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US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Substance Abuse Expert Qualification Training and Examination

This is the qualification training and examination for professionals wishing to provide evaluations for covered employees under 10CFR Part 26 (US N.R.C. Fitness for Duty Program) who have alcohol and drug testing violations and other substance abuse fitness for duty concerns. Eligible professionals who wish to qualify as Substance Abuse Experts (SAEs) must meet training and examination requirements. Section 12.187(10 C.F.R) states that to be eligible to qualify to perform substance abuse evaluations for employees, who violate N.R.C. drug and alcohol prohibitions, Substance Abuse Experts must have the appropriate credentials.  (Revised April 2024)

Who may take this course: Eligible credentials include licensed physicians, licensed or certified social workers, licensed or certified psychologists, licensed or certified employee assistance professionals, or an alcohol and drug abuse counselor certified by the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) Certification Commission or by the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (ICRC). Further, to be eligible these professionals must have demonstrated expertise in substance abuse assessment and treatment. 

No CE for professional license renewal is available for physicians or psychologists.  Both these disciplines may take this course to qualify as an SAE, the CE awarded here is applicable to SAE qualification.

Please read the entire description below before purchasing to make sure you have the appropriate professional license to take this course.

Renewal information: If you are renewing your SAE credential and are still within the 3-year time frame select the US N.R.C. Substance Abuse Expert Renewal course. If your SAE credential has lapsed take this course.

Developed by: Karen Albig Smith, LMFT, LCAS, MAC, CAP, SAP, SAE
Revised April 2024

Example companies that use our course include among others, Duke Energy, Florida Power and Light, Nile Mile Point Nuclear, and Southern Energy, Cigna, Magellan, and Aetna Healthcare.

Description:  (Revised April 2024) U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and commercial nuclear power industry have published regulations about the potential public health and safety impacts of fitness-for-duty (FFD) problems at nuclear power plants and other facilities that handle nuclear material. Licensees are required to implement programs to address FFD problems including illegal drug use, alcohol abuse, misuse of legal drugs, and any other mental or physical problems that could impair job performance. The events of 9/11 also highlighted a need to strengthen the N.R.C. requirements for granting unescorted access to protected and vital areas in nuclear facilities. These changes in the context within which the nuclear industry operated, and others, resulted in a very long and complex rulemaking process that produced the new rule. The new rule, (10 C.F.R. Part 26) outlines responsibilities for Substance Abuse Experts who provide substance abuse assessments as part of the fitness-for-duty program.

Eligible professionals* who wish to qualify as Substance Abuse Experts (SAEs) must meet training and examination requirements. Section 12.187(10 C.F.R) states that to be eligible to qualify to perform substance abuse evaluations for employees, who violate N.R.C. drug and alcohol prohibitions, Substance Abuse Experts must have the appropriate credentials.

Who may take this course: *Eligible credentials include licensed physicians, licensed or certified social workers, licensed or certified psychologists, licensed or certified employee assistance professionals, or an alcohol and drug abuse counselor certified by the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) Certification Commission or by the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (ICRC). Further to be eligible these professionals must have demonstrated expertise in substance abuse assessment and treatment.  No CE for professional license renewal is available for physicians or psychologists.  Both these disciplines may take this course to qualify as an SAE, the CE awarded here is applicable to SAE qualification.

Objectives: 
  1. Participants will be able to describe the background, rationale, and scope of the NRC FFD regulations.
  2. Participants will be able to list which professional licenses are eligible to qualify as an SAE.
  3. Participants will be able to discuss the public safety mandate of the US NRC FFD program.
  4. Participants will be able to describe the administrative provisions of the US NRC FFD program.
  5. Participants will be able to list the required test events of the N.R.C. FFD program.
  6. Participants will be able to describe the key drug testing requirements of the N.R.C. FFD regulations.
  7. Participants will be able to describe key alcohol testing requirements of the N.R.C. FFD regulations.
  8. Participants will be able to discuss specimen collection protocols for drug and alcohol testing.             
  9. Participants will be able to discuss the chain of custody roles of collectors, testing facilities, laboratories, and MROs.
  10. Participants will be able to describe SAE qualifications and prohibitions.
  11. Participants will be able to discuss the role of the SAE in making determinations of fitness and the return-to-duty process.
  12. Participants will be able to discuss fitness for duty violations, fatigue management, and fitness determinations.
  13. Participants will be able to implement procedures for SAE consultation and communication with LOEs, MROs, and treatment providers.
  14. Participants will be able to describe SAE reporting and recordkeeping requirements of the N.R.C. FFD regulations.
  15. Participants will be able to identify issues that SAEs confront in carrying out their duties under the N.R.C. FFD regulations.

CE Credits: 20

Agenda
Hour One: Pretest and course overview.
Hour Two: Administrative provisions - Subpart A.
Hour Three: Program elements - Subpart B.
Hour Four: Granting and maintaining authorization - Subpart C.
Hour Five: Management actions and sanctions to be imposed - Subpart D.
Hour Six: Collecting specimens for testing - Subpart E.
Hour Seven: Licensee testing facilities - Subpart F.
Hour Eight: Laboratories certified by the DHHS - Subpart G.
Hour Nine: Determining fitness-for-duty policy violations and determining fitness - Subpart H.
Hour Ten: Managing fatigue - Subpart I.
Hour Eleven: FFD programs for construction - Subpart K.
Hour Twelve: Recordkeeping and reporting requirements - Subpart N.
Hour Thirteen: Inspections, violations, and penalties - Subpart O.
Hour Fourteen: 10 C.F.R. Part 26.
Hour Fifteen: 10 C.F.R. Part 26.
Hour Sixteen: 10 C.F.R. Part 26.
Hour Seventeen: 10 C.F.R. Part 26.
Hour Eighteen: Qualification Examination.
Hour Nineteen: Qualification Examination.
Hour Twenty: Qualification Examination
CE Broker#: OL 20-256311 HS 20-433914
Methods: Pre-test, study guide, posttest and evaluation, internet sources via URLs, Q&A by email.
Content Area: N.R.C. Substance abuse expert, Addictions (alcohol and drugs), Clinical evaluation and assessment, Legal and regulatory.
Purpose: To prepare eligible professionals to perform SAE duties under 10 C.F.R. Part 26.
Target Audience: Psychologists, physicians, social workers, employee assistance professionals, and addiction professionals.  No CE for professional license renewal is available for physicians or psychologists.  Both these disciplines may take this course to qualify as an SAE, the CE awarded here is applicable to SAE qualification.

View a list of our approvals on our approvals page

Online Course

CE Broker#:
20-256311
CE Credits:
20
Price:
$300.00

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