ARMY SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM
Mission: To strengthen the overall fitness and effectiveness of the Army’s workforce, to conserve manpower, and to enhance the combat readiness of Soldiers.
Purpose: The purpose of the Army Substance Abuse Program is to deter substance abuse by providing prevention education and referral sources to ARNG Soldiers and random drug testing, as well as present commanders with the tools to assess the readiness of their unit.
Objectives:
To assist and track Soldiers throughout referral and treatment process.
To administer Unit Risk Inventory (URI) to units in order to provide the commander a plan to mitigate high risk behaviors.
To provide quality, evidence-based substance abuse training to all units of the Louisiana Army National Guard in order to meet the mandatory annual training requirement.
It is the policy of the Louisiana Army National Guard (LAARNG) that the use of illicit substances, the misuse of prescription medications, and the misuse of alcohol will not be tolerated. The Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) uses prevention education and outreach, drug testing, and rehabilitation to deter the misuse of these substances.
Limited Use Policy
Voluntary identification is the most desirable method of discovering alcohol or other drug abuse. The Soldier whose performance, social conduct, interpersonal relations, or health becomes impaired because of the abuse of alcohol or other drugs has the personal obligation to seek rehabilitation.
What is the Objective?
The objective of the LUP is to facilitate the identification of alcohol and other drug abusers by encouraging identification through self-referral.
Who can a Soldier voluntarily self-refer to?
- Commander
- Military Chaplain (must waive confidentiality)
- ARNG SAP Office
- NCO or Officer in Chain of Command
What is the Purpose?
The purpose of the LUP is to prohibit the government from using protected evidence against a Soldier in actions under the UCMJ, in a courts-martial, or for an unfavorable characterization of service.
When does it come into effect? In order to be protected under the LUP, a Soldier must self-refer prior to being made aware of an upcoming urinalysis. The ASAP is designed to support Soldiers who self-refer within the scope of the LUP. |
Types of Referrals
Early identification is a critical component of the ASAP intervention process. Below are the three most common referral methods.
Voluntary (self-referral): The Soldier whose performance, social conduct, interpersonal relations, or health becomes impaired because of the abuse or misuse of alcohol or other drugs has a personal obligation to seek rehabilitation (see Limited Use Policy above).
Command Directed: When a commander/supervisor observes, suspects, or otherwise becomes aware of the Soldier whose job performance, social conduct, interpersonal relations, physical fitness, or health appears to be affected adversely by suspected abuse or misuse of alcohol or other drugs.
Illicit Positive: Any Soldier identified as an illegal drug abuser through an illicit positive obtained by drug testing requires a mandatory referral to the ASAP office.
