Authors

  1. Eisenhut, Becky MS, RN, CASAC, CARN

Article Content

Each state has a board of nursing who governs professional practice, and many have chosen to implement nurse assistance programs or alternative to discipline programs to address substance use disorder in the nursing profession. The purpose of these programs is to offer support and monitoring to the individual who has been impacted by the use of substances with the goal of returning a safe practitioner to the profession. There are basic requirements for participation, which include counseling, drug testing, and worksite monitoring (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2010). Programs vary state by state and are called by a myriad of names. Some examples include Louisiana where the program is called the Recovering Nurse Program; in Maine, the program is referred to as the Medical Professionals Health Program; and in Utah, the program is known by the Utah Recovery Assistance Program. The following is a compilation of state-by-state resource information.

 

Alabama: Voluntary Disciplinary Alternative Program (VDAP), 334-293-5200. Contact person: Mary Ed Davis, MSN, FNP; Tel: 1-800-656-5318; E-mail: [email protected]

 

http://www.abn.state.al.us/Content.aspx?id=259

 

Alaska: No known program

 

Arizona: Chemically Addicted Nurses Diversion Option (CANDO); 602-771-7800, choose Option 4. Contact person: Jan Kerrigan, RN, BSN

 

http://www.azbn.gov/discipline-complaints/cando

 

Arkansas: No known program

 

California: Diversion Program, 1-800-522-9198. Contact person: Carol Stanford, Diversion Program Manager

 

http://www.rn.ca.gov/diversion/whatisdiv.shtml

 

Colorado: Peer Assistance Services, 1-866-369-0039. Contact person: Rachel Steffl, MA, LPC, LAC

 

http://peerassistanceservices.org/programs/peer-health-assistance-programs/nursi

 

Connecticut: Health Assistance Intervention Education Network (HAVEN), 860-276-9196. Contact person: Linda Barile, PhD, RN, Associate Program Director

 

http://www.haven-ct.org/

 

Delaware: Voluntary Treatment Option, 302-744-4503. Contact person: Kay Warren, Deputy Director; E-mail: [email protected]

 

http://regulations.delaware.gov/AdminCode/title24/Voluntary%20Treatment%20Option

 

Florida: Intervention Project for Nurses (IPN), 1-800-840-2720. Contact person: Linda Smith, ARNP, MN, MDiv, CAP, Executive Director

 

http://www.ipnfl.org

 

Georgia: Georgia Nurses Association Peer Assistance Program, 800-462-9627 or 404-325-8807

 

http://www.georgianurses.org/?page=GNAPAP

 

Hawaii: Hawaii Nurses Association Peer Assistance, 808-531-1628 or 808-265-1290. Contact person: Sandra D. Eichelberger, RN, at mailto:[email protected]

 

Idaho: Program for Recovering Nurses (PRN), 1-208-323-9555. Contact person: John Southworth, Program Coordinator

 

http://ibn.idaho.gov/IBNPortal/AgencyAdditional.aspx?Agency=426&AgencyLinkID=920

 

Illinois: Illinois Professionals Health Program (IPHP), 847-795-2844 or 312-580-2499. Contact person: Janet Pickett, RN, CARN, CADC

 

http://www.advocatehealth.com/illinoisprofessionalshealthprogram

 

Peer Assistance Network for Nurses (PANN) Illinois Nurses Association, 708-494-0008. Contact person: Dee-Dee Patrick, MS, RN, CARN, CLNC; E-mail: mailto:[email protected]

 

Indiana: Indiana State Nurses Assistance Program (ISNAP), 317-295-9862 or 1-800-630-6623

 

http://indiananurses.org/isnapsite/index.php

 

Iowa: No known program

 

Kansas: The Kansas Nurses Assistance Program (KNAP), 913-236-7575

 

http://www.ksbn.org/knap.htm

 

Kentucky: KARE for Nurses Program; Kentucky Assistance Recovery Effort. Contact person: Jill M. Cambron, Compliance Program Coordinator, at 502-429-3313 or 1-800-305-2042 ext. 3313

 

http://kbn.ky.gov/kare/Pages/kare.aspx

 

Louisiana: Recovering Nurse Program (RNP), 225-755-7546. Contact person: Barbara McGill, MSN, BSN, Director; E-mail: [email protected]

 

http://www.lsbn.state.la.us/Discipline,Complaints,MonitoringRNP/Monitoring.aspx

 

Maine: Medical Professionals Health Program (MPHP); MPHP Web site: http://www.mainemphp.org; 207-623-9266 or e-mail at mailto:[email protected]. Contact person: Mindy Armstrong

 

http://www.mainemed.com/member-services/medical-professionals-health-program

 

Maryland: Maryland Board of Nursing Rehabilitation Program, 410-585-1924 or contact the Program Monitoring Coordinator at mailto:[email protected] for additional information and assistance.

 

Massachusetts: Peer Assistance Program; Massachusetts Nursing Association Peer Assistance Program; 781.821.4625 x755 or 800.882.2056 x755 (in Massachusetts only)

 

http://www.peerassistance.com/

 

Michigan: Health Professional Recovery Program (HPRP), 800-453-3784

 

http://www.hprp.org/

 

Minnesota: Health Professionals Services Program (HPSP), 651-642-0487

 

http://mn.gov/boards/hpsp/

 

Mississippi: Recovering Nurse Program, 601-664-3903

 

http://www.msbn.ms.gov/Pages/RecoveringNurseProgram.aspx

 

Missouri: No known program

 

Montana: Nursing Assistance Program (NAP), 406-251-4210 or 1-888-630-4210

 

http://mtassist.org/nursing/

 

Nebraska: No known program

 

Nevada: Alternative Program for Chemically Dependent Nurses; call toll free 888-590-6726

 

http://nevadanursingboard.org/discipline/chemically-dependant-nurses/

 

New Hampshire: No known program

 

New Jersey: Recovery & Monitoring Program (RAMP), 609-883-5335 ext. 115. Contact person: Annemarie Edinger, RAMP Communications Coordinator; E-mail: mailto:[email protected]

 

http://www.njsna.org/?page=RAMP

 

New Mexico: New Mexico Board of Nursing Diversion Program. Steven Ludwig, ADN, RN, Diversion Program Case Manager; E-mail: [email protected]; Tel: 505.841.909

 

http://nmbon.sks.com/about-the-program.aspx

 

New York: Professionals Assistance Program (PAP); Professional Assistance Program. Contact person: Bernadette Lochner, (518)-474-3817 ext. 480 (voice); E-mail: [email protected]

 

http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/pap.htm

 

Statewide Peer Assistance for Nurses (SPAN) program; New York State Nurses Association, (800)-457-7261, or e-mail: mailto:[email protected]

 

http://www.nysna.org/nursing-practice/statewide-peer-assistance-nurses#.Vlznz3ar

 

North Carolina: Alternative Program for Chemical Dependency (AP). Kay McMullan, RN, MSN, Director; (919)-782-3211 x257, E-mail: mailto:[email protected]

 

http://www.ncbon.com/dcp/i/discipline-compliance-drug-monitoring-programs-altern

 

Intervention Program (IP), Tel: (919) 782-3211 ext. 228; E-mail: mailto:[email protected]

 

http://www.ncbon.com/dcp/i/discipline-compliance-drug-monitoring-programs-interv

 

North Dakota: Chemical Dependency Program; Workplace Impairment Program. Contact person: Karla Bitz, PhD, RN (Associate Director); North Dakota Board of Nursing, (701)-328-9783 or (701)-328-9777 (main office).

 

Ohio: No known program

 

Oklahoma: Oklahoma Peer Assistance Program, (405) 525-2277

 

http://nursing.ok.gov/peer3.html

 

Oregon: No known program

 

Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Nurse Peer Assistance Program (PNAP), (877)-298-7627 ext. 1. Contact person: Kathie Simpson, Executive Director; (877)-298-7627 ext. 1; E-mail: mailto:[email protected]

 

http://pnap.org/

 

Rhode Island: No known program

 

South Carolina: No known program

 

South Dakota: Health Professionals Assistance Program (HPAP), (605)275-4711; E-mail: mailto:[email protected]

 

http://www.mwhms.com/hpap.html

 

Tennessee: Tennessee Professional Assistance Program (Tn-PAP), 615-250-6106. Contact person: Elaine Eaton, Administrative Director; E-mail: mailto:[email protected]

 

http://www.tnpap.org/about.htm

 

Texas: Texas Peer Assistance Program for Nurses (TPAPN), (800) 288-5528

 

http://www.texasnurses.org/?page=TPAPN

 

Utah: Utah Recovery Assistance Program (URAP). Contact person: Charles Walton, MD, Program Manager; (801)-530-6106

 

http://www.dopl.utah.gov/programs/urap/index.html

 

Vermont: Health Professional Wellness and Recovery Programs; Vermont Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulation of the Secretary of State; (802)-828-2819

 

http://www.vtmd.org/health-professional-wellness-and-recovery-programs#Programs%

 

Virginia: No known program

 

Washington: WA Health Professional Services (WHPS). Contact person: John Furman at mailto:[email protected] or (360)-236-2880 or e-mail: mailto:[email protected]

 

http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/NursingCommission/Washingto

 

West Virginia: No known program

 

Wisconsin: Professional Assistance Procedure (PAP); Department of Safety and Professional Services; (608) 267-3817

 

http://dsps.wi.gov/Other-Services/Professional-Assistance-Procedures

 

Wyoming: Nurse Monitoring Program; Wyoming State Board of Nursing (WSBN) Nurse Monitoring Program; (307)-777-7616. Contact the WSBN NMP Manager at mailto:[email protected]

 

nursing-online.state.wy.us/Default.aspx?page=7

 

Additional Resources:

 

AANA American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Peer Assistance Helpline* (800) 654-5167. http://www.aana.com/resources2/health-wellness/Pages/default.aspx

 

National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). http://www.ncsbn.org/333.htm

 

National Organization of Alternative Programs (NOAP). (205)-823-6106; E-mail: [email protected]

 

http://www.alternativeprograms.org/

 

If you would like to have your state peer assistance program highlighted in this column, contact Becky Eisenhut at mailto:[email protected]. State programs that have been included in previous issues of the Journal for Addictions Nursing are New York State (2012), Colorado (2012), New Jersey (2013), Tennessee (2014), Massachusetts (2015), and Florida (2015). Program updates can also be sent to mailto:[email protected].

 

REFERENCE

 

National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2010). Substance use disorder in nursing: A resource manual and guidelines for alternative and disciplinary monitoring programs. Chicago, IL: Author. [Context Link]