encaminados

Encaminados is a term used in Spanish and Portuguese derived from the verb encaminar, meaning to guide, direct, or send someone to another place or service. As a noun, encaminados refers to people who have been sent on a path to a different service or location; as an adjective, encaminado describes a person or item that has been directed toward a particular destination or outcome. The plural form encaminados is common when speaking about a group of individuals.

In healthcare and social services, the term is widely used to denote referrals: patients encaminados to a specialty clinic, tests, or social programs after an initial assessment. In educational and welfare contexts, it can describe students or clients encaminados to counseling, special education, or housing assistance. In legal or judicial settings, individuals may be encaminados to rehabilitation programs or probation services as part of case processing.

The referral process typically begins with an assessment by a professional such as a doctor, social worker, or educator. It is followed by the transmission of information to the receiving service and, often, by a follow-up to monitor outcomes. Records usually include the encaminamiento or referral note, which identifies the sender, recipient, and the reasons for the referral.

Etymology and related terms: encaminar means to guide, send, or direct; related verbs include remitir, derivar, dirigir. Encaminamiento denotes the act of directing a person to a service or route. Encaminados should not be understood as a proper noun unless the context clearly refers to a specific organization or title.