For referring clinicians

Referral process

How to refer a client to Iron Ridge: what to send, how to transmit PHI securely, what happens next, and when we will decline a referral and say so early on.

Call (512) 877-8616, answered live by our team Mon–Fri 8am–9pm CT, or use the referral form and a clinician follows up personally. No referral is required for a client to reach us directly. Most referrals move from first contact to a scheduled consult inside two business days.

The sequence

  1. You make contact — by phone, or through the referral form. If you would rather talk through the case before sending anything formal, call; that is often faster.
  2. We respond personally. Calls are answered live, Mon–Fri 8am–9pm CT, and written referrals get a reply from a licensed member of the clinical team, not an admissions coordinator working from a script.
  3. Consult call with the client. A clinical conversation about what is happening, what has been tried, and whether this is the right level of care.
  4. Clinical assessment if it looks like a fit, establishing the picture and the treatment plan.
  5. Coordination back to you, with the client's consent and a signed release.

What to send, and what not to

Send enough to establish whether the referral fits: duration of the concern, prior treatment episodes, current stabilisation status, current level of care, and the key stressors.

Only send protected health information over a secure channel — TLS-enforced email, a portal, or an established case-coordination workflow. If your email is not TLS-enforced, send the referral de-identified and we will call you back on a secure line to complete the handoff.

If you do not yet have a signed release, de-identify. A referral is useful without a name attached.

What happens to your therapeutic relationship

Iron Ridge is a level of care, not a replacement for you. The eight-week arc is built to hand back — most clients return to outside individual therapy afterwards, and the continuing-care plan assumes that.

Where the client consents, we coordinate on treatment planning and progress rather than working in parallel and unaware. Case coordination covers the mechanics.

When we will decline a referral

We say no when we should, and we say it early rather than after intake.

Iron Ridge is not the appropriate level of care for active psychosis, unstable mood-disorder presentations, substance use requiring primary SUD treatment, or acute suicidality. Those need stabilising in a different setting first.

We also decline when compulsive sexual behavior is not actually the presenting picture — where a general mental health program, an OCD specialist, or another service would serve the client better. When to refer to an IOP sets out the threshold in more detail.

Practical details you will be asked about

Level of care. Intensive outpatient only: nine to twelve clinical hours per week across eight weeks, plus non-clinical recovery coaching. No detox, residential, PHP, or medication management.

Cost. $25,000 for the eight-week arc, billed at $12,500 monthly. Partner programming is included. Full pricing.

Insurance. Out-of-network. The client can have us bill their PPO out of network, receive a superbill to submit themselves, or pay privately with no claim filed. Superbill mechanics.

Partners. Treated as separate clients with their own intake and their own clinician. If you are working with the partner rather than the client, refer her directly.

How long it takes

Most referrals move from first contact to a scheduled consult inside two business days. Where a case is complex or the fit is unclear, we would rather spend an extra call getting it right than admit someone we cannot serve well.

If timing is urgent, say so when you call. Admission is rolling, so there is no cohort to wait for, and we will give you a straight answer rather than a hopeful one.

Send a referral → · or call (512) 877-8616

See also: when to refer to an IOP · clinician resources · case coordination

Frequently asked questions

How do I refer a client to Iron Ridge Recovery?

Call (512) 877-8616 to talk the case through; calls are answered live by our team, Monday to Friday, 8am to 9pm Central. Or use the clinician referral form and a licensed member of the clinical team follows up personally. No referral is required for a client to reach us directly.

How should I send protected health information?

Only over a secure channel — TLS-enforced email, a portal, or an established case-coordination workflow. If your email is not TLS-enforced, send the referral de-identified and we will call you back on a secure line.

Will my client come back to me afterwards?

That is the intended path. The eight-week arc is built to hand back to outside care with a continuing-care plan, and most clients return to their outside individual therapist.

When would Iron Ridge decline a referral?

Active psychosis, unstable mood-disorder presentations, substance use requiring primary SUD treatment, acute suicidality, or where compulsive sexual behavior is not actually the presenting picture. We say so early rather than after intake.

Do I need a signed release before referring?

No. De-identify the referral if you do not yet have one. A referral is useful without a name attached, and we obtain consent before any coordination.

Out-of-network. Private pay, out-of-network billing to your PPO, or a superbill you submit yourself. Nothing goes to your insurer unless you choose.