ABOUT US

The National Organization of Alternative Programs (NOAP) was founded in Arlington, Virginia in March of 1999. Originally founded with the support of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, NOAP felt it could better reach multidisciplinary and non-nursing programs as a separate organization.

NOAP was established to promote public safety by developing alternatives to licensure discipline, promoting safe practice and retention through rehabilitation, monitoring, research education and standardization of programs; and to collaborate with other professional and consumers to achieve those outcomes.

Mission

To promote public safety through participation of healthcare professionals in monitored rehabilitation and recovery as an alternative to license discipline; emphasizing fitness to practice and retention of competent professionals.

Vision

NOAP shall serve as the leading forum for research, advocacy, education, and policy development among Alternative to Discipline Programs.

Guiding Values

1. Public Safety: NOAP promotes public safety through the development and maintenance of evidence-based programs that serve as an alternative to licensure discipline.
2. Retention of health care professionals: NOAP supports the rehabilitation of health professionals so that they can return to or continue to practice their profession in a way which safeguards the public.
3. Education: NOAP supports education and research to establish best practices for the prevention, identification, and monitoring of health professionals with substance use disorders.
4. Equality: NOAP opposes the stigmatization of healthcare professionals solely based on the diagnosis of a medical illness.
5. NOAP is committed to working in cooperation with regulatory and professional organizations toward this objective.