be Professional - Maintain respectful tone

Best Practices

Reviewing Referrals

  1. Check Regularly - Review new referrals daily
  2. Respond Promptly - Within 24-48 hours
  3. Be Thorough - Review all information
  4. Verify Eligibility - Check requirements carefully

Accepting Referrals

  1. Confirm Capacity - Verify availability
  2. Check Eligibility - Ensure client qualifies
  3. Add Next Steps - Provide clear instructions
  4. Follow Up - Track service delivery

Denying Referrals

  1. Be Specific - Clear reason for denial
  2. Be Helpful - Suggest alternatives if possible
  3. Be Timely - Respond quickly
  4. Be Professional - Maintain respectful communication

Tracking Outcomes

  1. Update Status - Keep status current
  2. Document Results - Add outcome notes
  3. Mark Complete - Close when service delivered
  4. Follow Up - Check on client if needed

Common Scenarios

Multiple Referrals for Same Client

If a client has multiple referrals:

  1. Review each separately
  2. Consider if services can be combined
  3. Coordinate timing if needed
  4. Add notes about coordination

Urgent Referrals

For time-sensitive requests:

  1. Prioritize review
  2. Respond within hours if possible
  3. Expedite processing if capacity allows
  4. Communicate urgency in notes

Referral Needs More Information

When information is missing:

  1. Add note requesting specifics
  2. Keep status as "In Review"
  3. Wait for caseworker response
  4. Follow up if no response

Capacity Changes

If capacity changes after referral:

  1. Update resource availability
  2. Review pending referrals
  3. Accept if now have capacity
  4. Deny if still no capacity (with explanation)

Referral Statistics

Track your organization's referral metrics:

  • Total referrals received
  • Acceptance rate
  • Average response time
  • Completion rate
  • Common denial reasons

See Reports & Analytics for details.

Communication with Caseworkers

Effective Communication

  • Be Responsive - Answer within 24-48 hours
  • Be Clear - Use plain language
  • Be Helpful - Provide guidance when possible
  • Be Professional - Maintain respectful tone

When to Contact Directly

Consider direct contact for:

  • Urgent situations
  • Complex cases
  • Need for clarification
  • Building relationships

Related Guides

Questions About Referrals? Contact your system administrator or reach out to caseworkers directly for clarification.