PEER Assistance Oklahoma

Big Blondie, ASN, BSN, MSN, APRN · Dec 22, 2015

Tx. 5 yrs for NPs. 3 yrs for others. Need assmt, rx and releases to work which is case by case. I was off about 4-5 weeks which I needed.

Willy 00 · Dec 22, 2015

That was here in Oklahoma? Did they tell you at the evaluation that you needed to be off work for that long?

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Dec 22, 2015

I am in KS and I feel like folks in KNAP (the KS monitoring program) jump ship to OK if they can't handle KNAP...which isn't that bad. Lol

Willy 00 · Dec 23, 2015

That's interesting. Either KNAP is that strict or the OK program is a bit more easy going. That sure puts a little more perspective on things though. Lol I get all these horror stories from nurses here in Oklahoma that makes me wonder about the program. At the same time I consider the sources of some of these stories. I figure maybe some outside perspective might shed some light on the subject.

reneern623 · Dec 23, 2015

I am currently in the OK program. Have been since July 2015. I live in California though so have been doing my requirements here and am transferring to the CA program.

From what I've gathered Oklahoma has really easy guidelines compared to other states. Mine was 2 years long, check in every day, 12 12-step meetings a month plus 4 nurse support groups. Of course I did the initial evaluation to and had to do intensive outpatient therapy. I completed that 2 months ago and would have been able to return to work if I was living in Oklahoma (with restrictions like no narcs, no nights or overtime etc). So it woulda been around 4 months when I could have gone back.

Now versus CA, their program is minimum 3 years, make you do 90 in 90 meetings at first (and I've met some nurses that have been required a meeting a day for much longer). After my outpatient therapy and I am required to attend aftercare which is like an extension so meet with them once a week (for a year!). I'm in process of joining here so I'm not for sure about work. But generally its around a minimum of 6 months before you can return to work. And usually even then you can't do direct patient care so you have to find like a job in billing or something of that nature.

So all in all, Oklahoma would be so much easier to do. But for me, my son is in Cali and it's not worth taking the easy road (well easier lol) just to be back at work. Whether be spending my time with him!

reneern623 · Dec 23, 2015

Oh I forgot to say I was supposed to meet with the peer assistance committee in Oklahoma every other month. They have been really accommodating to the fact I live in Cali and have excused me

dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN · Dec 23, 2015

I am hesitant to talk specifics about KNAP because there was a recent change in leadership so I don't know if things will stay the same. :/

Right now it is a 3 year program. You do 1 monitoring meeting a month, 2 AA or NA meetings a week, check-in is Mon thru Fri. Evals from your manager are every 90 days. You have to update rx meds every 90 days. You have to complete whatever reccs are given by your evaluator before you can go back to work. Usually IOP, rarely residential. (There aren't many tx places in the state.) I ended up being off for...3.5 months? because I went crazy and needed my care escalated. Otherwise I would have been given the all clear after six weeks.

Willy 00 · Dec 24, 2015

I am currently in the OK program. Have been since July 2015. I live in California though so have been doing my requirements here and am transferring to the CA program.
From what I've gathered Oklahoma has really easy guidelines compared to other states. Mine was 2 years long, check in every day, 12 12-step meetings a month plus 4 nurse support groups. Of course I did the initial evaluation to and had to do intensive outpatient therapy. I completed that 2 months ago and would have been able to return to work if I was living in Oklahoma (with restrictions like no narcs, no nights or overtime etc). So it woulda been around 4 months when I could have gone back.
Now versus CA, their program is minimum 3 years, make you do 90 in 90 meetings at first (and I've met some nurses that have been required a meeting a day for much longer). After my outpatient therapy and I am required to attend aftercare which is like an extension so meet with them once a week (for a year!). I'm in process of joining here so I'm not for sure about work. But generally its around a minimum of 6 months before you can return to work. And usually even then you can't do direct patient care so you have to find like a job in billing or something of that nature.
So all in all, Oklahoma would be so much easier to do. But for me, my son is in Cali and it's not worth taking the easy road (well easier lol) just to be back at work. Whether be spending my time with him!

Who did your initial evaluation to determine whether you needed PEER and how did they determine that you need time out of work?

reneern623 · Dec 24, 2015

I had a dirty drug test and was reported. And definitely was addicted to rx pain pills. My first interview was with a case manager and then the committee which "accepts" you into the program and also lays out your contract. I believe most people are required to see an addiction counselor (on their approved list of course). I did the assessment with her and was recommend to do intensive outpatient therapy. Which based on the questions it seems like most people who answer to having any kind of substance abuse problem within past year would get recommended to do. I had to complete my recommendations before I could request to go back to work(with stipulations).

I honestly could have made the process go faster had I actually been in Oklahoma. I waited right until the deadline to start my therapy (I probably could have started about 4 weeks earlier). Also, the Iop Programs in Cali are 9 weeks long where I think in Ok they are 6 weeks

InHisArms · Jul 11, 2016

Hi reneern623

Just started monitoring in nj. 5 year contract. Told them in beginning I was moving to CA. My case mgr said I should be able to transfer. How did your transferring to CA's program work out? Did you already have a CA license?

reneern623 · Jul 13, 2016

Hi reneern623
Just started monitoring in nj. 5 year contract. Told them in beginning I was moving to CA. My case mgr said I should be able to transfer. How did your transferring to CA's program work out? Did you already have a CA license?

I did not have my license yet. I asked to transfer programs as soon as I got my CA license. I had been in another states program for about 6 months. California would not count any of my time in the other states program (meetings, drug tests). There program was crazy strict and restrictive (can't work for a year and after a year can only work out of patient care). I ended up withdrawing and just stuck with my original state.