Drug and Alcohol Testing
Court Ordered
In certain legal situations, court ordered drug and alcohol testing becomes a crucial tool in ensuring accountability and compliance. At Commodore Solutions, we offer a range of tests that meet specific legal requirements and provide necessary evidence for court. These tests include Urine Testing (POCT & Lab), Hair Testing, Nail Testing and ChildGuard Testing. Each of these tests offer a variety of panels. A panel refers to the specific set of drugs or substances being tested. Various organizations, including legal authorities, employers or specific job sites might have distinct requirements for the drugs needed to be screened during your test. Prior to selecting your panel, it is essential to inquire about any particular substances that need to be tested. We recommend visiting our website to identify which panel is suitable for the specific substances that are necessary for your particular situation.
Urine Testing (POCT or Lab)
Urine testing is an effective and widely recognized method for detecting the presence of drugs or alcohol in a person’s system.
POCT
POCT (Point of Care Testing) urine testing offers instant results to reveal if there are any drug metabolites present in an individual’s system. We collect all samples within our clinic and results are available on the spot. Although the POCT test does not measure the quantity of a drug in the urine, it does establish the presence of the drug. At Commodore Solutions, we offer a variety of POCT testing panels ranging from 7 to 14.
Lab
Lab based urine tests are collected in our clinic and processed in a SAMHSA certified laboratory. Similarly to POCT, we offer a range of different panels (7-14) for lab based urine testing. If results come back positive, the Medical Review Officer (MRO) will determine whether the drug can legally be present in the donor’s system. The MRO will contact the donor directly and discuss any prescription medications, the dosage, prescribing physician, etc. It will not be considered a positive test if a valid prescription is present.
Window of detection: Urine testing offers insights into a person’s drug history ranging from approximately 24 hours to one week for most drugs. This excludes THC, which can stay in one’s system for up to 30 days or longer. The window of detection depends on many factors including the amount of substance used, concentration in the product used, frequency and length of time the substance was used for, as well as the donor’s physical health/ metabolism.
Court-ordered urine testing, whether performed on site with Point of Care Testing (POCT) or in a certified laboratory, can provide timely and accurate results for cases involving child custody, probation, or legal disputes.
Hair Testing
Hair testing has gained prominence as an effective method to detect drug and alcohol use. It records a person’s long term substance use by capturing biomarkers within the hair as it grows. During a hair test, a sample containing multiple strands of hair, closest to the scalp, is collected and analyzed to detect drug or alcohol metabolites that may be present. The sample must be 1.5 inches in length and contain around 200 strands of hair. The donor’s hair cannot be chemically bleached, dyed, or contain any hair products. This method is easy to collect, challenging to tamper with, and convenient to send for analysis. At Commodore Solutions, our selection includes hair testing panels that span from 5 to 19.
Window of Detection: Hair testing provides a history of drug and alcohol use over an extended period, typically within 90 days or 3 months.
Due to the longer window of detection, hair testing is particularly valuable in legal cases that require a comprehensive historical overview of substance use, such as child custody disputes or probation compliance.
Nail Testing
Nail testing is similar to hair testing but uses nail samples to detect the presence of drugs or alcohol. Since both nails and hair are made up of keratin, as the nail grows, substances can pass from the blood vessels underneath the nail, into the keratin fibers of the nail where they become trapped. During collection, fingernails are clipped and collected by the donor in front of one of our trained staff members. Samples require clippings of 2-3 mm in length from all ten fingernails, equaling out to about 100 mg. Similarly to hair testing, Commodore Solutions provides nail testing panels from 5 to 19.
Window of Detection: Nail testing offers an alternative method to hair testing in providing a historical perspective on substance use. Biomarkers on the nail can be detected as early as 1-2 weeks after the ingestion of alcohol or drugs. Since fingernails are typically thicker than a strand of hair, nail testing offers a longer window of detection, approximately between 3-6 months.
Court ordered nail testing is often used in child custody cases and legal proceedings.
ChildGuard Testing
Substance abuse in adults can hinder the well-being of children. It can lead to abuse, neglect, violence and other vulnerabilities. Detecting these harmful environments is crucial for a child’s safety. ChildGuard is a unique drug test designed to identify environmental exposure to drugs by differentiating between native drugs and drug metabolites in hair samples. While drug metabolites are only present in the body if the drugs have been consumed, children in drug-exposed environments typically do not use drugs themselves, resulting in the absence of metabolites during testing. Unlike traditional hair tests that report a positive result when metabolites are detected, ChildGuard reports a positive result when either native drugs or metabolites are found. This provides a more comprehensive understanding of the child’s environment. This test distinguishes between both native drugs and drug metabolites in hair specimens. Commodore Solutions offers ChildGuard testing with panels ranging from 5 to 10.
Window of Detection: ChildGuard can reveal evidence of substance exposure in a child’s surroundings within the past three months. A positive ChildGuard test indicates that the donor has had contact with drug smoke, sweat, or skin oil from an active drug user, the actual drug itself, or accidental or intentional ingestion of drugs.
ChildGuard, an environmental hair exposure test, is an important tool in testing when other non-exposure drug tests fall short. This forensic test for environmental drug exposure is the only one of its kind.
At Commodore Solutions, we understand the sensitivity and importance of court-ordered testing. Our comprehensive testing options, including Urine Testing (lab or POCT), Hair Testing, Nail Testing, and ChildGuard Testing are all designed to meet legal standards and provide accurate results for court proceedings.
Resources:
Home – United States Drug Testing Laboratories Inc. (usdtl.com)
To learn more on how Commodore Solutions can help you design and implement your drug and alcohol testing programs, please contact us.
By Scott Courtney
