PSH-21-0023 - In the Matter of Personnel Security Hearing

On May 11, 2021, an Administrative Judge determined that an Individual's access authorization under 10 C.F.R. Part 710 should not be granted. The DOE Psychiatrist diagnosed the Individual with Alcohol Use Disorder, Severe (AUD), without rehabilitation or reformation, and concluded that the Individual habitually consumes alcohol to the point of impaired judgement. The Local Security Office (LSO) also determined that from 2014 through October 2018, the Individual consumed one-half to one pint of whiskey or two to four mixed drinks every two to three days on a weekly basis, and that police arrested and charged the Individual with DWI on October 16, 1997, after he registered a breath alcohol content of .17 percent.

The Individual testified that he attended an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) but discontinued his attendance without completing it after attending a total of four to five individual sessions and two Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings in late 2018. Although the IOP diagnosed the Individual with Alcohol Dependence and recommended that he receive extensive follow-up services, he did not comply with these recommendations because discussing his personal issues with strangers makes him uncomfortable. He stopped drinking in May 2020 and avoids social situations that would likely involve the consumption of alcohol but has no intention of seeking further help or attending AA meetings. The Psychiatrist noted in his testimony that the Individual had complied with his first treatment recommendation by abstaining from alcohol use for almost a full year. The Psychiatrist noted, however, that the Individual had not complied with his other three treatment recommendations, noting that he needs to attend AA regularly; complete an IOP; and attend his EAP's alcohol program. He further opined that the Individual's risk of relapse remains high without completed treatment.

While it had been almost a full year since the Individual's last use of alcohol, the Individual's misuse of alcohol clearly occurred on a frequent basis over an extended period. The Individual also had not shown that his alcohol misuse was unlikely to recur. He also he had not fully complied with the treatment recommendations of the Psychiatrist or the IOP staff. Further, the Individual has not completed nor is currently participating in counseling or a treatment program and that the Individual has a previous history of ineffective treatment and relapse. Accordingly, the Administrative Judge found that Individual has not fully resolved the security concerns arising under Guideline G. OHA Case No. PSH-21-0023 (Steven Fine).