DUI Program Services

DUI programs within the State of Florida operate as governmental or non-profit organizations under Administrative Rule, Chapter 15A-10, of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Florida DUI programs provide substance abuse evaluation and education, reporting and record keeping functions for individuals arrested or convicted of Driving Under the Influence, DUI reduced to reckless driving, driving with an unlawful blood alcohol (DUBAL) or refusal to submit to chemical testing.

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Education: Florida DUI Programs offer two levels of Substance Abuse Education.

LEVEL I: A 12 hour class covering the law: the effects of alcohol and other drugs on the body, driving, the family, society, and alternatives to using alcohol and other drugs.

LEVEL II: A 21 hour small group, interactive program which addresses the topics in Level I as well as the decisions and behaviors which contribute to a repeat offense.

Evaluation: The evaluation component involves the combination of written diagnostic tests, other screening tools and a personal interview. The goal of the evaluation is to identify the extend of the individual's involvement with alcohol and other drugs, and to determine if intervention would best serve the needs of the individual.

Referral Services: If the need for substance abuse treatment is identified during the evaluation the DUI Program will refer the individual to a licensed treatment program.

Reporting and Record Keeping: The DUI Programs are statutorily mandated to report the status of each participant to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Court and probation. Each DUI Program submits to the DHSMV DUI Programs Section, the enrollment statistics as well as legislatively mandated state assessment fees. Evaluation Treatment Referral Reports are provided to the Department for review on a quarterly basis.

In a recent independent program evaluation, the Florida DUI programs were described as being integrated and effective. The reports from participants in the system indicate that the intervention has had a positive effect on their lives. This can also be born out by reduced DUI fatalities in the State of Florida.