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Substance Abuse

Confidential Drug and Monitoring Program

Health Professionals' Services Program (HPSP)

In September 2004, the Oregon Board of Dentistry instituted a Confidential Voluntary Diversion Monitoring Program for licensees experiencing problems with abuse of drugs and alcohol. The Board designed the program to support licensees in recovery and at the same time establish guidelines to protect the public. 

 
In Summer 2009, the Oregon legislature enacted laws establishing the Health Professionals' Services Program (HPSP), a consolidated monitoring program for all healthcare providers, under the Department of Human Services. By the same law, HPSP replaced the confidential diversion programs, like that of the Board of Dentistry.

 
The HPSP monitors health care providers with the goal being rehabilitation. HPSP has four participating health Boards: The Oregon Board of Dentistry, the Oregon State Board of Nursing, The Oregon Board of Pharmacy, and the Oregon Medical Board (The Boards).

 
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has administered the program since it was established.  In 2016, House Bill 4016 authorized the Boards to establish or contract for program services. The Boards and OHA have been working collaboratively to issue a new contract for program operations. To that end, the Boards established a Work Group to produce a Request for Proposals (RFP).  The Work Group meetings were held monthly at the Oregon Medical Board and were open to the public.

 
The RFP resulted in the selection of a vendor for the HPSP program operations. Reliant Behavioral Health (RBH) has been awarded the contract to operate HPSP, effective July 1, 2017. RBH has held the HPSP contract for the past seven years and will continue to do so with diligence. The Boards, OHA and RBH are committed to ensuring program participants experience a smooth transition during the change in administration. Licensees enrolled in the Program will continue to receive services without interruption.

 
For Board licensees with a diagnosis of substance use disorder or mental health disorders, HPSP provides a voluntary, non-disciplinary option to get treatment, establish a recovery program and be eligible to practice. The identities of licensees enrolled in HPSP and in good standing with that program, will remain confidential to the Board and not a matter of public record.

How do I get started

Contact the Board's Diversion Coordinator by telephone.
  • Telephone:  (971) 673-3200

The Board's process for referring licensees to HPSP

Confidential

The Diversion Coordinator is the only person authorized to work with Candidates for and Licensees in HPSP, and to know their identities. They can be reached at (971) 673-3200 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. 

Voluntary
Licensees enter HPSP voluntarily, agree to the requirements established by law, and adhere to their HPSP Agreement. Licensees must provide the Diversion Coordinator with a full disclosure of the history of substance abuse, periods of treatment, efforts in recovery and relapse history, and to have a diagnosis of substance use disorder, to qualify for HPSP. 

Non-disciplinary
The Board recognizes that addiction is primarily a biological disease, chronic, progressive, often fatal, and characterized by relapse. Participation in HPSP is non-disciplinary and not reportable to the National Practitioners’ Data Bank, or any other entity. 

How it works
The Diversion Coordinator opens a case and conducts an investigation that includes interviews with the Licensee-Candidate, a determination whether the Licensee Candidate presents a danger to the public and consultation with treatment providers. Following a diagnosis and treatment recommendations, the Diversion Coordinator completes an investigative report in which the Licensee-Candidate is identified only as "Licensee." The Licensee-Candidate reviews a draft of the report and confers with the Diversion Coordinator. 

The Chief Investigator, the Executive Director, the Board’s Chief Evaluator, and the Senior Assistant Attorney General review the report and approve it. These reviewers do not learn the identity of the candidate.  The Diversion Coordinator presents the case to the Board for a decision to close with no further action if the licensee is enrolled in HPSP.

Approved Evaluators, Consultants and Treatment Facilities

Questions

The standard length of time a licensee remains is five years, but is dependent on the progress and results of recovery efforts in HPSP. Completion of the HPSP must be recommended by a Board approved healthcare provider and endorsed by HPSP and the Board. ​​

The Licensee must report any relapse to the Diversion Coordinator, who will conduct an investigation of the relapse, including an interview with the individual. 

When the Diversion Coordinator receives a report of a relapse or substantial non-compliance with the HPSP agreement, the Diversion Coordinator will conduct an investigation of the incident to include an interview with the licensee. The Board will consider the information and make a determination on the matter. 

If it is determined that the relapse does not significantly jeopardize the licensee's recovery, does not adversely impact the integrity of the HPSP, and/or does not pose a danger to the public, the licensee can be allowed to continue in the HPSP. If the relapse does not meet these criteria, the Board may take disciplinary action.​​

The Board absorbs the administrative cost of managing the activities leading up to  enrollment in HPSP. The licensee pays for those recovery and treatment services as determined by HPSP.