NCJ Number
128492
Date Published
1989
Length
171 pages
Annotation
This project, the Adolescent Substance Abuse Assessment Program (ASAP) of Harris County, Tex., studies the legalities of drug testing a population under the age of 18, identifies the various types of drug screening products available on the market, and provides guidelines for the implementation of a pilot program based on information obtained from legal and medical research.
Abstract
In addressing legal issues, the study considers the reliability of tests and testing methods, fully informed consent, voluntary or court-ordered (mandatory) testing, confidentiality of results, and privacy in obtaining urine specimens. Extensive medical questions are answered, including what type of specimen to test, what drug tests are available and most suitable, how to conduct the test, and what self-assessment instrument would be used. The legal review results in a decision to implement the pilot project on a voluntary (fully informed consent) basis. A final review analyzes the data collected by the evaluation of program procedures and operations for a pilot project conducted for 5 weeks that admitted 596 youths. The program implementation manual provided includes a step-by-step approach for establishing an ASAP. Research brief, glossary, appended description of drug tests reviewed, forms, and a 120-item bibliography