Implementation Guidelines - Federal Transit Administration - U.S. ...

environment. Employees are also aware of
the consequences should they test positive or
refuse a test under the employer’s policy.
As a result, individuals with drug or alcohol
problems may seek help to address their
problems prior to being detected through the
employer’s FTA drug and alcohol testing
program. Employees are more likely to seek
help if they can do so in a confidential
manner, where the programs are easy to
access. Thus, transit employers have found
that EAP programs serve an important role
in terms of self-referrals.
If the employer encourages selfreferrals,
the process must be clearly
defined, with the elimination of as many
barriers as possible. The employee should
be made aware of the confidentiality
protections, nature of management reports,
treatment requirements, testing
requirements, leave policy, and
interrelationship with the FTA testing
program. Employees should know that selfreferral
does not in any way shield them
from FTA tests or the consequences for a
positive result. The employee should be
made aware if they will be removed from
duty, assigned non-safety-sensitive tasks, or
be allowed to continue with their regular job
duties during their self-referred treatment
period. The employee must be informed if
they will be required to participate in an
after care program and if they will be
required to sign a return-to-duty agreement.
Section 4. DRUG AND ALOCHOL
REHABILITATION AND
TREATMENT
As noted earlier, the FTA regulations do
not require you to provide or pay for
rehabilitation and treatment programs.
However, rehabilitation and treatment
programs are often an integral part of
Chapter 9. Substance Abuse
Professionals, Rehabilitation, and
Treatment
successful substance abuse programs.
Additionally, research and experience have
demonstrated that such programs can be
highly cost-effective. The decision to
provide rehabilitation to affected employees
should be made with both the employer and
employee’s needs in mind.
Two basic types of treatment are
available that include various inpatient and
outpatient services. Inpatient treatments
often involve a 1- to 4-week stay in the
hospital or residential treatment center and
may be recommended for the more severely
addicted person. Outpatient treatment is
appropriate for persons who are employed
and can benefit from education and behavior
modification to remain drug- and/or alcoholfree.
Outpatient services predominate in the
transit industry; 75 percent of persons
receiving treatment for drug addiction
and/or alcoholism are treated as outpatients.
Intensive Inpatient Services. Inpatient
centers treat dependent people with physical
and/or psychological complications.
Patients in intensive treatment may need
supervised detoxification and may suffer
physical withdrawal symptoms. As part of
treatment, patients will attend education and
awareness lectures and group therapy
sessions. Frequently, family members are
involved in treatment since dependency
affects the entire family. Residential
intensive inpatient treatment may last from 1
to 4 weeks.
Intensive Outpatient Services. These
services treat dependent patients who have
fewer physical or psychological
complications. They offer effective and less
expensive alternatives to residential care for
individuals with relatively stable home
environments and supportive employers.
The patient receives education, group
therapy, and individual counseling for up to
9-9 August 2002