The child welfare team, including the child welfare worker (CWW) and, in some cases, their managers;  in-house and external Economic Resource Navigators (ERNs); and ERN dispatchers at external organizations

• ES Toolkit
• ‍ES Referral Directory
• ‍ES Activity Reporting Form

If making an internal referral:

1. CWW or their manager makes a referral to an in-house Economic Resource Navigator.

(Skip to Step 7 below).

If making an external referral:

1. Child welfare worker (CWW) or manager identifies suitable external Economic Resource Navigator (ERN) 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. CWW or manager reaches out to external ERN providers 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. ERN dispatcher confirms they are able to accept the referral.

4. CWW or manager sends 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 the referral as an encrypted PDF attachment, since it contains sensitive personal information.

8. ERN Dispatcher confirms receipt of referral and follows up with questions.

9. ERN Dispatcher shares referral with
ERN and shares ERN’s contact information with the CWW.

7. CWW determines 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.

8. CWW schedules and coordinates a three-way warm handoff conversation with ERN and the family or young person.

9. CWW documents the context and outcome of referrals in case notes and the Activity Reporting Form.