Louisville DOT/SAP The Substance Abuse Professional Program (hereafter referred to SAP), a service of Dave Harmon &Associates, Inc. (hereafter referred to as DH&A), is offered to companies, employees, and other organizations, to assist them in creating a safer workplace. SAP Initial Evaluations and SAP Follow-up Evaluations are completed at either of DH&A’s two (2) locations in Louisville, Kentucky: 1) DuPont Professional Towers, 4010 DuPont Circle, Ste 226, Louisville, KY 20207); or 2) The Professional Centre, 3934 Dixie Hwy, Ste 310, Louisville, KY 40216. Thanks for your company’s interest in our Substance Abuse Professional Program at DH&A.
DOT/SAP Evaluations/Non-DOT /SAP Alcohol and Drug Evaluations have been provided by DH&A from the beginning of DOT Regulations. Dave Harmon, Clinical Director, has provided Evaluations and Treatment Programs through non-profit, and for-profit organizations, correctional facilities and private outpatient programs for over 30 years. Presently, four (4) Certified (4) Substance Abuse Professionals are available from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm Monday through Saturday to provide your Evaluations, Treatment and/or Drug Testing Services. The Substance Abuse Professional Program at DH&A guarantees to complete your employee’s SAP Evaluations timely, and notify your company’s DER, saving your employee and/or your company money and time, while providing a better quality service at about 20% to 30% less than the cost of other SAP Programs.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROFESSIONAL - SAP ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES SAPs at DH&A primarily function is to protect public safety interest by providing professional evaluation of employees and making recommendations concerning appropriate education, treatment, follow-up tests, and aftercare, in the event that the employee returns to the performance of safety-sensitive functions. SAPs at DH&A are NOT advocates for the employer or the employee. SAPs at DH&A work to prevent alcohol and controlled substance users from performing transportation industry, safety-sensitive functions through deterrence and detection. Case Manager/Gatekeeper for the Return-To-Duty Process The SAPs at DH&A plays a crucially role as “Case Manager” or “Gatekeeper” for the Department Of Transportation’s return-to-duty process,. All SAP’s at DH&A have a working knowledge of quality programs and qualified counselors, insurance, benefit plans, payment requirements. SAPs at DH&A also make themselves aware of employer’s policies regarding payment for treatment, on-duty-time treatment programming, and the granting of administrative, sick, and/or annual leave for both in-patient and out-patient treatment programs.
Initial SAP Clinical Evaluation and Recommendations The fundamental responsibility of the SAPs at DH&A is to provide a comprehensive face-to-face clinical evaluation, and to determine what level of assistance an employee needs in resolving problems associated with alcohol use or prohibited drug use; the SAP then makes treatment recommendations that may include (but are not limited to) drug and alcohol education, self-help group participation, sponsorship, community lectures, in-patient, partial in-patient, out-patient, halfway houses, relapse prevention planning, and aftercare planning.
Referral and Coordination of Treatment Services The SAP Case Managers at DH&A serve as referral sources, assisting employees with locating and entering into acceptable alcohol/drug treatment programs, in compliance with DOT Guidelines, and /or company requirements.
SAP Follow-up Evaluation/Return-To-Safety-Sensitive Duties The SAP at DH&A arranges all DOT and non-DOT required face-to-face SAP Follow-up Evaluations with the employee prior to the employee returning to the workplace/safety-sensitive duties in order to determine if the employee has demonstrated successful compliance with the recommendations of the Initial SAP Evaluation; this Follow-up Evaluation must be completed before an employer may consider an employee for return-to-work status, thus providing the employer some assurance that the employee has made sufficient progress to return to duty or the workplace.
Self-help Orientation All SAP’s at DH&A make information available to employees regarding Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Al-Anon, and other tenable self-help groups that may be necessary.
Successful Compliance Once the SAPs at DH&A develop a recommended course of education and/or treatment, the employee must demonstrate successful compliance with that treatment plan prior to any return to DOT safety-sensitive duty. The SAPs at DH&A serve at a major decision point for an employer who may choose whether or not to place an employee behind the steering wheel of a school bus, in the cockpit of a plane, at the helm of an oil tanker, at the throttle of a train, in the engineer compartment of a subway car, or at the emergency control valves of a natural gas pipeline, etc.
Drug and Alcohol Testing The SAPs at DH&A develop a Follow-up Drug and/or Alcohol Testing Plan when the employee is eligible to return to work following successful compliance with at least the initial phase of outpatient treatment. The number and frequency of unannounced follow-up drug or/and alcohol tests are detailed, consisting of a minimum of six tests during the first 12 months following return to safety-sensitive duties, and are based on the information found during the SAP Evaluation. The mandatory alcohol/drug screenings may extend up to 60 months. Alcohol/Drug Screenings may be terminated by the SAP at DH&A any time after one year if all tests recommended up to that point are completed with negative results. Follow-up Alcohol/Drug Screening requirements are in addition to screenings accomplished through the employer’s random alcohol/drug screening program. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensuring that the individual employee is screened according to the SAP Drug/Alcohol Screening Plan, and is one important way that the employer has to determine if the employee has stopped using controlled substances or misusing alcohol. The employer has the option to conduct all or some of the Follow-up Drug/Alcohol Screenings, as well as the return-to-duty screenings, as directly observed.
Relapse Prevention Planning Upon successful compliance, The SAPs at DH&A assure each employee develops a Relapse Prevention Plans before return to the workplace.
Aftercare Plan The SAPs at DH&A assure that each employee develops an Aftercare Plan that includes any continuing education and/or treatment needed when an employee may need continued assistance with an alcohol or drug problem after returning to the workplace. While an employer is never required to provide a SAP Evaluation or any subsequent recommended education or treatment for an employee, if the employer offers the employee an opportunity to return to DOT safety-sensitive duty, the employer must ensure that the employee goes through the entire SAP return-to-duty process, including successful compliance with all SAP recommendations.
Substance Abuse Professional SAP Evaluation Process The SAP at DH&A utilizes clinical standards of care, as well as reliable alcohol and drug abuse assessment tools as part of the face-to-face SAP Evaluation. The SAP at DH&A is cognizant of the client’s appearance, posture, carriage, ability to make eye contact, and ability to relate in-person, as well as other physical characteristics that are indicative of alcohol and drug use and abuse.
Focus On Rule Violation SAPs at DH&A focus attention on the rule violation that brought the employee to the point of being required to have a SAP Evaluation. The SAP at DH&A always provide immediate attention to individuals who may be in danger to themselves or others.
Content of a SAP Evaluation SAP Evaluations involve a psycho-social history; an in-depth drug and alcohol use history (onset, duration, frequency, amount of use, substance(s) of use, and choice), emotional and physical characteristics of use, associated health, work, family, personal, and interpersonal problems, and, a current mental status per DOT Regulations. The evaluation determines a clear diagnosis with treatment recommendations, to be successfully complied with prior to the employee becoming eligible for a SAP Follow-up Evaluation and subsequent return to the workplace (if the employer desires) and to safety-sensitive functions.
The SAP at DH&A determines what level of assistance the employee needs with a drug or alcohol problem, and informs the employer in writing. The SAP at DH&A sends this report directly to the employer; no third party is authorized to change the SAP’s report. Employees and employers are prohibited from seeking a second SAP Evaluationin order to obtain another recommendation after a qualified SAP has evaluated the employee. No one may change the SAP’s evaluation or recommendations in any way; however, the SAP who made the initial evaluation may modify the evaluation and recommendations based on new or additional information.
The SAP’s Evaluation of an employee prior to return to duty is vital for the employer in gauging the employee’s success in meeting the requirements outlined in the Initial Evaluation. The violation of a DOT drug and alcohol rule has rightfully caused the employee’s ability to perform safety-sensitive duties to be called into question. The employee’s ability to demonstrate successful compliance with the initial treatment recommendations is key to an employer’s decision to return an employee to safety-sensitive duties.
The SAP at DH&A has the latitude to conduct a SAP Follow-up Evaluation prior to the employee’s completion of the full range of recommended education and/or treatment. However, an employee in an in-patient or partial in-patient/day-treatment program will not be considered eligible for receiving a SAP Follow-up Evaluation/Completion, but may receive a SAP Follow-up Evaluation only after completion of the first phase of participation in an outpatient program. Upon completion of the Primary Treatment Phase, the employee will be evaluated prior to entry into or completion of an Aftercare Outpatient Treatment Program. The SAP at DH&A focuses on the level of participation and progress in dealing with the drug or alcohol problem, rather than simply the employee’s attendance in the program. The SAPs at DH&A determine that an employee has demonstrated successful compliance or that the employee has not demonstrated successful compliance, based upon clinical judgment that the employee has or has not made progress sufficient to warrant return to safety-sensitive duties. The SAPs at DH&A then provide written notice directly to the Employer DER explaining the situation, any continuing care recommendations, and the follow-up drug/alcohol screening plan in letter format.
Drug and Alcohol Screening SAP Follow-up drug screenings serve as additional assurance that an employee is performing safety-sensitive work in an alcohol-free and/or drug-free manner; it also serves the recovering employee as an adjunct to his/her on-going rehabilitation. The SAP can re-evaluate the plan at any time and terminate the plan following the first year if all the required tests for the first year were completed. Drug/Alcohol Screenings ideally need to be spread throughout the year, unpredictable, and unannounced. An employee’s follow-up testing program can last up to 60 months. Employers are best suited to arrange for the tests to be conducted because they are aware of employee performance issues and schedule circumstances.
Payment Payment is usually determined by employers and employees or existing management-labor agreements, employer policies, or health care benefits, minimizing out-of-pocket expense. Insurance generally does not pay for SAP Case Management, therefore the SAP Program at DH&A charges a nominal fee minus any insurance payment for this case management service unless your insurance company has worked out a case management fee plan. The cost of drug/alcohol screening is typically not paid by the insurance or the employer, but by the employee. We are able to provide DOT and non-DOT drug screenings during the period we case manager for your employee, and later by arrangement to do drug testing follow-ups with your employees who complete treatment at a discounted fee of $35, paid per agreement.
Thanks, and Review of Other Available Services Thank you for choosing Dave Harmon & Associates, Inc. and/or one of our affiliate programs, U.S. Drug Testing Services, U.S. Industrial Safety Services, or U.S. DNA Testing Services to serve your needs, assuring a safe and drug-free workplace. DH&A and Affiliate Programs provide other services such as: 1) Alcohol/Drug Abuse Evaluation Treatment Programs, 2) Mental Health Evaluation/Treatment Programs, 3) U.S. Drug/Alcohol Testing Services, 4) U.S. Industrial Safety Services, or 5) U.S. DNA Testing Services. Please request further information from Dave Harmon & Associates, Inc., who will assist your company/employees, while saving you money, and time, and providing the same or a better quality services. Contact Dave Harmon at (502) 896-8006 or if critical by cell phone at (502) 558-5170.