What Should Be in a Therapist Referral Packet for Schools? A Back-to-School Checklist
You finally get the meeting with the school counselor.
Amazing.
And then you look at your desk and think:
Wait. What am I supposed to bring?
Business cards? A brochure? Your résumé? A folder filled with every training you have attended since grad school?
Please do not hand a busy school counselor a fifteen-page autobiography.
A good therapist referral packet has a much simpler job. It should help school staff understand who you work with, when your practice might be a good option, whether families can realistically access your services, and how they can contact you.
That is it.
Here is what I would put inside.
What Is a Therapist Referral Packet?
A therapist referral packet is a small collection of therapist referral materials designed to make it easy for another professional to understand and share information about your practice.
For schools, that may mean a school counselor, social worker, psychologist, nurse, administrator, or another student support professional.
This type of connection makes sense because schools may refer students to community services when support outside the school is needed. The CDC specifically recommends that schools form relationships with community providers and create referral systems that connect students with youth-friendly health services.
Your referral packet should quickly answer:
Who do you work with?
What concerns do you regularly treat?
What ages do you accept?
Where are you located?
Do you offer telehealth?
What do you charge?
Do you take insurance?
Are you accepting new clients?
What should a family do next?
A referral packet is not there to convince a counselor that you are the greatest therapist in a fifty-mile radius.
It is there to make you easy to understand.
Therapist Referral Packet Checklist
If I were creating a packet for school counselor referrals, I would start here:
| Include | What It Tells the School |
|---|---|
| One-page referral sheet | Quick overview of your practice |
| Short professional bio | Credentials and relevant experience |
| Ages served | Which students may fit your practice? |
| Referral concerns | When staff should think of you |
| Location | Where sessions are available |
| Telehealth information | Whether virtual care is offered |
| Fees and insurance | Whether care may fit the family financially |
| Current availability | Whether you have openings |
| Contact instructions | What a family should do next |
| Website and QR code | Where current information lives |
| Business cards | Easy contact information to hand out |
| Parent resource | Something useful for families |
| Workshop topics | Optional support you can offer the school |
This is a practical checklist, not a federal rule about what every therapist must provide.
And you probably do not need every item every time.
If the packet becomes so thick that someone needs a three-ring binder, we have gone too far.
1. Start With a One-Page Therapist Referral Sheet
If you make only one piece of therapist referral materials, make it this.
Your referral sheet should be something a school counselor can look at for twenty seconds and understand.
Put the most useful information first.
I would include:
Your name and credentials
Practice name
Who you work with
Common reasons for referral
Ages served
Location
Telehealth availability
Fees or insurance information
Current availability
Contact information
Website or QR code
The Private Practice Pro already teaches one of the most useful rules in referral marketing: good referral partners need to understand who you help and when to think of you.
That means this:
“I specialize in anxiety.”
is less useful than:
“I work with teens who are dealing with school anxiety, panic, perfectionism, social anxiety, and the pressure to keep up academically.”
The second version gives the counselor a picture.
That is what you want.
2. Include a Short Professional Bio
Your school referral packet does not need your full résumé unless the school specifically requests it.
Keep the bio short.
Include your:
Degree
License
Main practice focus
Relevant experience
Age groups served
Therapy format
Location
You could write something like
Kelley Stevens, LMFT, is a licensed therapist who works with teens and families experiencing anxiety, school stress, perfectionism, and major life transitions. Sessions are available in person in [City] and through telehealth for eligible clients in [State].
That is enough for a referral packet.
The goal is not to prove you have done impressive things.
The goal is to answer:
Why might this person be a useful resource for our students and families?
3. Make Ages and Referral Reasons Very Clear
Do not make school staff guess.
If you accept clients beginning at age 12, say that.
If you work only with high school students, say that too.
“Children and adolescents” can mean very different things from one practice to another.
Use clear language such as
Ages 8 to 12
Middle and high school students
Teens ages 13 to 18
Then list concerns that a school professional might actually recognize in day-to-day student life.
For example:
School anxiety
Panic
Social anxiety
Perfectionism
Academic pressure
ADHD-related stress
Friendship problems
Family changes
Grief
School transitions
College application stress
Schools may help connect students and families with both school and community counseling services when students need more support.
You are simply making it easier for staff to know when your practice may belong on the list of options.
4. Include Location, Fees, Insurance, and Availability
This is the part therapists sometimes hide at the bottom.
Do not.
A therapist can sound perfect for a family, but the referral falls apart quickly if nobody knows whether the office is forty minutes away, whether the therapist sees the student’s age group, or whether the family can afford the fee.
Tell them where clients can see you
Include your city or neighborhood.
Then state whether you offer:
In-person sessions
Telehealth
or both.
If you provide telehealth, list the states where you can legally see clients when that information is relevant to your practice.
Make payment information simple.
You might include:
Private pay: $___ per session
In network with: ___
Superbills available: Yes
You do not need to explain your entire billing system.
Add current availability.
Use something like
Currently accepting new clients
or:
Visit the website for current availability.
The second option works well if your openings change regularly.
This is also where a QR code can earn its tiny square of real estate.
Send it to a current page on your website rather than a PDF you will forget to update for three years.
5. Give School Staff a Simple Referral Process
A counselor should not have to email you asking:
“So, what exactly should I tell the parent? ”
Put the answer in the packet.
A simple process could look like this:
School staff gives the family your referral sheet.
The parent, guardian, or eligible student contacts your practice.
Your office handles consultation and intake.
If school collaboration becomes appropriate, the required permission is addressed before client-specific communication occurs.
The current ASCA ethical standards say school counselors should provide multiple outside resources rather than indicate a preference for one individual practice. They also state that counselors should request a signed release before attempting to collaborate with an external provider.
This matters for your marketing too.
Your goal is not
“Please send your students directly to me.”
A better goal is
“I would love to be one of the resources families can consider when this type of support is needed.”
That respects the counselor’s role and makes the relationship feel much less weird.
6. Add One Useful Parent Resource
Most therapist packets are very focused on the therapist.
My credentials.
My services.
My website.
My business card.
My office.
Try adding something that is useful even if the family never calls you.
Examples include:
5 Signs School Anxiety Needs More Support
What Parents Should Know About School Avoidance
Helping a Teen Adjust to a New School
When Test Anxiety Affects Daily Life
What to Expect From Therapy
The CDC recommends giving students and parents clear information about available health services and how they can access those services.
Keep the resource simple and educational.
Put your practice information at the bottom.
You do not need to turn the entire page into an ad.
7. Add Workshop Topics If You Want School Speaking Opportunities
You do not have to offer workshops.
But if speaking to parents, students, or staff is something you enjoy, your referral packet is a good place to mention it.
The Private Practice Pro’s existing back-to-school guide recommends connecting with schools through parent education and gives examples involving adolescent mental health, boundaries around screens, and other family concerns.
The trick is to make your offer specific.
Do not write:
Available for mental health presentations.
Try:
Helping Parents Respond to School Avoidance
Understanding Anxiety in Middle School
Supporting Teens Through Academic Pressure
Specific topics are easier for someone to remember when they are planning a parent night six weeks later.
What Should You NOT Put in a School Referral Packet?
Please leave these out:
Client names
Identifying client stories
Detailed clinical examples
Promises about outcomes
Long explanations about your credentials
Requests for confidential student information
Language suggesting the school should refer only to you
ASCA’s ethical standards instruct school counselors to provide multiple referral options or a district-approved referral list and to avoid suggesting an endorsement of one individual provider.
So if your marketing plan is
Become the only therapist this school recommends.
That plan has a problem.
A much better goal is becoming a trusted, easy-to-understand community resource.
FERPA, HIPAA, and School Referrals
This part can sound intimidating quickly, so here is the basic distinction.
School records may fall under FERPA.
The U.S. Department of Education and HHS explain that health records maintained by FERPA-covered elementary and secondary schools are generally treated as education records under FERPA rather than protected health information under HIPAA.
There are details and exceptions, so do not turn that sentence into a universal answer for every school arrangement.
Your therapy records are different.
The exact privacy rules that apply to an outside therapist depend on the therapist, the setting, and the relationship with the school.
Federal guidance specifically addresses how FERPA and HIPAA can apply differently depending on who maintains the student health record.
A referral is not permission.
This is the piece I really want therapists to remember.
A school counselor referring a student to your practice does not automatically mean you can confirm:
“They started therapy with me last Tuesday.”
The Private Practice Pro’s referral update guide explains why even confirming that someone scheduled or entered treatment can reveal protected information.
ASCA also tells school counselors to obtain a signed release before collaborating with an outside provider.
When client-specific communication comes up, check the rules that apply to your license, location, client, practice, and school district.
Sample One-Page Therapist Referral Sheet
Here is a simple format you can copy.
Kelley Stevens, LMFT
[Practice Name]
Who I Work With
Teens ages 13 to 18 experiencing anxiety, perfectionism, school stress, social anxiety, and major transitions.
Common Reasons for Referral
School anxiety, panic, academic pressure, friendship concerns, adjustment problems, and transition stress.
Appointments
In-person in [City] and telehealth for eligible clients in [State].
Payment
Private pay: $___
Insurance: ___
Superbills: ___
Current Availability
Currently accepting new clients. Visit the website for current openings.
How Families Get Started
Call [phone], email [email], or visit [website].
QR Code
Link directly to your inquiry or services page.
Then stop.
That is plenty.
Sample Email to a School Counselor
Your packet also needs an introduction.
Keep the email short.
Subject: Local Therapy Resource for Students and Families
Hi [Name],
My name is [Name], and I am a therapist in [City] working with [age group] who are dealing with [two or three specific concerns].
I wanted to introduce myself because I work with many students and families in the area. I attached a one-page referral sheet and a short parent resource in case either is useful for your team.
Does your school have a process for adding community therapists to its outside resource list?
Thank you for the work you do with students and families.
[Name]
[Credentials]
[Practice]
[Contact information]
If you want more detail on the conversation after they respond, I have already shared the full approach I use in my school counselor referral script.
Back to School Referral Packet Checklist
Before you send or print your packet, check:
Practice information
☐ Therapist name and credentials
☐ Practice name
☐ Phone and email
☐ Website
☐ QR code
Referral fit
☐ Ages served
☐ Common concerns
☐ Services offered
☐ In-person or telehealth
Access
☐ Fees
☐ Insurance information
☐ Availability
☐ Clear contact instructions
Useful extras
☐ Business cards
☐ One parent resource
☐ Workshop topics if offered
Final review
☐ Current availability checked
☐ Old insurance information removed
☐ Links tested
☐ School referral process reviewed
☐ No confidential client information included
Print a few.
Save a PDF.
Then use them.
Because the prettiest referral packet in your Canva account does absolutely nothing if nobody ever sees it.
Availability.
Make It Easier for Referral Partners to Remember You
A referral packet is one small part of building a practice people know how to refer to.
If you want more practical ideas for creating a practice that people can understand, find, and confidently refer to, visit The Private Practice Pro. If you are not sure what part of your practice needs attention next, contact The Private Practice Pro and tell us what you are working on.
Frequently Asked Questions About Therapist Referral Packets
What should be included in a therapist referral packet for schools?
Include a one-page referral sheet, ages served, common referral concerns, location, telehealth information, fees or insurance, availability, contact instructions, and a useful parent resource. The goal is to help school staff quickly understand whether your practice might fit a family’s needs.
Should therapists give school counselors business cards or brochures?
Business cards can be useful because they are easy to hand to a parent, but they usually do not provide enough detail by themselves. Pair them with a simple one-page referral sheet that explains who you work with and how families can contact you.
Can a school counselor refer students to one private therapist?
School and district procedures vary. Current ASCA ethical standards say school counselors should provide multiple outside options or use a district-approved list rather than indicate an endorsement or preference for one individual practice.
Can a school counselor share private student information with a therapist?
FERPA can restrict disclosure of personally identifiable information from school education records, although specific exceptions and consent rules apply. Federal student privacy guidance explains how FERPA applies to student health records maintained by schools, so client-specific information should not be treated like casual referral marketing.
How often should therapists update school referral materials?
Review the packet whenever your fee, insurance status, availability, location, ages served, contact information, or services change. I would also check the full packet before your fall school outreach so you do not hand someone a beautiful sheet advertising an insurance panel you left eight months ago.
