A licensed nurse or first-time applicant for licensure participating in the program shall:

1. (1) Comply with all terms set forth in the VDAP Agreement.
2. (2) Be responsible for all costs for treatment and monitoring including Board-required drug screens if indicated.
3. (3) Use Board-recognized evaluation and treatment providers and laboratory facilities.
4. (4) Comply with instructions from the Board regarding evaluation, treatment, and treatment recommendations for the duration of the VDAP Agreement.
5. (5) Undergo evaluation by a Board-recognized evaluation provider, if directed by Board staff.
6. (6) For licensed nurses or applicants with substance use disorders:
7. (a) Undergo a comprehensive substance use disorder evaluation conducted by a board recognized evaluation provider.
8. (b) Be diagnosed with a substance use disorder, utilizing criteria from the most current version of the DSM,.
9. (c) Receive substance use disorder treatment by a Board- recognized substance use disorder treatment provider as defined in these rules, if treatment is recommended.

10. (d) If approved by the Board as an advanced practice nurse:

11. Remain out of practice as an advanced practice nurse until recommended for return to practice as an advanced practice nurse by a Board-recognized substance use disorder evaluation provider.
12. Restricted prescriptive privileges if recommended.
13. (e) Maintain a sponsor throughout the duration of the agreement if specified in the VDAP agreement.
14. (7) For physical or mental condition,

15. (a) For mental conditions:

16. Undergo a mental condition evaluation conducted by a board recognized evaluation provider. If the mental condition evaluation indicates a diagnosis that includes a substance use disorder, undergo a comprehensive substance use disorder evaluation conducted by a board-recognized substance use disorder evaluation provider.
17. Be diagnosed with a mental condition utilizing diagnostic criteria from the most current version of the DSM which condition would render the nurse or applicant unable to meet the standards of nursing profession;

18. (b) For physical conditions:

19. Undergo a physical condition evaluation conducted by a board recognized evaluation provider, which may include a variety of evaluation components, based on the nature of the physical condition, including, but not limited to, functional evaluations and neurocognitive evaluations.
20. Be diagnosed with a physical condition using diagnostic criteria applicable to the diagnosis and which condition would render the nurse or applicant unable to meet the standards of the nursing profession;
21. (c) Receive treatment for the mental or physical condition, if treatment is recommended;

22. (d) If approved by the Board as an advanced practice nurse:

23. Remain out of practice as an advanced practice nurse until recommended for return to practice as an advanced practice nurse by a board recognized evaluation provider.Restricted prescriptive privileges if recommended.
24. (8) Consent to deactivation of the multistate licensure privilege, if applicable, and agree that the nurse is ineligible for a multistate license while participating in VDAP.
25. (9) Remain out of nursing practice until such time as the Board receives a recommendation to return to practice from the board recognized evaluation provider.

Author: Alabama Board of Nursing

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §34-21-25.

History: New Rule: Filed July 28, 1994; Effective August 29, 1994. Repealed and New Rule: Filed May 20, 2002; effective June 24, 2002. Amended: Filed November 22, 2005; effective December 27, 2005. Amended: Filed August 20, 2010; effective September 24, 2010. Amended: Filed July 24, 2014; effective August 28, 2014. Amended: Filed July 26, 2019; effective September 9, 2019; operative January 1, 2020. Amended: Published September 30, 2025; effective November 14, 2025.