Guidance After a Substance Abuse Evaluation

A DOT (Department of Transportation) mandated employee in a safety-sensitive position undergoes drug and/or alcohol testing several times throughout their career. Testing regulations apply to safety-sensitive employees including those who work on pipelines, drive trucks or buses, operate ferries or trains, and fly or work on airplanes. These vital workers are responsible for providing a safe environment for their co-workers, the traveling public, and themselves. As could be expected, failing to meet DOT drug testing requirements means the employee must complete several steps in their attempt to return to work. The first step is an initial substance abuse evaluation with a qualified SAP (Substance Abuse Professional).

When You Need a Substance Abuse Evaluation

Understandably, undergoing a drug and/or alcohol test at work can be a nerve-wracking experience. If you fail one of these tests, you will be removed from your safety-sensitive functions and must complete the return-to-duty process with a DOT qualified SAP. The comprehensive substance abuse evaluation determines a course of action to be complied with in order to be able to submit a return-to-duty drug and/or alcohol test. Your SAP program may consist of education and/or treatment programs. The SAP also makes recommendations for follow-up testing and aftercare, if applicable.

If you think refusing a drug and/or alcohol test is a way to avoid a positive result, think again. Refusing to submit to a drug or alcohol test is equivalent to failing.

Partner with SAP Referral Services for the Fastest Path Back to Work

The DOT requires that you complete a return-to-duty process with a SAP who holds the specific credentials to be considered qualified. Here is where SAP Referral Services (SRS) excels. We have assisted over 25,000 employees in the return-to-duty process. Our affiliate network is made up of clinical specialists in over 3,000 locations across the nation. Plus, we guarantee that your SAP will be DOT qualified at the time of your initial substance abuse evaluation. Thus, eliminating the risk of having to repeat the process if you choose a SAP who is not DOT qualified.

SAP Referral Services: FastTrack Program

SRS’s FastTrack Enrollment program schedules you with a qualified SAP typically within 72 business hours. Enrollment includes initial evaluation scheduling, two face to face substance abuse evaluations, recommendations for treatment and/or education, a SAP report for the initial meeting and the follow-up report, as well as a recommendation for a return-to-duty test submission

Contact us today to learn more and enroll today.


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.