ABA referral-source tracking

Attribution begins with clean capture

Free-text source names create duplicates and make relationship performance impossible to interpret. Use controlled source records, a clear “how heard” field, and a relationship owner. Keep campaign context separate from the underlying referring organization.

Ask only what the team can maintain. A short, reliable attribution model is more valuable than a complex model filled with unknowns.

Measure fit and flow

Referral volume alone can reward sources that create avoidable work or do not match the organization’s service model. Follow cohorts through qualification, payer readiness, assessment, staffing, and start.

• Referrals received.
• Initial fit confirmed.
• Benefits and required records ready.
• Assessment milestone reached.
• Ready to staff.
• Start completed.
• Cycle time and fallout reason by source.

Avoid false precision

A family may encounter several channels before contacting the organization. Distinguish first-known source, most recent campaign, and professional referrer where the workflow supports it. Do not force a single attribution story onto incomplete evidence.

Use minimum cohort sizes and show counts with rates. One small month should not determine the value of a long-term referral relationship.

Close the relationship loop

Give outreach leaders a view of referral fit, geographic constraints, common readiness gaps, and communication follow-through. Share only appropriate, permitted information and never expose family details to a referrer without authorization.

The operating question is not “Who sent the most?” It is “Which relationships consistently connect the right families to services the organization can responsibly deliver?”