Other Services
Drug/alcohol testing
I offer several forms of testing TO MY EXISTING CLIENTS ONLY. I don't offer stand-alone testing for two reasons: (1) I'm in counseling sessions most of the day and can't interrupt them to accommodate a random sample collection for testing, and (2) for stand-alone testing I have to charge for my time and that makes it not cost-effective.
Here's what I offer:
Urine testing. My practices and preferences include:
Observed collections whenever possible (far less often than I would wish). Only same-gender observers are used.
My default urine screen includes ten substances, and I have the flexibility to test for many, many other drugs as well.
All results are confirmed by GC/MS confirmation (the gold standard) so that there are no arguments about false positives.
I adhere to very tight chain-of-custody procedures so we don't have arguments about samples getting mixed up.
I require my clients to use a service that handles the scheduling notifications, collections, and reporting while leaving the clinical decisions about what to test for and how often up to me.
Hair testing. Contrary to popular myth, it's not hair follicle testing, it's just hair testing. Now that we have nail testing, I don’t order much hair testing anymore, however there are a few cases in which it remains preferable.
Nail testing: Better than hair in most cases because it's harder to interfere with, has a longer detection window, and is better than hair for a few substances, but otherwise nearly identical in terms of the information it provides.
PEth testing. This is a blood test that can be collected either as a regular blood draw at a lab or as a finger-prick in my office (but I’m finding that the finger-prick method rarely works). It tests for binge drinking only, not for drugs and not for minimal alcohol use, but there is zero risk for false positives.
Clients either pay the testing service directly or pay the testing service through me without a mark-up.
Consultations and Reviews
I offer free consultations to attorneys and other professionals up to half an hour. Over that, I charge my hourly rate.
Most consultations are about choosing the right kind of test for the situation, interpreting test results, or figuring out how to manage an unclear situation with an addicted client. I write declarations or other documents as needed, and I am comfortable producing attorney work products.
Occasionally I do forensic reviews of substance abuse evaluations if there is a safety concern or other serious reason to do so.
Public Speaking
I'm available to present to groups on the subjects of drug testing and interpretation, forensic assessments, and the intersection of substance abuse and parenting.
