Department of Transportation

A Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a qualified individual who evaluates employees who have violated a Department of Transportation (DOT) drug and alcohol regulation. The SAP makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare. At Palmetto Cognitive S, we offer comprehensive SAP services to support individuals and employers in navigating these regulations. Our certified professionals conduct thorough assessments and provide tailored treatment plans, ensuring compliance with DOT regulations and promoting a successful recovery journey. Empowering your mind and transforming your life starts here, at Palmetto Cognitive Solutions LLC.

A: At Palmetto Cognitive S, utilizing a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) offers numerous benefits essential for individuals seeking to address substance abuse issues effectively. Our SAPs are certified experts adept at providing a comprehensive assessment of an individual's substance use, facilitating personalized treatment plans tailored to unique needs. By engaging with our SAP services, clients receive structured guidance through the recovery process, ensuring adherence to legal and employment-related requirements, such as Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. Furthermore, our SAPs offer continuous support and monitoring, helping to reduce the risk of relapse and promoting long-term sobriety. This support empowers clients to regain control over their lives and fosters a healthier, substance-free lifestyle. At Palmetto Cognitive S, our commitment to delivering quality mental health care ensures that every client experiences a transformative journey toward well-being and recovery.

At Palmetto Cognitive Solutions, we provide top-tier SAP DOT Program services to meet the needs of those who require it. We have a team of licensed SAP Providers, who work closely with each client to arrive at an individualized treatment plan.

We are committed to offering personalized support and guidance to our clients who are impacted by DOT’s Mandatory Guidelines for drug and alcohol testing. We understand that undergoing SAP evaluation and enrollment in a treatment program can be a daunting experience. That is why we strive to make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Our SAP Providers for DOT can assist in all aspects of the SAP program, including evaluation, treatment, education, aftercare, and resolution. Our services extend beyond DOT requirements to cater to the client’s concerns and develop the best possible outcome for individuals during the treatment period. We understand each case is unique, and our services are tailored such that every client gets specialized care.

We strive to ensure that our clients understand their rights, responsibilities, and treatment timelines. This understanding is critical in the successful completion of the treatment program. Our SAPs work collaboratively with a treatment team made up of drug and alcohol counselors, programs, and clinics, to develop and administer the best possible treatment plan for each client.

"The Clearinghouse is a secure online database that gives employers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs), and State law enforcement personnel real-time information about commercial driver’s license (CDL) and commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders’ drug and alcohol program violations. The Clearinghouse was an act of Congress directed by the Secretary of Transportation back in 2012.

The Clearinghouse contains records of violations of drug and alcohol prohibitions in 49 CFR Part 382, Subpart B, including positive drug or alcohol test results, test refusals and actual knowledge violations. When a driver completes the return-to-duty process and follow-up testing plan, this information is also recorded in the Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse launched on January 6th, 2020 for those authorized to utilize."

More information about the Clearinghouse can be found here: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/About

Violation records for CDL drivers stay on the Clearinghouse site for five years after successful completion of the DOT return-to-duty process and follow-up testing plan.

If a driver has a drug and alcohol program violation in one state, then applies for a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in another state, will the Clearinghouse be able to connect that driver’s drug and alcohol violation history to the new CDL?

Yes. The Clearinghouse will identify drivers who move frequently and obtain CDLs in different states and link those CDLs, in order to maintain complete and accurate information on such drivers.

More information can be found here: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/FAQ

Yes. If you failed or refused a DOT Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) drug and/or alcohol test or had an actual knowledge violation, it is reported in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse if it occurred on or after January 6, 2020. The FMCSA Clearinghouse is a secure online database which contains records of violations of drug and alcohol prohibitions in 49 CFR Part 382, Subpart B, including positive drug and/or alcohol test results, test refusals and actual knowledge violations. Only violations that fall under and tested under FMCSA are reported into the Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse database was a congressional mandate directed to FMCSA agency. All DOT or Federal agencies are still required to follow 49 CFR Part 40 (FAA, FTA, FRA, PHMSA and USCG), including FMCSA pertaining drug and alcohol violations.

More information can be found here: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/FAQ

Drivers are not required to register for the Clearinghouse. However, a driver will need to be registered to provide electronic consent in the Clearinghouse if a prospective or current employer needs to conduct a full query of the driver’s Clearinghouse record—this includes all pre-employment queries. A driver must also be registered to electronically view the information in his or her own Clearinghouse record. Registered drivers will have their Clearinghouse accounts and contact preferences set up, allowing them to quickly respond to query requests from employers.

More information can be found here: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/FAQ

All DOT regulated safety-sensitive employees/candidates employed in the aviation, railroad, public transit, trucking, maritime, and pipeline industries who have violated federal DOT drug and alcohol testing rules with a positive test result, a refusal to test or other violation.

If you fall under Federal Aviation (FAA), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) or the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and you failed or refused a DOT drug and/or alcohol test you must still complete the return-to-duty process in order to return to safety-sensitive duty.

More information can be found here: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/FAQ

Yes. Once you have violated the Department of Transportation (DOT) drug and alcohol testing regulations, you are considered ineligible to perform safety-sensitive duties for any employer until you have completed the return-to-duty process.

More information can be found here: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/FAQ

Violation records for CDL drivers stay on the Clearinghouse site for five years after successful completion of the DOT return-to-duty process and follow-up testing plan.

More information can be found here: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/FAQ

If you are a DOT-mandated employee, and you receive a positive test, you must be removed from safety-sensitive duty until you complete the return-to-duty process. The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) portion is a part of the DOT return-to-duty process. ASAP has over 5,000 SAP locations nationwide to help get you back to work safely.

More information can be found here: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/FAQ

Yes, you must test negative on an observed DOT return-to-duty (RTD) drug/alcohol screen before returning to DOT safety-sensitive work. Your employer or prospective employer will request the RTD test, which supersedes a pre-employment test in this situation. You are also subject to unannounced and observed follow-up tests for a period of 1 to 5 years according to a plan determined by the SAP and provided to your employer.

More information can be found here: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/FAQ