DOT Substance Abuse Professional Qualifications

The United States Department of Transportation takes safety very seriously. One of the problematic areas that is under consistent examination is substance abuse in DOT employees. Testing and evaluation programs help to identify these individuals. If an employee fails a drug and/or alcohol test they are then required to enroll in a SAP program.

What is a DOT Substance Abuse Professional?

SAP stands for Substance Abuse Professional. A SAP is an experienced, qualified professional who has received specialized training to work with safety-sensitive DOT employees who have failed their drug and/or alcohol tests. A SAP may perform all, or some, of the following actions with the employee:

  • Face-to-Face Evaluation. Interviews the employee to determine the level of treatment they will require.
  • Specify Treatment. Assign clinical treatment that the employee must comply with before returning to work.
  • Recommend Education. Connect the employee with education to enable them to understand and avoid their problem in the future.
  • Provide Referral. Allows the employee access to the prescribed programs.
  • Verify Compliance. Monitor to assure the employee has complied with the assigned treatments.
  • Face-to-Face Follow-up Evaluation. To assure return-to-duty is appropriate.
  • Assign Follow-up Testing. Determine the frequency and duration of follow-up testing.
  • Designate Continuing Care. Assign, if necessary, ongoing counseling, treatments or education to assure the employee remains in abstinent.

SAP Qualifications

Because of the importance of verifying public safety, The DOT has set stringent requirements for becoming a qualified DOT substance abuse professional, an applicant must have each of the following:

License and Certification

The SAP must be a licensed or certified physician, social worker, psychologist, therapist or counselor with sufficient credentials for acceptance.

Experience

Must have clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of substance abuse.

Training

Required to complete the specific nine-step SAP training program before performing duties as a qualified SAP.

Testing

Must pass an examination by a professional training organization covering all the requirements of SAP qualification.

Education

During each progressive three years as a SAP, he/she must complete at least 12 hours of ongoing education.

Locating a Qualified SAP

To locate a DOT Substance Abuse Professional and begin the pathway to return to work, many employees use a referral service. SAP Referral Services (SRS) is a nationwide network of professionals you can trust, dedicated to connecting employees with the help they need to get back to work quickly and efficiently. Contact SRS today and get connected to the help you need.

SAP Referral Services (SRS) is the leading facilitator for mandated substance abuse evaluations. SRS maintains an extensive network of qualified providers in more than 3,000 locations nationwide for testing violations that originate from any of the DOT’s modes including FMCSA, FAA, FRA, FTA, USCG and PHMSA, or a company’s internal drug and alcohol testing policy.