Participants
TAPNET is a peer assistance program designed to assist chemical dependency counselors struggling with substance abuse and mental health disorders in returning to healthy functioning so they may safely continue to practice.
​
Review Eligibility Requirements
​
NOTE: If you need to enter into peer assistance case management please visit the referral section below.
Referrals
When to refer?
As with any profession, Drug and Alcohol Counselors are susceptible to addiction and mental illness. The profession has a responsibility to protect both the safety of clients and to support rehabilitation of impaired counselors in the event addiction or mental illness is suspected. Often changes in behavior and patterns are warning signs that a peer or employee is experiencing problems. The following instances may be useful to employers in deciding when to refer an employee to the Texas Addiction Professionals Peer Assistance Network:
​
-
When you receive a positive pre-employment or random drug screen result for any illegal substance or any non-prescribed, legal substance (ask the counselor to show you copies of all current prescriptions prior to screening).
-
When at least two people witness a counselor with alcohol on the breath reporting for work.
-
When a counselor is visibly/physically impaired while at work (whether or not that counselor is taking legitimate prescription medications); e.g., falling asleep, slurring speech, staggering.
-
When a counselor displays a pattern of forgetfulness, poor judgment, inability to perform, physical deterioration, isolation, moodiness and/or mood swings.
​
TAPNET accepts written and verbal referrals from individuals concerned about the practice of a counselor in the state of Texas.
​
-
A person who is required by law to report an impaired professional to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) satisfies that requirement if the person reports the professional to TAPNET. TAPNET shall notify the person making the report and DSHS if the person who was reported gives written consent or in cases where a professional referred to TAPNET refuses to comply with the guidelines of the program.
​
Referrals may be made in two different ways:
-
By telephone to an intake coordinator at 1-877-4TAPNET (between 8:00 a.m. and 5 p.m., m-f). All verbal referrals need to be followed with written documentation to fulfill the mandatory reporting requirements.
-
By completing the PDF Referral Form available here, make sure to include all relevant documentation. The completed referral form may be mailed to TAPNET at 401 Ranch Road 620 South, Suite 310 Austin, TX 78734.
If you have questions about whether a referral is warranted please call TAPNET for assistance at 1-877-4TAPNET.