C-SAPA

Employee | Supervisor | DER | SAP | C-SAPA | BAT | CSP | STT | MRO-C | MRO-A

What is a C-SAPA?  A C-SAPA is someone who has met established standards for education, training and experience, and who has passed the certifying examination given by SAPACC (the Substance Abuse Program Administrator’s Certification Commission).  So, a C-SAPA is a Certified SAPA.

What is a SAPA?  A SAPA (Substance Abuse Program Administrator) who designs, organizes, coordinates and/or administers services to promote safety through a Substance Abuse Program (or Drug-Free Workplace Program).  A SAPA can be a TPA (who may provide assistance, guidance, consulting, model programs, etc.) or a member of the employer’s staff who is directly responsible for establishing and administering the employer’s Substance Abuse Program. 

Every employer is responsible to assure that its programs are operated in compliance with state and federal (external) regulations, as well as the company’s internal policies.  Therefore, it is important for the employer to designate at least one staff member with the responsibility for its anti-drug program and with commensurate authority to carry out its policies and procedures. 

Larger employers (1,000 or more employees) should find it relatively easy (1/10th of 1% of their human resources…or less) to delegate a person to this specific responsibility, including attaining full C-SAPA training, experience and credentials. 

Smaller employers should at least designate one staff member as SAPA and work with a TPA who can provide the assistance, guidance, and consulting services of a C-SAPA.  In addition, working with Model Programs can significantly shorten the “learning curve” required to establish and administer an effective Drug Free Workplace program.

In meeting your responsibilities as an employer (for dealing with work-related substance abuse), you will want to strongly consider having ready access (either “in-house” or through the services of a TPA) to a C-SAPA.  While there are capable individuals with many years of experience who (for whatever reason) are not certified, C-SAPA certification is the recognized standard of demonstrated capability in this field.