Michael DiCindio | October 20, 2021 | DUI
What Are Alcohol Assessments & DUI Treatment Programs In PA?
If you are convicted of a DUI in Pennsylvania, you will have to undergo a drug and alcohol assessment before you are sentenced. This assessment is used by the courts to determine any treatment that might be needed.
There are also some DUI programs that an attorney from DiCindio Law might recommend that might help you. If you are convicted, the assessment is used by the court to determine whether or not you have a substance abuse problem that requires treatment.
If your assessment indicates that treatment is needed, the court can order you to attend a program. There are many different inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
If you are facing 30 or more days in jail, you might choose to enter inpatient treatment and have it covered by your insurance. The court can then give credit to you for your inpatient days against any jail time you would otherwise be ordered to serve.
What Is An Alcohol Assessment?
Under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3814, all people who are convicted of DUIs involving alcohol or drugs must undergo a drug and alcohol assessment for court. A full assessment will be required if you have had any other DUI convictions within the past 10 years.
People whose initial assessments indicate a need for treatment will also have to undergo a full assessment. These assessments provide the court with recommended treatment that the court will then order as a part of their DUI sentences.
DUI School
There are some voluntary programs that you can enroll in if you think you need help. For DUI offenders, safe driving school involves learning about the consequences of driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs and the impacts that doing so can have on others by placing them at risk.
These types of classes can also help to identify additional problems that you might have that require treatment. You can voluntarily choose to enter any type of treatment program you believe is necessary as long as it accepts your insurance.
When you attend a DUI course, you will likely be given some statistics showing death and injury rates from drunk driving accidents. You might also be shown films that show the effects of alcohol or drugs on your system, including how they affect your reaction time and potentially lead to an accident.
DUI courses are meant to deter you from getting behind the wheel while impaired by alcohol or drugs in the future. You will learn the effects of substances on your body and your reaction time when you are driving a car.
You will also learn about how DUIs cause your insurance rates to increase and cause other problems with your job, opportunities for employment, and interpersonal relationships.
The purpose of providing these types of information is to help you understand the consequences that you might face in the future if you continue to drive while you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
How DUI Education Programs Operate
The state government contracts with private groups to offer drug and alcohol education programs. The contracted groups schedule individual appointments with people, and the people attend their individual sessions.
They also have psychiatrists, psychologists, and other resources available to people taking the classes. In many cases, police officers or state troopers might be present so that attendees can see the types of negative impacts drunk or drugged driving have both on themselves and others.
Are There Online DUI Courses?
There are no online DUI courses that you can take that would meet the requirements that you might face if convicted of a DUI or if you participate in the accelerated rehabilitative disposition (ARD) program.
You cannot take online classes to meet your requirements. Instead, the state requires people to attend DUI classes in person as a part of taking responsibility for their actions.
Group Counseling For DUI Offenders
There are several group activities that might occur when you take DUI classes. These activities include police officers attending to talk about death and injury statistics and other dangers associated with driving while impaired.
You can also expect to hear lectures from experts about the effects of alcohol or drugs on your body and how they relate to your ability to safely operate a vehicle. For example, if a vehicle suddenly stops in front of you while you are intoxicated, you might not have a sufficient reaction time to avoid an accident.
The primary goal of group sessions is to teach the participants the potential consequences of their actions and the harm that they could cause to both themselves and others.
For this reason, you will learn about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and how it can result in deaths or injuries.
Alcohol Highway Safety School Following A DUI Conviction
If you are accepted into the ARD program or are convicted of a DUI, the court will require you to do several things, including attending Alcohol Highway Safety School. If you have already attended DUI classes on your own, you will still have to complete the court-order traffic school course.
Your previously completed classes will not count against this requirement but might still be beneficial to you personally.
If you believe that you require additional treatment beyond what the court orders you to complete, you can talk to your lawyer to learn about available DUI alcohol treatment programs that accept your insurance in the area.
Your lawyer might be able to point you to a DUI treatment program that is close to your home so that you can receive the treatment you need.
Contact Our DUI Law Firm in West Chester, PA
If you are facing criminal charges and need legal help, contact the West Chester, PA DUI lawyers at DiCindioLaw, LLC to schedule a free initial consultation.
DiCindio Law, LLC
29 S Walnut St
West Chester, PA 19382
(610) 430-3535
***This blog article is made available by the law firm publisher for educational purposes and to provide general information, not to provide specific legal advice. By reading, you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the publisher. The above listed information does not include the entire crimes code, annotations, amendments or any recent changes that may be relevant. The information provided is for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal developments. These materials are not intended, and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. Please contact DiCindio Law, LLC for a consultation and to discuss what law is relevant to your case. ***