What Information Does a Recovery-Housing Referral Need?

A good recovery-housing referral gives the housing provider enough information to understand the request without sending private records that are not needed for an initial housing inquiry.

For A Father’s Vision, the first goal is simple: understand who is seeking housing, how to reach them, what general housing need exists, when housing is needed, and whether AFV may be an appropriate fit.

Start with basic contact and housing information

• Person’s name.
• Preferred phone number or email.
• General city or market preference.
• Approximate timing or desired move-in window.
• Who is making the referral and the referring organization, if applicable.
• Whether the person knows about and agrees to the referral.
• General payment or funding plan when it is relevant to move-in readiness.
• Any practical accessibility or communication need that must be considered for the housing inquiry.

The purpose of the first contact is not to collect a complete treatment, legal, or medical history. It is to decide whether a housing conversation should move forward and what next step is appropriate.

What not to send through an ordinary public referral form

Do not send unnecessary sensitive records through a public website form. Unless AFV specifically requests information through an approved secure process, avoid uploading or pasting detailed medical records, treatment notes, diagnoses, medication lists, substance-use histories, court records, Social Security numbers, financial-account information, or other private records.

If a referral partner believes additional records are necessary, the safer approach is to ask AFV what information is actually required and what approved method should be used before transmitting it.

Describe the housing need, not a full case file

A useful referral explains the practical housing situation in plain language. For example: the person is leaving treatment and needs structured recovery housing; the person is returning to the community and needs a substance-free residence; or the person is currently unstably housed and is looking for a recovery-oriented environment.

Be clear about timing

If there is a discharge date, release date, temporary housing deadline, or other time-sensitive transition, include the general timing. Do not assume that submitting a referral reserves a bed or guarantees placement. Availability and fit must be confirmed through the intake process.

Know the difference between a referral and an emergency

A website referral is not an emergency-response channel. If someone has an immediate medical, psychiatric, safety, or withdrawal emergency, use the appropriate emergency or clinical service rather than waiting on a housing referral response.

What happens after the referral

AFV reviews the inquiry, determines whether the request appears to fit the organization’s recovery-housing scope, confirms current availability, and identifies the appropriate next step. That may include direct contact with the person seeking housing, a housing application, clarification of program expectations, or a referral to another resource when AFV is not the right fit.

Next step

Use AFV’s Families & Referral Partners pathway for professional or family referrals. If the person is ready to apply directly, use the Guest Application. Keep sensitive records out of ordinary public forms unless AFV specifically provides an approved secure method.

Source notes

• SAMHSA — Best Practices for Recovery Housing.
• National Alliance for Recovery Residences — NARR Standard and recovery-residence guidance.
• AFV public referral and privacy controls.