How We Help

HAVEN is a confidential assistance program that supports the health and well-being of Connecticut health professionals. Although many professionals experience challenging events which motivate the call to HAVEN, HAVEN is a voluntary program for healthcare professionals suffering from impairing or potentially impairing conditions.

HAVEN does not provide care and treatment but rather initiates the health and wellness plan with a participant and facilitates the evaluation, treatment, monitoring, and reporting of their health status. HAVEN makes referrals for evaluation or treatment, obtains records and reports, and when appropriate, coordinates toxicology testing.

Our Process

1. Referral: Sources include Self, Hospital/Employer, Co-Worker, DPH/DCP, Family/Friend

2. Intake and Eligibility

At the intake meeting, the healthcare professional will share why he or she has come to HAVEN with the HAVEN medical director or a professional director. The HAVEN process is explained and an Initial Plan is developed. The healthcare professional may be asked to refrain from practice until an evaluation is conducted by an approved professional or treatment facility and/or other data is obtained.

The Initial Plan will identify the authorizations and releases required to allow appropriate communication and to obtain information necessary for a comprehensive review. After the reports and records are received, the information is de-identified for review by the HAVEN Medical Review Committee (MRC). The MRC is a peer review based multidisciplinary committee. By law, the MRC determines eligibility for participation in HAVEN as well as the terms and conditions for participation.

3. Evaluation: Biopsychosocial Approach

As healthcare is often practiced with a biopsychosocial approach, likewise HAVEN's approach to evaluation is also practiced with a biopsychosocial approach. For most cases, we attempt to either rule in/rule out conditions, diagnoses or situations that relate to a reason for being referred. In many cases, this approach includes biological testing, medical and/or psychiatric evaluations, as well as review of former records or other collateral information. This helps HAVEN establish both a broad and deep understanding of the referred individual and reason for referral.

4. Medical Review Committee: Confidential, Peer Review

By state statute, HAVEN operates using the confidential peer review process.

The Medical Review Committee is a committee comprised of licensed healthcare professionals from across the state of Connecticut who have a broad a deep understanding of the reasons that an individual might be referred to HAVEN.

Coincident with the peer review process, as the identity of the MRC members is not know to the participants, likewise the identity of the participant is not know to the MRC members. Records are redacted prior to presentation to the MRC to ensure that the peer review process is confidential and blinded, and that MRC is able to make objective decisions based upon the complete file presented to them.

Individuals always have an option to work directly with the appropriate licensing authority.

Legal Information

Accountability and Earned Advocacy

Professionals who are determined to be eligible for HAVEN will have the terms and conditions of their engagement and monitoring documented in a health and wellness contract.

The term of the contract is considered the support, accountability, and earned advocacy phase. HAVEN staff, including our medical director, professional directors, case managers, and medical review officer actively monitor each participant’s engagement in his or her individual health contract. At quarterly meetings with the participant, HAVEN’s staff reviews the participant’s engagement and attempts to ensure that the data required for advocacy is available. This data may include, depending on the individual’s circumstances, monthly support group attendance logs, quarterly therapy/medication management reports, practice liaison reports, toxicology test results, and other logs and reports as determined based on individual need. Compliance with this health program enables HAVEN to advocate on the professional’s behalf with an appropriately executed authorization.

Upon successful completion of the HAVEN contract, the healthcare professional is expected to have gained insight into his or her illness as well as demonstrated a sustained commitment to health and wellness.

Noncompliance

As required under state law, HAVEN will notify the Department of Public Health of participant noncompliance which is unable to be corrected. For example, HAVEN will notify DPH of positive random drug tests not verified by legitimate prescription or of dilute random drug tests. Notifying the Department does not automatically subject the professional to public disciplinary consequences. If the professional commits to his or her individual wellness contract, engages in a higher level of care, and demonstrates a willingness to correct the focus of concern, the professional is generally allowed to remain in HAVEN’s supportive confidential health program. HAVEN may also notify DPH of dilute drug specimens, failure to engage in treatment, or of repeated failure to provide quarterly reports, monthly logs, or other required data. If the public is not at risk, DPH will often allow the professional the opportunity to demonstrate the ability to engage and recommit to the terms and conditions for participation in HAVEN. However, in the event of noncompliance, the Department has absolute discretion to determine ongoing eligibility for this confidential program. The Department may determine that a professional no longer qualifies for an alternative-to-discipline program. HAVEN encourages professionals to maintain compliance and to reach out for help if they are struggling to attain compliance.

Success Stories

“I was truly miserable. I had forgotten what it was like to be myself, to be clear-headed and present. The demands of active addiction, working as a nurse, and having a young family had me stretched out thin. When my job intervened and I was referred to HAVEN, I thought it was the end. Looking back, it was the beginning. I am grateful that I had the chance to participate in the HAVEN program. My family got the real me back. I am proud of how I am living today. I am happy! The HAVEN program gave me the anonymity and the structure that has set me on my sober path!”

“Haven was the backbone of rebuilding my life. The team at Haven helped me become the best version of me: father, husband, son, ICU nurse. Putting in the work was, and is, worth it.”

“I celebrate my sobriety and I feel like my healing in my mind , body and spirit has started my path to forgiveness of myself. I have HAVEN to thank for this and will always be grateful!! Thank you HAVEN.”

How We Help

Our Process

Legal Information

Success Stories

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