Referral and Service Coordination
What this domain tests
Referral and service coordination test your ability to connect clients to the right level of care and keep them engaged across systems - medical, mental health, housing, legal, and child welfare - without breaching confidentiality.
Core rules
- Use a warm handoff where possible: direct contact, introduction, and confirmed appointment rather than a phone number.
- Obtain a 42 CFR Part 2-compliant written consent before sharing SUD information; specify recipient, purpose, and expiration.
- Coordinate with prescribers for medications for opioid use disorder (buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone) and for psychiatric care.
- Address social determinants: transportation, childcare, insurance, housing, and employment.
- Close the loop: document the referral, follow up within a set interval, and record the outcome.
Worked example
A pregnant client with opioid use disorder discloses heroin use. The counselor arranges same-week referral to addiction medicine for buprenorphine, coordinates with prenatal care, provides a release naming both providers, and follows up in 48 hours. Reasoning: pregnancy raises urgency, medication is first-line, and coordination requires consent plus documented follow-up.
Traps
Making referrals without follow-up (“refer and forget”); sharing information without consent; assuming a client can navigate multiple agencies alone; ignoring transportation and insurance barriers; and failing to document referral outcomes.