The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC-H) is committed to maintaining an environment that is free from substance abuse and its primary concern related to substance abuse among students is prevention and treatment. The institution provides educational programs to inform its community about the physical and psychological problems associated with substance abuse, as well as pertinent state and federal laws. The UTHSC-H recognizes that substance abuse is a treatable condition and, as an institution dedicated to health, facilitates the treatment and rehabilitation of this condition.
The UTHSC-H encourages impaired students, residents, and fellows to seek help voluntarily and to assume responsibility for their professional and personal conduct. In any case where a student causes harm to or appears to endanger the safety of himself or herself or others, the student will be subject to disciplinary action.a
The following are prohibited:
Failure to comply with this policy by any student will constitute grounds for disciplinary action.
Any student who is convicted under a criminal statute for a drug-related offense is required to notify his or her dean or appropriate representative not later than five days after such conviction. The following are the sanctions for students convicted of substance-abuse-related crimes:
To create an environment that is free from substance abuse, to encourage treatment of those who are impaired, and to educate all members of the UTHSC-H community about substance abuse, a variety of programs have been established. These are described below.
Students are encouraged to obtain assistance for the treatment of chemical dependence problems. Such assistance may be provided through UT Counseling & WorkLife Services, the UTHSC-H Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, private physicians, or community agencies with expertise in treating chemical dependence. The SCC can provide short-term counseling free of charge, as well as treatment referrals. SCC services sought voluntarily are provided with complete confidentiality unless the student requests discussion with other university officials.
Any individual whose behavior or performance gives rise to reasonable suspicion of use may be asked by the dean or his or her designated representative to be evaluated by UT Counseling & WorkLife Services. UT Counseling & WorkLife Services will assess the individual's condition to determine how likely it is that the individual's behavior might be caused by drug or alcohol use. UT Counseling & WorkLife Services will then provide counseling, and, if deemed necessary, make treatment recommendations. The student will be expected to implement any treatment recommendations of UT Counseling & WorkLife Services. UT Counseling & WorkLife Services will provide necessary follow-up on behalf of the institution by informing the dean as to whether or not the student appears to need treatment and whether the student has agreed to seek treatment. In addition, UT Counseling & WorkLife Services will provide feedback to the dean to ensure that the student has satisfactorily completed the treatment program.
Additionally, the dean may have other mechanisms for prevention, evaluation, referral, and monitoring of students for which there is a reasonable suspicion of impairment due to substance abuse. Deans' offices may be contacted for more information.
The UTHSC-H, as part of its health promotion services, will provide instruction and disseminate educational materials to students and employees concerning the following:
Pursuant to the Texas Nurse Practice Actb, any registered nurse associated with the UTHSC-H, as an employee or as a student, who has reasonable cause to suspect that the ability of any professional nursing student to perform the services of the nursing profession would be, or would reasonably be expected to be, impaired by chemical dependency must take one of the following actions:
Under the Nurse Practice Act, if the dean of the School of Nursing or his or her designee has reasonable cause to suspect the ability of a professional nursing student to perform the services of the nursing profession may be impaired or expected to be impaired by chemical dependency, the school must submit a signed, written report to the Board of Nurse Examiners identifying the student and providing any additional information required by the board.
aDrug Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989, 20 U.S.C. section 1145g. bTexas Occupations Code Section 301.402.
Updated 4/01; 08/07
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