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August 6, 2026 · 5 min read

For courts, programs and agencies: how a referral actually works

What we need from you and why, what you get back, why the release is the part people forget, and how to ask about beds in a way that gets a useful answer.

This one is for the people making the call rather than the person moving in: court coordinators, probation and parole officers, case managers, counsellors and hospital discharge planners.

What we need from you, and why

  • The person's name and a way to reach them directly. A referral we cannot follow up with is a form, not a placement.
  • The date they need somewhere. Everything downstream is scheduled from it.
  • Whether an address has to be approved by anyone, and by when.
  • Whether any funding applies — a court contract or programme changes what is possible.
  • A signed release, if you need compliance information back from us.

The release is the part people forget

Without one naming you or your court, we cannot confirm the person is here, let alone report on how they are doing. That is the single most common reason a referring partner hears nothing back.

What you get back

Where a release is in place, a coordinator can see compliance for the residents named in it — and only those. Access is logged. If you have ever been handed a report about someone you were not entitled to see, you will understand why that constraint is a feature rather than an obstacle.

Bed availability is a real-time question

Openings change day to day. Rather than asking whether we “have space” in general, ask about a specific date and a specific person — the answer is usually different and always more useful.

If you refer people regularly

It is worth having an account rather than emailing. You can see where your own referrals have got to without phoning to ask, which saves your time more than ours.

Can I refer someone who has not agreed yet?
Talk to them first. A referral for somebody who does not know it is happening tends to end at the first phone call, and it puts us in an awkward position with a person we would rather start honestly with.
How fast can someone move in?
It depends on openings and on what has to be approved. Ask about a specific date rather than in general.
What if the placement does not work out?
Tell us early. Most of what can be done has to be done before a situation becomes a discharge.

Where to go next

Or ask us about an account if you refer people regularly.

Refer someoneAll writing

Need help right now?

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. More crisis resources.