Recovering Professional Program
The South Carolina Recovering Professional Program (SCRPP) Intake and Assessment Process
Voluntary Referrals to the South Carolina Recovering Professional Program
If you have been contacted by an LLR investigator and asked to voluntarily report to the South Carolina Recovering Professional Program for intake and an assessment, call us to learn more about the intake process and what you can expect before you report for intake. Importantly, a referral to SCRPP does NOT mean that you meet criteria for monitoring. We are here to support you and your continued practice. 803-227-4239.
The SCRPP Intake Process
Regardless of whether you voluntarily report to SCRPP at the request of your supervisor, employee health program, colleague, or school, or you are asked to voluntarily report to SCRPP by an SCRPP investigator, the process begins by calling SCRPP to schedule an intake appointment. SCRPP intake appointments may be conducted in person at the SCRPP office or virtually through a secure telehealth platform.
During your initial call to SCRPP, you can generally expect to be assigned a specific SCRPP case manager. Following the initial call, your SCRPP recovery specialist will provide you with a copy of the SCRPP intake packet likely via electronic mail or DocuSign. The intake packet contains various documents including an SCRPP screening document, several forms requesting permission to redisclose information with various third parties, including the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, your governing Board, the Department of Health to conduct a search of the South Carolina Department of Health’s Prescription Monitoring Program, SureScreen Labs and/or RecoveryTrek for initial toxicology testing, and RecoveryTrek, SCRPP’s third party case management and testing administrator. This packet also includes an SCRPP evaluation agreement, informed consent documents, and information concerning the SCRPP Abstinence Policy and Monthly Fees should you later meet criteria for monitoring. You will likely be asked to return these documents within three business days to remain in compliance. You will also schedule a convenient time to complete the intake process via a secure virtual platform or in person at the SCRPP office.
During the initial SCRPP intake meeting, the assigned SCRPP counselor will discuss the reason for your report with you, discuss the initial paperwork and the SCRPP process, including what SCRPP expects from you, and any associated deadlines required to remain in compliance.
SCRPP will not ask you to voluntarily refrain from practice during the initial referral process in the absence of a temporary suspension order.
Initial Toxicology Information
SCRPP generally refers prospective participants for initial toxicology testing in advance of referral for an assessment. Prospective participants can generally expect to be referred for a Phosphatidyethanol (PEth) test, assessing for a biomarker of alcohol, and a hair test, assessing for various substances of abuse. It is important to understand that both forms of testing may requested regardless of the nature of the allegation which led to your referral to the SCRPP Program.
Referral for Evaluation
Although the assigned case manager will conduct an initial evaluation of sorts, SCRPP will staff your file to discuss options for a third-party evaluation. SCRPP often selects facilities who have experience assessing for, and treating, healthcare professionals working in safety sensitive positions. Prospective participants are provided with at least two options for an evaluation, which may include options for an outpatient assessment or a more comprehensive assessment depending upon SCRPP’s perception of the severity of the case.
SCRPP will likely impose a deadline requiring you to confirm a scheduled appointment to be assessed. When the appointment is confirmed, SCRPP will request a release to enable SCRPP to generate a referral letter to be reviewed in advance of your evaluation appointment. You have the right to request a copy of that letter for your personal file.
Preliminary Evaluation Reports
Although it’s possible that SCRPP could receive a preliminary evaluation report within a day or two following your assessment, it may be several weeks up to a month or longer before a final report is issued.
If a preliminary evaluation report is issued, the evaluator may recommend that you refrain from work pending the final assessment report or defer any work or treatment related recommendations pending collateral information and updated toxicology testing. If the evaluator does not endorse your return to work, SCRPP will ask you to refrain. If you are considered Board involved, SCRPP will update Board staff at that time.
Independent Medical Evaluation and Fitness for Duty Evaluation Reports
Following receipt of the IME/FFD report, SCRPP will review the report to determine whether it substantiates a diagnosis(es) which meets criteria for SCRPP monitoring. The report will also be reviewed to determine what, if any, treatment recommendations are imposed. Treatment recommendations could include a recommendation for partial hospitalization or residential treatment, participation with an intensive outpatient program (IOP), outpatient treatment, or even individual counseling or appointments with an addiction psychiatrist for medication management. The evaluator will generally inform whether the treatment should be healthcare specific. If you are recommended for treatment, the SCRPP team will staff your file for treatment options. You will be provided with at least two options at that time.
Depending upon the level of assessment conducted, you may be offered the option to participate in a virtual, telehealth appointment to discuss the report and recommendations. You have the right to consult an attorney in advance of that appointment.
Challenging the Evaluator’s Report and Recommendation(s)
A prospective or current SCRPP participant who is referred for an assessment reserves the right to challenge the IME/FFD report. General objections include:
- Disagreement with the level of treatment indicated;
- Disagreement with a diagnosis(es) and appropriateness for monitoring; and
- Disagreement with the factual information reported within the report
An experienced South Carolina professional license defense attorney can help guide you through this process. You have the right to be reassessed. Prospective and current participants may generally elect to be reassessed with one of the options originally provided to them. The assigned SCRPP case manager can be consulted for additional reassessment options. If you have been asked to refrain from practice, SCRPP will ask you to continue to refrain from practice pending receipt of the reassessment report. You have the right to request a copy of your IME/FFD report for your records.
What Happens When I Request A Reassessment?
If you have been asked to refrain from practice, SCRPP will ask you to continue to refrain from practice pending receipt of the reassessment report. SCRPP will provide you with alternative evaluation options at that time.
Upon receipt of the reassessment report, SCRPP will staff the file to determine which of the two reports will govern for the purpose of SCRPP monitoring. If the reports and recommendations issued between the two reports are significantly different and you disagree with the report SCRPP elected to adopt, you may ask to meet with SCRPP’s Internal Review Committee, which is staffed by an addiction psychiatrist and two designees from your licensing Board. For additional information concerning the SCRPP Internal Review Committee, please feel free to contact us for a consultation.
What Information Does SCRPP Share With My Licensing Board?
SCRPP may only redisclose information pursuant to the confines of a valid release. The language of the release governs the specific information which may be redisclosed. If you are known to your licensing board in conjunction with the referral to SCRPP, SCRPP will routinely redisclose a copy of the IME/FRE report to the appropriate Board staff.
If you are voluntary (unknown to the Board concerning your referral to SCRPP), SCRPP will only redisclose information in conjunction with governing Board and Agency policy. By way of example, if you voluntarily report to SCRPP and you are licensed by the Board of Nursing, SCRPP must inform a designated staff member of your enrollment in accordance with the Nurse Licensure Compact rules. Your voluntary enrollment, assuming continued compliance, will not be considered for the purpose of disciplinary action unless the Board is independently contacted, and a complaint initiated against your license, which results in your referral to SCRPP.
Turner Padget’s professional license defense team has handled hundreds of professional licensing cases and has experience working with the South Carolina Recovering Professional Program. We welcome your call to discuss the SCRPP process. 803-227-4239
