prefontaine

I am a recent graduate of a RN nursing program in KY and am applying for an initial license. I have a couple old misdemeanors all over 5 years old. They are DUI (8 years ago and misdemeanor possession of marijuana from 22 years ago). I applied for my license and notified KBN of each misdemeanor. They didn't grant me an authorization to test. Instead, they asked for a letter of explanation detailing the circumstances of each misdemeanor. KBN's website states that no letter is necessary for misdemeanor convictions that are over 5 years old. Since I have more than one, they decided they needed a letter of explanation from me. I sent it. I explained that these were mistakes of my youth and I'm a different person now who hasn't been in any type of trouble for over 8 years and told them what I had learned from my mistakes. I was honest with them. They said they still would not grant me an authorization to test based on the letter I wrote and now they have ordered me to undergo a mental health/substance abuse evaluations which costs hundreds of dollars and I have to pay for it out-of-pocket of course. Plus, I have only one month. Has anyone been through anything like this? Can you give me any advice other than be honest, each case is evaluated individually, do whatever they ask, jump through any hoop they ask, keep a positive attitude and all that ********. I feel like if I had consulted an attorney they would have told me exactly what that letter needed to say and I would have been granted an authorization to test based on the letter alone. Not that I can come anywhere close to being able to afford an attorney. So, what's up.