Straight answers to the questions drivers ask us most. Still unsure? Call 214-901-7079.
What is a DOT SAP evaluation?
If you have a DOT drug or alcohol violation, you cannot return to safety-sensitive work until you complete the return-to-duty process. A Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) evaluates you, recommends any education or treatment you need, re-evaluates you once you have completed it, and sets your follow-up testing plan.
How soon can I be seen?
Our phones are answered 7 days a week, 8 AM to 6 PM Central. Every driver is guaranteed an appointment within 5 days. Same-day appointments are often available Monday to Friday for $700; call us to check today's openings.
Can the evaluation really be done online?
Yes. Since DOT's 2023 rule change, SAP evaluations may be conducted remotely by live video. All of our evaluations are done over Microsoft Teams, so there is no office to travel to.
Do you work with drivers outside Texas?
Yes. Our evaluations are virtual, and our qualifying SAP credential is a national certification rather than a Texas license, so we can work with drivers anywhere in the U.S.
How much does it cost, and what is included?
$600 by Zelle, with an appointment guaranteed within 5 days, or $700 by Zelle to be seen the same day, Monday to Friday (call first to confirm a same-day slot). Paying online by card is $619 or $722, which covers card processing. Either way the price covers your initial evaluation and your follow-up evaluation, along with the Clearinghouse reporting the SAP is required to do.
Can I split the payment?
Yes. Pay half at your initial evaluation and the remaining half at your follow-up evaluation: $300 and $300 for a standard appointment, or $350 and $350 for same-day, by Zelle. By card the halves are $310 or $361.
How do I pay by Zelle?
Send your payment by Zelle to [email protected] and put your full name in the memo. Zelle will show the recipient as Brooktree Counseling & Consulting PLLC, our practice's registered name.
Is education or treatment included in the price?
No. The evaluation fee covers your SAP evaluations. If you are recommended education or treatment, you complete it with a separate provider, who charges for it separately. We will explain your options before you commit to anything.
Who will I be working with?
Licensed, credentialed clinicians with more than 20 years of experience in substance abuse services, including Licensed Professional Counselors, Certified Employee Assistance Professionals and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors, trained by leading experts in the field.
How long does the evaluation take?
Usually about 30 minutes.
How long does the whole return-to-duty process take?
It depends mostly on what your SAP recommends. The evaluation itself usually takes about 30 minutes, and on weekdays you can often be seen the same day. After that, the timeline is set by the education or treatment you are asked to complete, then your follow-up evaluation and your employer's return-to-duty test. Starting promptly is the one part you control. Be wary of any program that tells you how long it will take before you have been evaluated: nobody can know that until a SAP has assessed you.
When will I get my recommendation?
The same day as your evaluation, guaranteed. Your recommendation is specific to you, not a one-size-fits-all package, and in most of our cases it is education rather than a drug or alcohol treatment program.
What do I need to have ready?
Your violation date; the name, address and phone number of the company you were driving for when the violation happened; and your supervisor's name and phone number.
Do I need to download Microsoft Teams?
No. You can join from your web browser using the link we send you. If you would rather use the app, there are one-tap download buttons for iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac on our five-steps page.
Do I have to be registered in the Clearinghouse?
Yes. You register yourself, then designate us as your SAP. Speak to us before you designate: once a SAP accepts your request, you cannot switch to a different one.
What happens after the evaluation?
You complete any education or treatment that was recommended, then we re-evaluate you. If you have complied, your employer sends you for a return-to-duty test. After a negative result you begin a follow-up testing plan: at least six tests in your first 12 months back, and it can run for up to five years.
Can you guarantee I will be cleared to return to duty?
No SAP can honestly promise that, because a SAP's evaluation has to be impartial. What we can promise is a fair, individual evaluation, a clear plan, and straight answers about exactly what is required of you.
Will my employer see my evaluation?
DOT rules require the SAP to send its reports to your employer's Designated Employer Representative (DER). We do not share your evaluation beyond what those rules require.
My CDL was downgraded. Can you help?
Since November 18, 2024, a prohibited Clearinghouse status leads your state to downgrade your CDL or CLP. Completing the return-to-duty process is how you clear the prohibited status, so the sooner you start, the sooner it is behind you.
Do you do non-DOT evaluations?
Yes. We provide substance abuse evaluations of any kind for $250: court-ordered, probation, employer, licensing board and personal. The organization asking for the evaluation may have its own requirements, so tell us who it is for and we will confirm we can meet them before you pay. Details at dfwsap.com/substance-abuse-evaluation.
When can I reach you?
Our phones are answered seven days a week, including weekends, from 8 AM to 6 PM Central Time. Same-day appointments are available Monday to Friday.
I'm an employer. Can you help?
Yes. If you are not sure how the process works or where to start, call 214-901-7079 for a free 10-minute consultation. We work with DOT-regulated and non-regulated employers of every size, and we send your Designated Employer Representative the reports the rules require at each stage.