If making an in-house referral to an ERN, the Child Welfare Worker or Manager must:

1. Complete an internal referral.

2. Document the internal referral.

3. Determine the warm handoff method likeliest to work for the family or young person.

4. Consider a three-way phone call or in-person meeting.

You must, at minimum, share a three-way email to introduce the family or young person to the ERN.Schedule a three-way warm handoff conversation with ERN and the family or young person.

If referral to an internal ERN is not possible, the Child Welfare Worker or Manager must:

1. Identify suitable external Economic Security providers.

Consider language and program needs. Families or young people might also prefer to speak with a provider that has no connection to ACS. Consult the Economic Security Referral Directory).

2. Reach out to possible appropriate ERN matches to confirm capacity and fit of the referral.

The Economic Security Referral Directory offers email contact for the ERN Dispatcher at each organization accepting external referrals. Reach out with the subject line ‘Economic Security Referral.’ Send a short summary of the family or young person’s needs and ask if the provider has capacity and willingness to take on the referral. If they don’t, move on to the next Navigation provider.

3. Send the referral, sharing needs and priorities identified through screening. 

Use, modify, or replicate the Economic Security Toolkit, which includes the Economic Security Screener, Economic Security Referral Consent, and Economic Security Referral. Email it as an encrypted PDF attachment.  

4. Determine the warm handoff method likeliest to work for the family or young person.

Consider a three-way phone call or in-person meeting. You must, at minimum, share a three-way email to introduce the family or young person to the ERN.

5. Schedule and conduct a three-way warm handoff conversation with ERN and the family or young person. 

6. Document the context and outcome of referrals in case notes and in the Economic Security Activity Report.

ERN Dispatchers receiving referrals must:

1. Confirm that they have the capacity and willingness to accept the referral.

2. Confirm receipt of referral, follow up with questions and offer contact information for ERN.

3. Share the referral with the appropriate ERN staff, and share the ERN's contact information with the Child Welfare Worker.