PDF Adult Drug Court Standards, Best Practices, and Promising ...

[Pages:31]State Court Administrative Office Trial Court Services Problem-Solving Courts

Michigan Association of Treatment Court Professionals

Adult Drug Court Standards, Best Practices, and Promising Practices

March 2017

Drug Testing Standards and Best Practices

Presented by Barb Hankey & Dian Gonyea

Importance of Drug Testing

Standard 1(a)(i)

A drug treatment court shall provide participants with consistent , continual monitoring of the participants... and mandatory and periodic random testing for the presence of any controlled substance or alcohol...

? Key Component #5 ? Not about "busting"

participants. ? Identifies those that

have relapsed - offer rapid intervention. ? Identifies those that are abstinent ? guides incentives, and program requirements. ? Integrity of the program

Random Testing

Standard 2(a)(i)

Mandatory periodic and random testing for the presence of controlled substance or alcohol in a participant's blood, urine, or breath, using to the extent practicable the best available, accepted, and scientifically valid methods.

? Lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern.

? Odds of being tested are the same on any given day of the week, including weekends and holidays.

? The schedule of drug and alcohol testing is random and unpredictable.

Random Testing

? Too much notification can lead to dissolved metabolites, or timed usage.

? Participants should test within 4 hours of notification if relying on tests with short detection windows.

Best Practices 2(b)

? Urine tests are delivered no more than 8 hours after a participant is notified to test.

? Oral fluid tests should be delivered no more than 4 hours after being notified that a test was scheduled.

Randomization

? Flip a coin ? Names in a hat ? Excel formula ? Deck of cards ? Roll a dice

? Team and stakeholders meet on how to overcome obstacles!

? Must do, so be creative

Frequency

Standard 3(a)(i)

...Monitoring of participants effectively by frequent alcohol and other drug testing to ensure abstinence from drugs or alcohol.

? Frequent is not defined.

? Use the research to determine appropriate frequency.

Frequency

? Multistudy showed reduced recidivism and cost effectiveness when testing 2x/week.

? Alcohol tethers can deter alcohol consumption and impaired driving.

? Participants may cheat drug tests by switching use.

Best Practices 3(b)

? Urine testing at least twice per week.

? Continuous tests (ankle monitors) should be worn for 90 days.

? Examine samples for drugs of abuse other than the participant's drug of choice.

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