Substance Abuse Professional FAQs

My personal advice on this :::: DO YOUR HOMEWORK! If you have doubts about the legitimacy of a SAP, please reach out to me and I can provide you with information as far as are they registered through the mental health accreditation website, how does their Clearinghouse look, check on google for reviews. FMCSA says you should do this yourself. But I can also help and provide any knowledge I can on the SAP in particular. 

 SAP Directory (naadac.org)  ---Is my #1 recommended website to search for a DOT SAP. Please note that the following directory lists people who have successfully obtained the U.S. Department of Transportation's Substance Abuse Professionals (SAP) Qualification through NAADAC's Substance Abuse Professional's U.S. DOT Alcohol and Drug Testing Regulation Qualification Independent Study Course.  

As an employer, you must provide employees with a list of SAPs qualified under §40.281.  The regulation [§40.287] requires the employer to provide the employee with a list of qualified  SAPs. Your failure to provide such a list could result in sanctions  issued by the DOT Modal Administration with jurisdiction over you.

As an employee, ask your employer for a list of SAPs in your area  (even if the employer fired you or did not hire you).  A SAP qualified  to act in the DOT drug and alcohol testing program must meet the SAP  qualification requirements in §40.281.

If your employer did not provide you with a list of qualified SAPs,  search the internet using search terms such as “DOT qualified SAP” or  “DOT and SAP”.

Please know that neither the DOT nor any of its Agencies has or maintains a list of SAPs or any other service agents.

This varies from SAP to SAP ... there is no regulation on what they can charge, if they take insurance, or if there is a set limit they can charge. I always suggest to have a list of questions to ask when you are contacting the SAPs. Such as:

----How much do you charge?

----How soon can you get in for an appointment?

----What type of education or certification do you have?

----What type of typical follow up plan do you provide?

----Do you accept payments or have a payment plan option?

*And in general --- TALK TO THEM FIRST BEFORE YOU DESIGNATE THEM!!!!! -- you may just simply have clashing personalities, it happens ... just make sure you determine that BEFORE you desginate them! 

A SAP (Substance Abuse Professional) is basically a counselor who can do the DOT assessments and determine when you can take your return to duty drug screen. They may have had extra credentialing for Drugs and Alcohol