To help you tell the two types of referrals apart, look for a few key signs while you work. Live referrals are sent directly to programs that have their features turned on to receive requests. Logged referrals are simply used to keep a record of the help you provided outside of the platform.
Live Referral Indicators
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No "Next Steps" Prompt: You will know you are submitting a live referral if you are not prompted to provide "next steps" at the beginning of the process.
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Consent Field Requirement: A live referral includes a mandatory consent checkbox within the form to confirm the seeker agrees to share their information with the provider.
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Live Referrals and Claimed Program Status: You are sending a live referral when the program is "claimed" and has live referrals turned on. In these cases, the language on the connect button refers to a specific action taken directly within the platform—such as "Refer" or "Apply"—rather than linking to an external website or next steps.
Logged Referral Indicators
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Initial Prompt: When you click the "Connect" button, you will immediately see a list of next steps and a specific option to 'Log a referral'.
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Provider Notification: The form will include a clear notification stating that the referral information will not be sent to the Community-Based Organization (CBO) or program provider.
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External Action: The language on the "Connect" button will refer to an action taken outside of the platform, such as "See Next Steps" or "Apply on Their Site".