Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND LICENSING
Chapter 246-851 - Optometrists
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER MONITORING
Section 246-851-450 - Definitions

(1) "Aftercare" means that period of time after intensive treatment that provides the optometrist and the optometrist's family with group or individual counseling sessions, discussions with other families, ongoing contact and participation in self-help groups and ongoing continued support of treatment program staff.

(2) "Approved substance use disorder monitoring program" or "approved monitoring program" means a program the board has determined meets the requirements of the law and the criteria established by the board in WAC 246-851-460 which enters into a contract with optometrists who have substance use disorder problems regarding the required components of the optometrist's recovery activity and oversees the optometrist's compliance with these requirements. Substance use disorder monitoring programs do not provide evaluation or treatment to participating optometrists.

(3) "Approved treatment facility" means a facility recognized as such according to RCW 18.130.175(1).

(4) "Contract" means a comprehensive, structured agreement between the recovering optometrist and the approved monitoring program stipulating the optometrist's consent to comply with the monitoring program and its required components of the optometrist's recovery activity.

(5) "Health care professional" means an individual who is licensed, certified, or registered in Washington to engage in the delivery of health care to patients.

(6) "Impaired" or "impairment" means the inability to practice optometry with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of a health condition.

(7) "Random drug screens" means laboratory tests to detect the presence related to a substance use disorder in body fluids which are performed at irregular intervals not known in advance by the person being tested.

(8) "Substance use disorder" means the impairment, as determined by the board, of an optometrist's professional services by any addiction to, a dependency on, or the use of alcohol, legend drugs, or controlled substances.

(9) "Support group" means a group of health care professionals meeting regularly to support the recovery of its members. The group provides a confidential setting with a trained and experienced health care professional facilitator in which optometrists may safely discuss drug diversion, licensure issues, return to work and other professional issues related to recovery.

(10) "Twelve step groups" means groups such as alcoholics anonymous, narcotics anonymous and related organizations based on a philosophy of anonymity, belief in a power outside of oneself, a peer group association, and self-help.