Mental Health Referrals From First Responders: Support During Crises to Continued Care

August 19, 2025

Authored by: Jemma Strain, B.S. Psychology

Edited by: Emma Loker, BSc, PgDip

Mental health referrals from social workers play a pivotal role in connecting people with appropriate treatment. Social workers are able to guide clients through therapy programs and even inpatient care, often helping bridge the gap between mental health crises and receiving appropriate support.

Inpatient care referrals by social workers both increase accessibility to necessary services and can, in many cases, help people feel more comfortable and confident seeking the help they need. If you’d like to know more about how social workers can be involved in mental health treatment, a mental health professional can talk you through the process. This article can also be of assistance, as it covers:

The role of social workers in mental health referrals
Therapy programs that social workers can refer to
The social worker referral process
How social work and mental health treatment can coordinate
Where to find professional support
Responses to frequently asked questions about social worker mental health referrals

The Role of Social Workers in Mental Health Referrals

Studies put the number of people living with undiagnosed mental health disorders as high as 50%.¹Unfortunately, untreated mental disorders severely increase the risk of both functional impairment (ability to perform daily tasks) and, in worst-case scenarios, self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

Barriers to care vary from reluctance to seek treatment to a lack of awareness of the extent of difficulties. Additionally, social stigma can deter many people from seeking help as they may fear that it will impact the way their social circle sees them.

Social workers can break down these barriers by providing people on their caseload with a persuasive combination of acceptance and education. However, the way this plays out often depends on the context of the social service being provided.

For instance, clinical social workers directly focus on helping people who are struggling with their psychological health – and may even provide counseling services. Yet even social workers who function outside the clinical setting will often naturally come into contact with people who could benefit from mental health services. Therefore, they often play a valuable role in referring these people to the right professionals to help with their needs.

Further, district-employed social workers may help those in the community, such as in school, hospital, or child welfare settings, access the right treatments for their condition. In all of these situations, social work mental health referrals are often the first step toward healing, creating a trustworthy bridge to receiving timely support.

Therapy services referred by social workers might include inpatient or outpatient treatment for people struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or trauma. They might also include counseling services or even medication referrals. We discuss the therapy programs social workers can refer to in more detail next.

Therapy Programs Referred by Social Workers

Therapy programs from social worker recommendations vary based on need. Outpatient services are the most typical first step. These can include flexible individual counseling sessions for depression, anxiety, or trauma. For example, talk therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapies can be used to target maladaptive thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors, teaching people important coping skills for managing day-to-day life.

Additionally, social workers can link people to group therapy sessions, which are a common resource for grief counseling and family support. These programs can help by giving people access to those with similar issues, reducing stigma, and increasing social support.

If someone is significantly struggling to cope with their mental health difficulties, inpatient mental health care referrals by social workers can provide access to a more intensive form of treatment. In this case, the patient is admitted into a highly structured environment with 24/7 supervision and a focus on:

Crisis stabilization
Medication management
Integrated therapy services

By targeting these aspects, the social worker is ensuring the person’s immediate safety. All of this combines to create a comprehensive form of care designed specifically for acute crisis management.

However, a study published by the National Institute of Health indicates that only about 2% of people receiving mental health services end up in an inpatient environment.² But why do inpatient services represent such a small minority of people seeking mental health support? The answer to this question might come down to how people typically only require inpatient services if there is an immediate risk to their emotional or physical health. Social workers are often well-placed to determine whether safeguarding measures, such as inpatient care, are required to navigate someone’s needs.

The goal is always to match the person with the right treatment appropriate for their situation – no matter what that might be.

How Social Worker Mental Health Referrals Happen

While they might not seem like it at the time, mental health care referrals are ultimately a positive thing. They can connect people with life-changing or potentially even life-saving services. This being said, many people might avoid social worker involvement for fear of the process. For example, they might wonder, If I tell the truth to a social worker, am I going to be sent off to the hospital?

The answer is “Not always.” As previously mentioned, only 2% of people in need of mental health referrals end up receiving inpatient treatment. However, social workers are still mandated reporters, and there are situations in which involuntary hospitalization is required.

Nevertheless, involuntary commitment is relatively rare and can only occur when a patient is displaying a psychiatric condition that poses a risk to their safety or the safety of others.³

In most cases, social work referrals are not compulsory, but they are often wise to heed.

Working with social workers is best seen as a collaborative relationship in which you are partnering with someone who genuinely has your best intentions at heart. They also have knowledge of how to work with others in a multidisciplinary capacity and an understanding of the most accessible resources to help you get where you want to be. When you can trust in this relationship, mental health referrals from social workers can become a stabilizing source of comfort throughout your experiences.

In many cases, once a social worker has made the referral, they will continue being a touchpoint for you. This means they will likely check in at various stages throughout treatment to ensure that you are connecting with the program in beneficial ways.

How Social Work and Mental Health Treatment Coordination Work

Social workers don’t just hand people off to mental health professionals and are then done with them. Instead, what typically happens is a more nuanced form of coordinated care in which various types of counseling are applied by mental health professionals.

During this process, social workers typically remain active in the background, providing both support and continuity to the person receiving treatment. Collaborative care models emphasize the benefits of such a team-based approach to psychiatric help.⁴

When someone is admitted to a hospital, they often interact with a wide variety of different teams until a diagnosis has been made and a treatment plan has been developed. For instance, people referred to mental health services often encounter:

Psychiatrists
Medical doctors
Behavioral health care managers
A wide range of other professionals

Each of these professionals is there to coordinate care and provide the highest possible level of service. However, social workers continue to collaborate with these professionals throughout. In fact, they may become most active after the initial round of treatment has concluded. In this context, they are there to facilitate follow-up care and ensure that the patient is connecting with the services they are receiving.

Mission Connection: Professional Support for Mental Health Crises

Mental health recovery resources through social work are powerful tools that can promote healing. At Mission Connection, our multidisciplinary team delivers a wide range of services designed to best fit your situation. These include group therapy, weekly psychiatric care, medication management, and person-centered treatment plans tailored to your specific needs.

Therapy support for clients via social work referrals is always provided with your best interests at heart. With cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and many other treatment options available, there are numerous ways to ensure that recovery and positive outcomes are possible. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

FAQs About Mental Health Referrals From Social Workers

If you’ve any remaining questions about mental health referrals from social workers, the following responses to frequently asked questions may help shed further light on the process.

Why Would a Social Worker Refer Someone to Inpatient Therapy?

Inpatient therapy for social worker-referred clients is relatively rare. These recommendations are usually designed with acute crisis management in mind. However, severe psychiatric symptoms cannot always be sufficiently addressed by outpatient care. Therefore, Inpatient referrals are there to ensure someone’s immediate safety during times of crisis.

How Do Social Workers Connect Clients to Mental Health Programs?

Social workers connecting clients to mental health programs evaluate the client’s needs and match them with appropriate services. Recommendations are typically symptom-specific, tailored both to the severity of the person’s condition and the resources available to treat it.

I Have Been Referred to a Mental Health Service Provider by a Social Worker. Do I Have to Follow Through With My Appointment?

Compulsory care is relatively rare after a social worker referral. However, those in need of it will usually know right away, as admission to an inpatient facility will follow immediately after the event that initiated the referral.

In general, following through with referrals is typically voluntary but is almost always a good idea. Reluctance to receive mental health services is a common early barrier to recovery, but the vast majority of people who receive psychotherapy report benefiting from it.⁵

What Types of Mental Health Resources Can Clients Access Through Social Work Referral?

The mental health resources accessed through social worker referral are designed to match the person’s needs. However, Outpatient therapy is a common initial service. Access to residential programs may be provided in situations where long-term care is required to ensure the patient’s safety.

When Are Residential Treatment Programs Required?

Residential treatment programs are often recommended in cases when the patient requires intensive care, particularly in the context of time-sensitive crisis management. For instance, if someone poses a physical risk to themselves or someone else, they may be placed in a residential environment until their situation stabilizes.

What Role Do Social Workers Play Once the Referral Has Been Made?

The long-term role social workers play in the treatment process is typically situationally specific. However, in many cases, they serve as an ongoing touch point for the person in need of care, helping to coordinate ongoing care and monitoring their progress. By providing someone with compassion, stability, and continuity, social workers can make the entire treatment experience easier in both big and small ways.