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DOT-regulated employeesDOT return-to-duty treatment, virtually.
A SAP-aligned virtual intensive outpatient program for CDL holders and other DOT-regulated employees. Fully documented for the return-to-duty process under 49 CFR Part 40.
We are not your SAP. We work with your SAP.
Under 49 CFR Part 40, the Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) sets the return-to-duty treatment recommendation. We do not replace the SAP and we do not negotiate the SAP's recommendation downward. We meet it. The program is designed to fit the kinds of treatment recommendations a SAP typically issues, with the documentation a SAP requires before clearance.
A Part 40 financial firewall, in plain language.
We work alongside SAPs. We never pay SAPs, consortia, or C/TPAs. We never accept value of any kind in either direction. A SAP may include us as one option on the list of treatment providers they share with a driver, provided the SAP discloses all options and derives no benefit from the driver choosing Shift. This protects the integrity of the driver's return-to-duty determination under 49 CFR 40.299, which bars a SAP from referring an employee to a person or organization from which the SAP derives a financial benefit (with the narrow same-locality exception), and 49 CFR 40.355 which constrains C/TPAs.
What we say about insurance.
We are out of network with commercial carriers. In-network credentialing is in progress. We verify your out-of-network benefits and tell you the real out-of-pocket number before you start.
On cost. We do not waive cost-shares. We do not tell you treatment is free. We verify your OON benefits, give you the real number, and if cost is a genuine barrier we will talk about it case by case.
Where we fit in the regulated workflow.
Step 1: Initial SAP evaluation
You meet with a DOT-qualified SAP after a violation. The SAP evaluates you and issues a treatment recommendation, plus aftercare. We are not part of this step.
Step 2: Treatment (our role)
You complete the treatment the SAP recommended. For most DOT cases this is intensive outpatient. We deliver this virtually, with evening cohorts, and document attendance and progress for the SAP.
Step 3: Follow-up SAP evaluation
You return to the SAP for a follow-up. The SAP determines whether you have followed the recommendation and whether you are ready for return to duty. We provide the SAP with the treatment record on your written authorization.
Step 4: Return-to-duty test, then employment decision
If the SAP clears you, you complete a return-to-duty test (a non-DOT-administered process). The employer makes the final decision on reinstatement based on company policy.
The honest answers.
Are you a SAP?
No. We are a substance use treatment provider. A SAP is a separately qualified evaluator under 49 CFR Part 40. We work with your SAP throughout the return-to-duty process.
What is the difference between a SAP and a treatment provider?
The SAP evaluates, recommends treatment, and re-evaluates for return-to-duty clearance. The treatment provider delivers the actual treatment. They are intentionally separate under federal regulation so the treatment provider does not have a conflict of interest in determining whether you are ready to return.
How do you coordinate with my SAP?
With your written consent, we communicate directly with the SAP about your treatment plan, attendance, and progress. The SAP needs documentation of the treatment you have completed before issuing return-to-duty clearance.
What does the SAP need at the end?
The SAP needs documentation that you completed the recommended treatment. We provide a completion summary and (with your authorization) a clinical letter to the SAP at program end.
Can my employer call you?
Not without your written permission. By federal law, we cannot disclose anything about your treatment to an employer without your authorization, including confirming that you are a patient.
Will you share my records without my permission?
No. Substance use treatment records are protected under 42 CFR Part 2 above and beyond HIPAA. Each disclosure requires a specific, time-limited, purpose-bound written authorization from you.
How fast can I start?
Typically same or next business day for the clinical assessment, and within the same business week for program start. We move fast because the SAP process has a clock on it.
What if my employer has additional requirements?
Many DOT-regulated employers have policies stricter than the federal minimum. We can structure treatment and documentation to fit, with your authorization for the necessary disclosures.