Substance Abuse Professionals (SAPs) are licensed to conduct SAP assessments for employees who require a SAP’s recommendation. This recommendation is needed in order to return to their safety-sensitive position after completing all necessary steps following the event of refusing or failing a drug and/or alcohol test. In addition to recommendations, SAP’s also provide education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
At Apple Valley Counseling Services, LLC, we provide the necessary resources needed to overcome and move past the difficult hurdles that occur when you are not able to work. Contact us with any questions you may have and to get started with our SAP assessment process. Additional services we provide are:
- Drug and alcohol groups and counseling.
- Domestic violence perpetrator counseling.
- Aftercare counseling.
- Family counseling.
Substance Abuse Professionals
What is a SAP?
A substance abuse professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and/or alcohol regulation under the 49 CFR 40 and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing and aftercare. SAP’s represent the major decision point an employer may have in choosing whether or not to return an employee to a safety-sensitive position.
What is the responsibility of a SAP?
The fundamental responsibility of a SAP is to provide a comprehensive face-to-face assessment and clinical evaluation to determine what level of care the employee needs towards resolving issues associated with their substance use.
Contact Apple Valley Counseling LLC. today for more information on our SAP assessments.
Substance Abuse Assessments
What is the purpose of a SAP Assessment?
Regulations were created by the DOT to give an employee who works in a DOT-covered safety-sensitive position and either fails or refuses a drug and/or alcohol test, the opportunity to return to their safety-sensitive position once compliance with a SAP’s recommendations has been documented.
49 CFR 40 Explained:
The 49 CFR 40 describes the procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs. These procedures mandate which employees to test for illicit substance use, when an employee/applicant can be tested, what circumstances must be present in order to test, who is authorized to require an employee to test, and how the test will be conducted.
What is a safety-sensitive position?
Any commercial transportation related function, including but not limited to, moving or controlling a commercial vehicle and/or vessel; mechanical maintenance of vehicles and/or vessels; transporting hazardous materials or containers; maintaining the locations of hazardous materials; and armed security.
Administrations Requiring SAP Assessments
The 49 CFR 40 describes the procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs. These procedures mandate which employees to test for illicit substance use, when an employee/applicant can be tested, what circumstances must be present in order to test, who is authorized to require an employee to test, and how the test will be conducted.
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
- U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
Get the help you need!
When you are in need of a qualified SAP assessment in Yakima, WA, reach out to Apple Valley Counseling Services LLC. We can help you through the steps required by the DOT under the 49 CFR 40 regulations. Once you have completed your official treatment program, we will help keep you on the right path to return to duty. You don’t have to watch your career dry up. Apply Valley Counseling Services can and will help – Call us today to learn more.
Substance Abuse Assessments in King County, WA
Apple Valley Counseling in King County, WA, is ready to offer its services if you had your license suspended or need a professional assessment to resume work. Our counseling agency is approved to conduct DOT assessments by the Department of Social and Health Services at whatever capacity required.
DOT Assessments target mainly drivers and other employees in the ministry who must abide by the set drug and alcohol abuse regulations. In addition, our assessments are beneficial to King County, WA Class C license holders and permits operators of heavy machinery or other special equipment.
Agencies that require these evaluations
Everyone who works for the federal government in the areas of law enforcement, national security, protection of life and property, public health and safety, or any other functions requiring a high level of public trust is subject to mandatory drug testing. Agencies with the compulsory requirement of DOT evaluations include:
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
- Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
- U.S. Coast Guard
What is Evaluated
Per 49 CFR Part 40, Subpart O, employees who violate alcohol or drug use rules must complete a series of steps before returning to safety-sensitive work. These steps include an evaluation by a US DOT qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), referral to appropriate treatment or education, and a return-to-duty assessment with recommendations for action.
Who is Evaluated?
Employees in the aviation, trucking, railroad, mass transit, pipeline, or maritime industries and those in the Department of Transportation and areas identified as safety-sensitive must adhere to the applicable regulations against drug abuse.
As an employee in the transportation industry who performs safety-sensitive functions, you are responsible for ensuring a safe working environment for your coworkers and the public. Creating a safe workplace requires adhering to established work rules and the Department of Transportation’s rules on drug use and alcohol misuse.
What the function of the SAP is
The SAP’s responsibility is to assess and recommend, at the very least, an educational and treatment program that the employee must complete before returning to their DOT safety-sensitive position. Employees with substance use disorders have a fundamental responsibility to receive comprehensive one-on-one analysis, and clinical evaluation will determine what level of care they require to resolve issues associated with their substance use.
Have you failed or refused to do an alcohol or drug test?
Contact us at (509) 452-1000 or visit our offices at 611 W A St Yakima, WA 98902.
At Apple Valley Counseling Services LLC, we offer our services to get you back to your normal work-life. To get there, you may require SAP assessments, which in turn will open the door to a return to normalcy and stability in your daily life.
Frequently Asked Questions about Substance Abuse Professionals
At Apple Valley Counseling Services, LLC, we are here to ensure you comply with DOT regulations concerning alcohol and substance use in safety-sensitive jobs. Call us today at 509-452-1000 or send us a message online, and we’ll get back to you promptly.
In addition to SAP assessments, do you offer counseling services?
Yes, Apple Valley Counseling Services LLC. offers various counseling services including family counseling, alcohol addiction counseling, substance use disorder counseling, and group and individual counseling to name a few. We give our clients a safe and personal space to open or seek help.
Can you provide me with documentation for my job?
Yes, we are certified to conduct SAP assessments for individuals who have had their license suspended or require professional review before resuming work. Apple Valley Counseling Services, LLC is approved by the Department of Social and Health Services to provide any documentation you need as long as you pass the evaluation.