How much does monitoring cost you?

[RNdynamic]

This thread is designed to keep track of how much nurses pay for monitoring in the country. This includes the cost of drug tests and monthly fees for starting and being in the monitoring program. From what I know, in some states nurses pay a lot for monitoring, where the program is a non-profit organization supported only by participant fees, while in other locations the monitoring program is actually free because it's government supported and participants only pay for drug tests.

I'll start. In CT the fee is $150 monthly just to be in the program. The span of time is 5 years. There was an initial $600 administration fee. Drug tests cost around 50 to 60 dollars. I think these expenses are pretty insane myself, but the monitoring program here has no other funding.

[CryssyD]

2 evaluations (addiction specialist and psychiatrist) prior to starting, approximately $300 each; about 3 years of twice monthly counseling, thankfully at no cost, then 2 years of monthly sessions with a $25 co-pay (total of about $600); and 5 years of drug testing, which cost a total of $4800 for the tests themselves, and approximately $3500 for collection site fees. No fee for the program itself (thank goodness). Cost of a 5 year program: about $9500.

Finally understanding, and having, serenity: priceless.

[RNdynamic]

I agree that you can't put a price on the sense of peace that comes with sobriety.

[paidmydues]

Am on the back end now...5 mos. to go under probation with state board in OR. . I could not go with the HPRP as it was longer and prohibitively expensive. Here goes:

-could not get a first job for 6 months till I got my stips and someone would hire a probationer. Loss of income= $33,000.K gross/24,000 K net take home

-evaluations mental health/addiction mandated by both court and BON (they refused upon my request to use the same evaluator) = $1400.K ($700. each)

-6 month outpatient drug and etoh treatment mandated by both court and BON= zero as by this time I was homeless and got my butt onto Medicare and food stamps (saved my life)

-court costs/fines= $1200.K for a lawyer stupid me I was desperate with a 1st time DUI adjudicated under 1st offender program...court treats these the same lawyer or not...it was an easy $1200. for the lawyer all he did was show up in court for 3 minutes.

-1 year of a breathilyzer device in my car mandated by court=$1440.K ($120. per month)

-mandatory drug screens x 2 years (length of probation)= $1100.K per year ($40.00 each...note: a lot cheaper than most states)

-zero monthly charge for being in probation

-loss of 2 storage spaces full of a life time of my things, almost loosing my fur family (my local Catholic priest kept my 2 old boy kitties for me until I was on my feet again) and my Toyota RAV4 4 a few months from being paid in full as I became homeless=cannot put a price tag on this

________________

TOTAL= $40,000+

I now have a nice apartment, an ok nursing job, 5 months from a free&clear RN license in my state, a paid for 1.5 y.o. Smart car and am taking my first vay cay in HI in 4 years (and I have my sweet fur family here with me as I write this)...priceless. Tough, but possible. YOU TOO CAN DO IT! ((((((hugs to all))))))

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

It's been a long time since I've added it all up but I believe it costs me $38.00 a pop for Urine tests (10 years ago), All my treatment and Dr, Visits as well as counseling was covered by insurance - except for pretty reasonable co-pays. My sis is a lawyer and argued successfully that they could not mandate me to treatment in a facility or with a physician that did not accept my insurance. I think the whole thing ended up costing me around 7 grand over 5 years which I considered a small price to pay for the life I have today.

Hppy

[Mellah430]

You have went through a lot! So great to hear that you are doing well! Congratulations!