Most people have some anxiety about having to meet with a SAP evaluator. Knowing what will transpire and occur can help alleviate some of that anxiety and worry.
Am I Subject to a DOT SAP Evaluation?
If you work under one of the branches of the federal Department of Transportation (DOT), then you are subject to a DOT Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) Evaluation if you have failed a drug or alcohol test or had a refusal to test. Some of the industries under the DOT include commercial truck drivers, airline industry, railroad, coast guard, pipeline supply and transit authority. The DOT’s primary function is to ensure the safety of the general public. These industries have the potential to have serious consequences for large groups of people if an employed worker is operating while impaired by alcohol or drugs. Accordingly, the DOT has rigorous standards for alcohol and drug testing to make sure workers are safe and not putting innocent people at risk. Workers are tested for pre-employment, post-accident, randomly, and if there is reasonable suspicion to think they may be impaired. If a test is refused or comes back positive, then workers are required to get a SAP Evaluation.
What Happens in a DOT SAP Evaluation?
The federal DOT has some fairly specific and stringent evaluation guidelines that the substance abuse professional (SAP) must adhere to when evaluating an employee. The main purpose of the evaluation is to obtain a very detailed and thorough alcohol and drug history from the employee over their entire lifespan. The SAP is looking for trends and patterns within their use as well as symptoms that are indicative of both substance abuse or dependence. In addition to a drug history, the SAP will be inquiring about a variety of other life circumstances and history. This will include medical history, medication use, legal history, family history, work history as well as mental health history and treatment. All these life areas are assessed in conjunction with the drug history to get a global picture of the employee and their mental, physical, and emotional stability and wellness. In many instances, people of all walks of life turn to chemical use to cope, reduce stress, self-medicate mental health problems, curb loneliness, inflate their sociability, or many other reasons; all of which can turn problematic if they are used to manage other life issues.
The SAP will also have the employee take a test that is designed to objectively evaluate substance abuse, possibly verify legal history with local DMV, and verify accuracy of information provided by soliciting input from family and friends of the employee. Once all information is obtained and reviewed, the SAP will make recommendations that will include either some type of education course or possibly treatment. Employees are required to follow through with all recommendations in order to return to their line of work and provide the SAP with proof of completion of all recommendations.
If you are DOT regulated employee who failed a test and is in need of a DOT SAP evaluation, feel free to contact IPC so you can schedule an appointment with Dr. Chris Anderson, Psy.D., LP who can help you complete the return to duty process. Please call us now at 763-416-4167, or request an appointment on our website: WWW.IPC-MN.COM so we can sit down with you and complete a thorough assessment and help you develop a plan of action that will work for you. Life is too short to be unhappy. Find the peace of mind you deserve.
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