The Role of a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP)

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The Role of a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP)

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SAP Portfolio Documentation

• Credentials
• Knowledge
• Training
• Examination
• Continuing Education

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Credentials

• Physician
• Social Worker
• Psychologist
• LEAP or CEAP
• LMFT
• NAADAC or ICRC Certified/Licensed
• NBCC

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Knowledge

• You must have knowledge of and clinical
  experience in the diagnosis and treatment of
  substance abuse-related disorders.
• How the SAP role relates to the special
  responsibilities employers have for ensuring the
  safety of the traveling public
• Be informed about Part 40, pertinent DOT agency
  regulations, these SAP guidelines, and any
  significant changes to them
• Degrees are not enough

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Training

• The qualification training
• Must include the nine required components laid
  out in Section 281(c) of Part 40.

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Examination

• Following Qualification Training
• All nine elements required in training must be
  comprehensively tested
• Test must be independently validated

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Continuing Education

• During each three-year period following
  satisfactory completion of your training and
  examination, you must complete at least 12
  professional development hours (e.g., Continuing
  Education Units) relevant to your performing SAP
  duties

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The SAPs Responsibilities

• Comprehensive face-to-face assessment
• Clinical evaluation to determine level of
  assistance the employee needs in resolving
  problems associated with alcohol use or
  prohibited drug use.
• Recommend a course of education and/or treatment
  with which the employee must demonstrate
  successful compliance prior to returning to DOT
  safety-sensitive duty.

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Treatment Recommendations

• Treatment recommendations can include, but are
  not limited to In-patient treatment, partial
  in-patient treatment, out-patient treatment,
  education programs, and aftercare. Education
  recommendations can include, but are not limited
  to bone fide drug and alcohol education courses,
  self-help groups, and community lectures.
• ASAM Criteria

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The SAPs Responsibilities continued

• Serve as a referral source to assist the
  employee's entry into an acceptable program
• As a SAP, you should have a working knowledge of
  quality programs and qualified counselors as well
  as insurance, benefit plans, and payment
  requirements.
• Dont forget self-help groups

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The SAPs Responsibilities continued

• Provide a face-to-face follow-up evaluation with
  the employee to determine if the individual has
  demonstrated successful compliance with
  recommendations
• Develop and direct a follow-up testing plan for
  the employee returning to work following
  successful compliance
• Define aftercare when appropriate

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The SAPs Responsibilities continued

• Provide reports to DER indicating whether or not
  the employee has successfully complied with the
  treatment recommendations.
• If Employee has complied, the return to duty
  process may begin.
• If Employee has not complied, employer may not
  return employee to safety sensitive duties
• Further follow-up evaluations may be scheduled

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SAP DUTIESTHE FOLLOW-UP TESTING PROCESS

• Minimum testing requirement is 6 tests during
  first year
• Spread out
• Unpredictable
• Maximum time is 5 years

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SAP DUTIESRELEASE OF INFORMATION

• HIPAA and 42CFR do not apply
• All service agents and those involved in the drug
  testing process may communicate with each other
• Employee may have copies of reports to DER with
  testing schedule redacted

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SAP DUTIESRECORD MAINTENANCE

• SAPs need to maintain copies of reports to
  employers for 5 years,
• All records should be maintained in limited
  access areas that permit no unauthorized entry

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Questions Answers

• William Mock
• will be available for
• questions
• immediately following this presentation
• Room 209-210