Ohio Board of Nursing
The Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) developed a safe haven program for all licensees and applicants. This program is a confidential path for individuals to seek help for burnout, mental health, substance use disorders, or other medical conditions. The safe haven program is a therapeutic alternative to regulatory awareness. OBN has partnered with OhioPHP to administer this program. Participation in the program is confidential to the fullest extent allowed by law*. Participants forfeit their confidentiality if they fail to complete or comply with program requirements or if they are deemed a risk to themselves or others.
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Any OBN licensee or applicant who needs assistance with burnout, behavioral health, mental health, or substance use disorder or other medical condition is eligible to participate in the safe haven program so long as they do not have disciplinary action by the OBN for a similar condition or violation. ​To learn more about the OBN's safe haven program check out the following brief video.
Well-being Screenings & the Safe Haven Program
OhioPHP can assist with the identification of stress, burnout, mental health, and substance use disorders or other issues by providing comprehensive well-being screens to healthcare professionals. Well-being screenings are the initial screening process used by OhioPHP to determine your eligibility for the safe haven program and any recommended evaluation, treatment, or monitoring needs.
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*Per Ohio law, and the nurse licensure compact (NLC) law, an applicant cannot obtain, nor can a licensee retain, a multistate license privilege when enrolled in the safe haven program. OhioPHP is required to notify the Board of Nursing of any licensee or applicant who enrolls in the safe haven program for deactivation of the multistate licensure privilege for the duration of the nurse's participation in the safe haven program. When this occurs, a nurse’s multi-state license is converted to a single-state license. Participation will be noted on NURSYS.com for other Boards of Nursing. This process ensures that licensing remains in full alignment with the NLC and state regulatory standards.