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Program Requirements

The Intervention Program is a voluntary and confidential monitoring program for RNs whose competency may be impaired by substance use disorder or mental illness.

The Program protects the public by providing RNs access to effective treatment services, monitoring their recovery through an individualized plan, and returning them to safe practice.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Intervention Program, an applicant must:

  • Be licensed and reside in California
  • Be mentally ill or have abused alcohol and/or drugs
  • Voluntarily request admission to the Program
  • Agree to undergo reasonable medical and/or psychiatric evaluations
  • Not been disciplined by the Board for substance abuse or mental illness
  • Not been terminated from this Program or any other intervention program for non-compliance

Referrals

Nurses may be referred to the Intervention Program in one of two ways:

  • Self-Referral – The Registered nurse directly contacts the Program for assistance
  • Board-Referral – The Board refers registered nurses to the Program as a result of receiving a complaint related to controlled substance, alcohol and/or mental illness. Such complaints may come from coworkers, employers, government agencies or a concerned consumer.

Enrollment

To request admission into the Program, a registered nurse must call the Program contractor directly. The Board currently contracts with MAXIMUS, Inc. to administer the Intervention Program. Their 24-hour, toll-free telephone number is 1-800-522-9198.

Program Costs

ComponentDescriptionCost
Initial Intake AssessmentAn in-depth assessment conducted by a highly trained clinical case manager (CCM) via telephone. The CCM gathers pertinent information to determine an applicant’s immediate Program needs.FREE
No cost to the applicant
Initial Clinical Assessment A face-to-face assessment conducted by a Clinical Assessor who is licensed/credentialed in the field of substance abuse and/or mental health FREE*
No cost to the applicant

*Maximus will pay the Clinical Assessor’s $225 fee. However, if the applicant does not attend initial assessment and does not provide 24-hour cancellation notice, the applicant be assessed the $225 fee.
Treatment Treatment of substance use disorder and/or mental illness may include inpatient, outpatient, aftercare, therapy, etc. VARIES
(by facility)
Program staff can offer resources in obtaining financial assistance
Drug Testing Randomly scheduled tests generally require submission of urine samples. However, additional testing may be scheduled requiring blood, hair, and nail samples. $62.50 PER TEST
(plus collection fees)*
Collection fee varies by collection site ($20 - $125).

*Additional tests, if required, may require higher cost.
Nurse Support Group Attendance Provides strength, hope and support in addressing issues related to the process of recovery. Also provides support regarding professional issues, including re-entry into the workplace $10-$40 PER WEEK*
(varies by group)

*Some groups may accept a sliding scale fee
12-Step Group Attendance Narcotics anonymous, alcoholics anonymous, pills anonymous and other support groups as directed by the Intervention Evaluation Committee FREE*

*Most 12-step meetings do not charge fees or dues.
Program Administrative Fee Helps to defray the cost of administering the Program $25 PER MONTH
Applicants are not charged

Participants are billed after formal program acceptance at their first Intervention Evaluation Committee meeting.

Additional Information

For general information about the Intervention Program, please refer to the General Information page.

For additional resources, please refer to the Additional Resources page.

For frequently asked questions, please refer to the FAQs page.

For general questions about the Intervention Program or the Board of Registered Nursing’s role in protecting public safety and identifying impaired practitioners, contact the Board’s Intervention Program at (916) 574-7692 or BRN-Intervention@dca.ca.gov.