What is a caduceus meeting or group?
A caduceus meeting or group is a support group for all medical professionals that have the desire to recover from chemical addictions using a 12-step approach. In these groups, impaired professionals can feel confident in sharing their stories with other folks who can relate to their experiences. Medical professionals appreciate the peer-to-peer support of a caduceus meeting.
Who can attend a caduceus group?
Any healthcare professional who simply wants to recover or is in recovery from chemical addictions.
Are caduceus groups free?
Yes. Caduceus groups are designed in the spirit of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. There is no group fee or membership fee. However, donations may be requested to pay for the venue upkeep, or food and drink provided.
Are caduceus meetings 12-step based?
While caduceus groups were born out of the 12-step meeting format, they are not required to be 12-step based. They are often a less formal format than 12-step meetings and can be used as a transitional step toward becoming involved in AA or NA.
Are caduceus meetings required for impaired practitioner agreements?
Sometimes. Often an agreement with an oversight board or organization for a practitioner who has received treatment for drug or alcohol addiction will include the use of some type of support group to help with relapse prevention. The key component is usually an aftercare plan – not necessarily a specific group or model. So, a caduceus meeting could qualify as part of that aftercare plan, and therefore be a requirement.
Where can I find a caduceus group meeting?
Caduceus group meeting times and locations can be found by joining the International Doctors in Alcoholics Anonymous organization. The IDAA’s mission is to “carry the message of recovery to health care professionals and their families”. The Ridge is not affiliated with the IDAA and is providing this information for your convenience. The IDAA asks that you not share the caduceus meeting list publicly to respect the anonymity of the group chairs. Joining is free and registration requires you to enter your email and name. Once you join and verify your email address you can view a PDF list of caduceus group meetings, times, and locations. Please follow this link to sign up: https://www.idaa.org/21/
Treatment for impaired practitioners
The Ridge is one of only three providers in Ohio eligible to perform all phases of treatment and evaluation for impaired practitioners under the Ohio “One Bite Rule”. This eligibility is offered to The Ridge by the Ohio Physicians Health Program and not others because of the type of programming, effective detox treatment, and highly credentialed staff at The Ridge. If you are a medical professional in need of a chemical dependency evaluation or residential treatment, The Ridge program is a perfect choice as we are approved to work with the various medical boards in the State of Ohio and have experience treating medical professionals while allowing those professionals to maintain their licensure.
