Are You Required to See a Substance Abuse Professional but Don’t Know Where to Look?
If you have failed or refused to take a DOT-mandated drug and/or alcohol test, then the only way to return to your safety-sensitive duties is to see a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). Federal law dictates that any industry or employer that falls under the DOT’s jurisdiction must follow a series of steps to protect federal transportation roadways, railways, seaways, and/or airways. Therefore, following a positive or refusal, you are immediately removed from your safety-sensitive duties and are required to see a SAP.
However, if you have never found yourself in this situation before, you may not know where to look or who to turn to. In some cases, your employer may hand you a list of potential Substance Abuse Professionals, but these lists can be outdated making your search just as complex.
Substance Abuse Professional and the SAP Process
Before delving deeper into finding a Substance Abuse Professional, it is helpful to take a step back and learn what the SAP will do as part of the return to duty process. The first thing they will do is an initial evaluation where they talk with the employee and gather information. They will use this session to determine the appropriate course of treatment and/or education to address their substance misuse.
After this evaluation, the employee must comply with the SAP’s recommendations. Once compliance has been shown they undergo another evaluation with their SAP and may be recommended to submit to a return to duty drug and/or alcohol test.
How Do I Find a Substance Abuse Professional?
As mentioned, sometimes an employer will hand you a list that is supposed to simplify finding a Substance Abuse Professional, but this is not always a recommended course of action. The law is very strict about the qualifications required to remain a SAP, and if their qualifications are not up to date, then the employee may need to start the process over with a different SAP.
If your main goal is to get back to work fast, it is often better to choose to work with a service agent who keeps up-to-date records on nearby SAPs and can get you scheduled with a SAP typically within 72-business hours.
Connect with SAP Referral Services
Contact SRS for more information if you need a Substance Abuse Professional following a failed drug and/or alcohol test. We can help you find a SAP and answer any additional questions about the SAP process.