Willroth Consulting

06/26/2026

Here is the full picture nobody lays out: how all six DOT modes handle Medication-Assisted Treatment.

Three of them have their own medical rulebook that addresses it:

FAA (aviation), FMCSA (trucking/school bus), and USCG (maritime). Three of them rely on the shared Part 40 process instead:

FRA (rail), FTA (transit), and PHMSA (pipeline).

And here is the part worth remembering: not one of the six contains an automatic MAT disqualifier.

So when someone says, "DOT bans MAT," they are wrong twice. Wrong that it is uniform across modes, and wrong that any mode bans it outright.

Save this one. Over the next few posts, I am breaking down each mode, one at a time.

Don't Guess. Don't Google. ASK A SAP!®

06/26/2026

Join NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals for EMPOWER 2026: the NAADAC Annual Conference, on August 29-31, 2026, in Kansas City, MO, or online!

Stay current on emerging trends that impact all addiction-focused professionals, network with your peers, and build your business in a collaborative learning environment!

With expert keynote speakers, 54 breakout sessions, a robust exhibit hall, exciting networking opportunities, and pre- and post-conference sessions, EMPOWER 2026 is a must-attend event for every addiction professional.

Gain essential insights to enhance your service to clients and earn up to 40 CEs over six days of education, training, advocacy, and capacity-building.

Register today! Registration information is available on the NAADAC website. For more information, visit http://www.naadac.org/annualconference

06/24/2026

Co-occurring post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) worsen health outcomes.

PTSD symptom severity directly undermines OUD treatment: every 10% increase in PTSD severity is associated with a 36% increased risk of treatment interruption. People with co-occurring PTSD and OUD experience more severe addiction, higher rates of depression and attempted su***de, and greater psychosocial problems than those with OUD alone.

Support is here. The Opioid Response Network (ORN) helps you help individuals with complex behavioral health needs, including OUD and co-occurring mental health disorders, all at no cost. Let us know your needs using the “Submit a Request” form at OpioidResponseNetwork.org.

*Graphic and caption source: Treatment outcomes in individuals diagnosed with comorbid opioid use disorder and Post-traumatic stress disorder: A review: https://bit.ly/4vYb1o3

06/24/2026

Let's talk about something almost no one in this industry will touch: Medication-Assisted Treatment and DOT testing.

Here is what the regulation actually says, not the rumor.
49 CFR Part 40 does not ban Medication-Assisted Treatment. It does not name it as automatically disqualifying. Anyone who tells you "Methadone means you're done" or "Buprenorphine ends your career" is repeating a myth, not the rule.

What really happens splits into two separate questions handled by two different people:

(1) The Medical Review Officer at the test. If you have a valid prescription, the MRO can verify your result. A legitimate prescription used as directed is not a Part 40 violation.

(2) The medical qualification authority for your mode. This is a separate fitness-for-duty question, and it is decided case by case, not by a blanket ban.

And this matters for every safety-sensitive employee, not just truck drivers. The same Part 40 process covers aviation, trucking, rail, transit, pipeline, and maritime.

If you are in recovery and in treatment, you deserve facts, not fear. Don't guess. Don't Google. ASK A SAP!®

06/22/2026

ASK A SAP!®

If a SAP promises to "fast-track" you back to work, that is a red flag, not a favor.

If you are a safety-sensitive employee facing a DOT violation, you are likely worried about lost wages and desperate to get back to work. That stress is real, and any honest SAP understands it. But here is something you deserve to know before you choose who to work with.

A SAP cannot legitimately promise to rush you back to your safety-sensitive job.

In its 4 March 2026 notice, the DOT was clear on this. A SAP should not give you an estimated RTD timeline, because every person's situation is different. Additionally, a SAP should not fast-track the process with a promise to get you back as soon as possible. Your situation is unique, and the process moves accordingly.

So why does this matter to you? Because a SAP who promises speed to win your business, or because you pressured them, is not actually helping you. If the process is not done right, it can fall apart later and put you right back where you started, out of work and out of money.

The SAP who tells you the honest truth, that this takes the time it takes, is the one actually protecting your career. Speed is not the goal. Doing it right is.

Know what to look for before you choose. That is exactly why this page exists.
ASK A SAP!® is the State of Arkansas's most trusted Substance Abuse Professional resource.

📌 If you have questions about DOT drug and alcohol testing, the role of a SAP, or the Return-to-Duty process, ASK A SAP!®

Follow this page so you always have the facts.

06/19/2026

Heads up, Arkansas. There is an important change coming to a key recovery resource.

The Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP) is retiring the nARcansas app on 30 June 2026 and moving its services over to the ReviveAR platform.

If you are one of the 8,000+ people already using nARcansas, you will still be able to access your data, reporting tools, and information through ReviveAR starting 1 July 2026. Many of the features you rely on are coming with it, including prevention, treatment, and recovery resources, plus naloxone access and overdose response guidance.

ReviveAR is free on both iPhone and Android. You can download it or learn more at ARORP.org.

Please share this so it reaches the people who need it. One app, one place, life-saving information in the palm of your hand.

The Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership, is an initiative of the Association of Arkansas Counties and the Arkansas Municipal League, and represents a network of organizations committed to providing support for Arkansans in recovery.

06/17/2026

ASK A SAP!®

No employer? You can still complete your Return-to-Duty process. Most drivers have no idea this option exists.

If you are a CDL driver under the FMCSA and you are in prohibited status, but you do not have a current or prospective employer to send you for your return-to-duty test, you are not stuck. There is a path forward, and it is written right into the regulations.

Here is how it works under 49 CFR 382.705(b)(1)(ii):

Normally, your employer reports your negative RTD test result to the Clearinghouse. But if you do not have an employer subject to Part 382 to do that, you can register in the Clearinghouse as an owner-operator and designate a Consortium/Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA) for the limited purpose of completing the RTD process.

Once you designate that C/TPA, they can direct you to take your RTD test and report your negative result to the Clearinghouse on your behalf. When that negative result is reported, your status changes from prohibited to not prohibited, and you can resume driving a CMV and performing safety-sensitive functions.

A few important things to know:
Your follow-up testing plan, the one your SAP prescribed, must still be administered by your employer once you return to a safety-sensitive position. This option completes the RTD step, but follow-up testing follows you into your next job.

To use this option, you will create a new Clearinghouse account with the Employer role, which requires a new Login.gov account. When you register, select "Register as an Employer and Driver" and answer "Yes" to "Are you an owner-operator?"
Do not apply for a U.S. DOT Number when using this option just to complete the RTD process.

Knowing your options is how you take control of your path back to work. That is exactly why this page exists.

ASK A SAP!® is the State of Arkansas's most trusted Substance Abuse Professional resource.

📌 Questions about DOT drug and alcohol testing, the role of a SAP, or the Return-to-Duty process? ASK A SAP!®

06/16/2026

Apply for an Addictions Counseling Fellowship- deadline to apply is 30 June 202 NBCC Foundation NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals

The NBCCF Minority Fellowship Program for Addictions Counseling connects passionate students with like-minded individuals. Students selected for the program will receive $15,000 to cover educational expenses, opportunities to attend industry-specific conferences, a mentor, and more! Apply by June 30, 2026. bit.ly/26MFP-AC

06/16/2026

Did you know Know the Dangers

When it comes to acting in an emergency, hesitation is often the biggest barrier. One of the most common misconceptions is that administering naloxone could cause harm if the person isn't actually experiencing an opioid overdose.

The truth? Naloxone is incredibly safe. It is designed to specifically target and block opioid receptors; if there are no opioids in a person's system, it simply has no effect.

Get more facts and find local resources: https://bit.ly/3dspFNV

06/15/2026

ASK A SAP!®

Owner-operators, you wear two hats. And one of them could cost you everything if you trust the wrong C/TPA.

If you are an owner-operator under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), you are in a unique position. You are the safety-sensitive employee AND the employer. That means the responsibility for compliance does not sit with someone else. It sits with you.

Here is the fact that catches so many owner-operators off guard: there are no DOT qualification requirements for a Consortium/Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA).

Anyone can call themselves one and start managing testing programs.
You hire them expecting subject-matter experts. But the DOT does not require them to prove that expertise before taking your business. And because you are your own employer, you can be held responsible for that C/TPA's errors and the resulting civil penalty actions for noncompliance.

You cannot delegate that responsibility away. It is yours.

So before you hire or stay with a C/TPA, ask them directly:
- -Do you know my responsibilities under 49 CFR Part 40 and Part 382?
- -Do you know CDL licensing under Part 383?
- -Do you know driver qualifications under Part 391?
- -Do you know the rules for operating commercial motor vehicles under Part 392?

If a C/TPA cannot answer those questions with confidence, they could be putting your authority, your record, and your livelihood at risk.

You built your business. Do not let someone else's mistake take it down. Know exactly who you are trusting.

ASK A SAP!® is the State of Arkansas's most trusted Substance Abuse Professional resource.

📌 Questions about DOT drug and alcohol testing, the role of a SAP, or the Return-to-Duty process? ASK A SAP!®