Case managers, discharge planners, and VA and agency staff often have little time and many people to place. A referral call that starts with the right information moves faster and wastes less of everyone's day.
This checklist covers what to confirm and gather before calling The Argo House. It also covers what not to send through the web form and how the move-in steps work after your call. For the overall referral picture, see the referral partners hub.
The Argo House is permitted supportive shared housing in Northeast Dallas, near Lakewood and White Rock Lake. The rate is $750 a month per bed in a shared room, with a $250 community fee at move-in. Joyce, the house manager, answers the phone at (469) 503-6007.
1. Confirm the Person Wants to Explore Shared Housing
Before you call, make sure the person you are helping knows about the house and wants to explore it. Shared housing means a shared bedroom, a shared kitchen, and shared living spaces. It suits people who are ready to live among housemates, and the choice should be theirs.
The prospective resident takes part in each step of the process, including the intake conversation. A referral goes much more smoothly when they are informed and interested from the start.
2. Know the Move-In Timeline
Have a realistic target date ready. Is this a discharge scheduled for a specific day, a move out of a temporary arrangement, or a plan for next month? The house can tell you what is open and how the steps might line up.
Availability changes. Three beds are open now, and more beds can be added, but a call is the reliable way to confirm.
3. Have the Best Way to Reach the Person
The house will need to speak with the prospective resident directly. Have their best phone number and the best times to reach them. If they are in a hospital or have limited phone access, say so and explain how contact can work.
If the person would like you to be on calls with them, mention that too.
4. Know How Rent Will Be Paid
Have a general picture of how the monthly rent will be covered, whether from the person's own income, benefits, family help, or another source. You do not need every detail. Payment setup is discussed during the process.
It also helps to know who will cover the $250 community fee at move-in. The rent and amenities page lists everything the $750 rate includes.
5. Ask Whether They Have Watched the Video Tour
The real video tour and the photo gallery show the actual rooms, kitchen, and bathrooms. If the person has watched them, the call can move straight to next steps. If not, share the link before you call.
Seeing the shared bedroom and common spaces ahead of time helps the person decide honestly whether the home fits them.
6. Prepare Your Own Questions
Write down what you need to know for your own records and planning. Common questions include what is included, how the move-in steps run, how quickly each step can happen, and what the house does and does not provide.
One point to keep in mind: the house provides housing. It does not provide personal care, supervision, meals, or medical support. If the person needs any of that, it has to be arranged separately.
- What is included in the monthly rate?
- What are the move-in steps and their order?
- What is open now, and when?
- How does the house communicate with referral partners during the process?
7. Plan for Move-In Day
Think ahead about how the person will get to the house and what they will bring. The room is furnished, so a bag of clothes, toiletries, documents, and any medications usually covers it. The what to bring page has a fuller list you can share.
If the person is leaving a hospital or another setting, make sure any support they need is arranged separately before move-in day.
What Not to Send Through the Web Form
The contact form on this website is for starting a conversation. Do not send sensitive medical details, diagnoses, or other private health information through it. Share only basic contact information and a short note that you have a referral.
The details that matter will come up in the right way during the process. Protecting the person's privacy protects them and you.
Eligibility and the Intake Call
Eligibility is confirmed during a short intake call. The house does not publish eligibility criteria. The intake call is where questions about fit are handled directly with the prospective resident.
The Move-In Steps After Your Call
After the first contact, the process follows the same order for everyone. There is a short intake conversation and a background check. The person sees the home through a video or photo walkthrough, with an in-person tour on request. There is a reference call. Then comes the $250 community fee, payment setup, and paperwork, followed by move-in. The move-in page lays out each step.
If you are placing through an agency, the placement agencies page explains the commercial terms. Placements that come through an agency carry a minimum five-month agreement for the resident. If an agency charges a placement fee of one month's rent, The Argo House pays that fee in two installments.
Discharge planners can also see the hospital discharge planning page, and VA staff the VA social workers page.