Since the 2016 transition of the Army Substance Abuse Program away from clinical treatment of alcohol and drug-related addictions, and the creation of the Substance Use Disorder Clinical Care Program that focuses exclusively in that capacity, there is still confusion about their respective distinctions.
"ASAP used to be the clinic and everything was under one umbrella, but in 2016, the Army decided to take the clinical services and to put them under [U.S. Army Medical Command] and behavioral health," said William Taylor, the Fort Knox Army Substance Abuse Program manager. "Soldiers used to be referred to ASAP for issues, now they're referred to SUDCC.
"We still have Soldiers and even commanders who walk in and ask to make a referral, and we have to guide them to [the clinic]."
Taylor said that while both organizations battle some of the same issues, some clarification is helpful to those seeking help.
"We aren't just one program. We deal with drug testing, reporting, education, unit level training and even suicide prevention. We're more the deterrence and prevention side," he said. "SUDCC is more evaluation and clinical treatment."
Taylor said the mistake is common one, but it adds one more thing to what might be an awkward situation for Soldiers.
"We [often] get the question, 'How do I get my Soldier into ASAP?' The answer is, you don't want to get them into ASAP; you want to get them into SUDCC," Taylor said. "They just don't like to hear that when they're just trying to get their Soldier help and they've come to the wrong place, but that's the answer."
Taylor said it's not a problem directing Soldiers to appropriate help, but he doesn't want them to feel they're getting the run around.
"It's a fear we have that [after] a Soldier has mustered up the courage to say, 'I have a problem' that they'll hear, 'I'm sorry to hear that, but you're in the wrong place,'" Taylor said. "We don't want them to have to retell their story.
"It took a lot for them to just walk through the door. We want it to be the right door."
Mary Healey, the clinical director of SUDCC at Fort Knox, said valuable time might be wasted in the confusion.
"It's important for leaders and Soldiers to know the difference because [ASAP] can't [conclude] if a patient needs to be hospitalized for substance use withdrawals," said Healey. "We can assess if this an instance of abuse or if there's a substance abuse disorder that requires outpatient treatment afterward."
Taylor reminded Soldiers and commanders that they will need to visit ASAP after going to SUDCC for evaluation.
"For any alcohol or drug-related incident with a Soldier, the commander needs to deal with both of us," he said. "[The commander will] need to fill out the mandatory DA form 8003 evaluation with SUDCC and enroll [the Soldier] in an alcohol and drug awareness program education course with us."
Both the ASAP and SUDCC programs said Soldiers can avoid turmoil by getting the help they need now.
"Self-referral is of more benefit than waiting until there's a problem," Healey said. "If there's anything -- an incident, a DUI, or public intoxication -- they lose that option. Now, it is mandated that they come for an assessment."
Call ASAP at 502-624-1532 for prevention education, urinalysis drug testing, counseling and referral services, unit training, suicide prevention and civilian employee assistance.
Call SUDCC at 502-626-9892 for clinical assessment and treatment of alcohol or substance use and depression disorder.
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