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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means its official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

     

    Voluntary Recovery Program (VRP)

    The VRP provides a method by which professionals suffering from a mental or physical disorder, such as a substance use disorder, can be directed to appropriate treatment and receive monitoring to ensure that they remain capable of practicing safely. 

    The Professional Health Monitoring Programs (PHMP) administers the Voluntary Recovery Program (VRP) in order to fulfill the requirements of all professional practice acts containing sections addressing the management of professionals suffering from mental or physical disorders. 

    The VRP provides a method by which professionals suffering from a mental or physical disorder, such as a substance use disorder, can be directed to appropriate treatment and receive monitoring to ensure that they remain capable of practicing safely. 

    To be eligible for VRP enrollment, a licensee must agree to enter into a consent agreement with the licensing board for a period of no less than three years.  The consent agreement stipulates that disciplinary action, including suspension or revocation, will be deferred so long as the licensee adheres to the terms and conditions of the agreement and maintains satisfactory progress in the program. 

    When a licensee successfully fulfills the terms of the consent agreement and completes the VRP, no disclosure, publication or public record is made of the participant’s involvement in the VRP or the events precipitating their enrollment.

    If you are a licensed health care professional who wishes to be considered for VRP enrollment, or suspect a licensee is impaired, please contact the VRP for further assistance at 800-554-3428 or 717-783-4857.

    Eligibility Requirements

    Licensees wishing to participate in the VRP must:

    • Complete an evaluation by a provider approved by the VRP and have the assessor determine that a diagnosed mental or physical disorder exists, such as a substance use disorder.
    • Adhere to a treatment plan recommended by the VRP-approved provider(s) and approved by the VRP.
    • Comply with the terms and conditions for VRP participation.
    • Enter into a non-public VRP Consent Agreement with the licensing board.

     Currently ineligible for the VRP are:

    • Licensees convicted of, or pleading guilty, or no contest to a felony or misdemeanor under the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.
    • Licensees with a history of practice problems clearly involving significant patient harm.
    • Licensees who have been involved in the diversion of controlled substances for the primary purpose of sale or distribution.
    • Licensees who have committed sexual boundary violations.
    • Licensees who have failed to successfully complete a similar program in another jurisdiction.

    View the terms and conditions for participating in the VRP.

    Participating Boards 

    The Voluntary Recovery Program is currently available to licensees of the following Pennsylvania State Boards:

    The licensing boards, whose licensees are eligible to participate in the VRP, mandate reports be made to the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA) in cases where there is evidence a licensee is suffering from a mental or physical impairment, or involved in the diversion of controlled substances. 

     

    For information regarding mandatory reporting requirements, please click on the appropriate licensing board to view their practice act.