# Recovery coaching intake workflow planning worksheet

Smores Health. Reviewed October 9, 2026.

Guide: https://smoreshealth.com/peer-support-software/recovery-coaching-intake-workflow

For organizational planning only. This worksheet is not a clinical assessment, consent or release, approved participant intake form, or billing record. Use your approved forms and systems for actual participant information. Keep this planning copy free of identifying information.

## 1. Define the service

- Program, setting, and state:
- Service being offered:
- Entry routes (direct request, partner referral, outreach, or others):
- Intake owner:
- Coaching supervisor:
- Applicable policy and source reviewers:
- Approved workflow version:
- Next review date:

## 2. Map the steps and owners

| Stage | What this stage means in our program | Responsible role and backup | Record or procedure used | Next step |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Request received | | | | |
| Contact prepared | | | | |
| Contact attempted | | | | |
| Service explained | | | | |
| Required administrative steps addressed | | | | |
| Coaching support actually delivered | | | | |
| Follow-up agreed or contact closed | | | | |

- How do we identify an existing record before creating another?
- How are repeated referrals handled?
- Which unresolved entry questions need another role?
- Who reviews work waiting for a decision?
- How does responsibility remain clear when someone is absent?

## 3. Inventory the approved forms

| Form or record | Purpose | Approved version and owner | When used | Access and review process |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Program entry material | | | | |
| Applicable formal permissions or releases | | | | |
| First-contact record | | | | |
| Coaching note | | | | |
| Follow-up task | | | | |

A communication preference does not replace an approved permission or disclosure process. Have the responsible reviewer decide which forms and requirements apply.

## 4. Prepare the first contact

- What is the person expecting from this contact?
- Who will explain the service?
- What information is necessary for this task?
- What current communication instructions apply?
- What language or accessibility arrangements need to be prepared?
- What should staff do if the person is not reached?
- Where do staff find the approved safety and escalation procedure?
- What approved fallback applies if equipment or connectivity fails?

## 5. Adapt conversation prompts

These are optional conversation aids, not mandatory intake fields.

- What would make this conversation useful for you today?
- What has been helpful to you recently?
- What kind of support would you like from me?
- Would it be useful to talk through a few possible next steps?
- What would you like to do next, and what would you like me to do?
- Would you like another conversation?
- What contact arrangements work for you within our approved process?

Program-approved wording or additional prompts:

Questions that belong in another role's process:

## 6. Rehearse with fictional information

Sam contacts a community recovery program seeking a more predictable weekly routine. Sam wants to prepare questions for an employment resource. The coach and Sam draft questions. Sam chooses to make the call independently and asks for a Friday check-in through the approved program contact process.

Record these distinctions in the exercise:

| Part of the contact | Fictional facts established | What remains unknown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Request | | |
| Support actually provided | | |
| Participant response | | |
| Agreed next step | | |

The exercise does not establish that Sam called, attended an appointment, or obtained employment. Do not copy these fictional facts into a real record.

## 7. Assign the next action

| Action | Responsible person or role | Agreed timing or review point | Applicable communication instructions | Coverage owner | Evidence needed at review |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | | | |

A resource suggestion, accepted referral, sent request, partner response, and actual connection are different events. Use the status that matches the evidence.

## 8. Test exceptions

| Scenario | Accurate description | Applicable procedure | Next owner |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Contact attempt receives no response | | | |
| Person declines an offered option | | | |
| Person wants to reconnect later | | | |
| Different service is requested | | | |
| Entry question is unresolved | | | |
| Usual coach is unavailable | | | |
| Urgent concern requires the approved response process | | | |

This worksheet does not set universal attempt counts, closure deadlines, or clinical response instructions.

## 9. Define operational measures before reporting

| Measure | What counts | Group and observation window | Data owner | What the measure cannot establish |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Requests received | | | | |
| Time to first contact attempt | | | | |
| First conversations completed | | | | |
| Open items without ownership | | | | |
| Agreed follow-ups reviewed | | | | |

For any rate, define a consistent denominator and allow for later contacts. Requests and conversations in the same calendar week can concern different people.

## 10. Record applicable source decisions

| Question | Official or approved source and section | Applicability and effective date | Reviewer and review date | Open decision and next action |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| | | | | |

Check the program's current entry, privacy, documentation, contract, and service requirements with the responsible reviewers. Use the relevant state guide to begin source discovery: https://smoreshealth.com/state-guides

## 11. Review before operational use

- Intake owner has reviewed responsibilities:
- Coach has rehearsed the ordinary and exception cases:
- Responsible reviewers have resolved applicable policy and source questions:
- Forms and systems have clear owners and current versions:
- Coverage and escalation contacts are available:
- Remaining gap, owner, and next verification:
- Approved change summary and next review:

## Sources and related resources

- SAMHSA, Core Competencies for Peer Workers: https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/recovery/peer-support-workers/core-competencies
- Vermont Department of Health, Recovery Coaches in the ED Intake Form, updated June 10, 2020: https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/ADAPRecoveryEDIntakeForm.pdf
- The Vermont form is cited in the guide only as a historical program-specific example of separate referral and follow-up choices. Its fields and deadlines are not instructions for this worksheet.
- Coach onboarding guide: https://smoreshealth.com/peer-support-software/recovery-coach-onboarding-checklist
- Recovery coaching software guide: https://smoreshealth.com/peer-support-software/recovery-coaching-software

To evaluate how assignments, notes, supervisor review, and follow-up could connect in Smores Health, select “See it in action” in the software guide and bring your blank workflow.