It happens to a lot of people. You get online, search "drug testing centers near me," and Google returns countless drug testing locations that are seemingly the same. How do you pick the right one to go with? Here are a few important factors you should consider when trying to choose who to go to for your drug and alcohol testing needs.
The Right Drug Testing Location Will Offer a Wide Variety of Drug Tests
Drug testing for marijuana? Of course. Opioids? Sure thing. Alcohol? Obviously.
What else is on the menu, though?
These days, drug and alcohol testing needs to be a lot more expansive than that — especially for employers looking to maintain a drug-free workplace. You need complete protection against a large number of substances.
It's not just employers, either. What about court-ordered drug testing for individuals on probation? What about screening for common street drugs and club drugs?
If a drug testing location is limited in the substances they can test for, it's probably not the best choice to go with. This is why US Drug Test Centers is able to test for hundreds of substances.
It's not just our wide selection of drug test panels, either. It's also the flexibility we offer. If you don't find the panel you want on our website, you can contact us and we'll tell you how we can customize a drug test panel to meet your needs.
Drug Testing Locations Should Be Able to Test Even for Unidentified Substances
While it's fairly straightforward to test for known substances, what about testing for unknown substances? This is another trait of a truly reputable drug testing location.
Maybe you visited a bar last night and suspect your were slipped date rape drugs, but you don't know what it might be. Perhaps you're a parent who found suspicious pills in your teenager's bedroom and want to know what it is.
Whether you want to be drug tested for an unknown substance or you want the substance itself tested, US Drug Test Centers can assist you. We'll screen for hundreds of substances in your system to determine if you've been poisoned and with what. You can also send us the mysterious substance you've found — whether it be in pill or powder form or something else entirely — and we'll test it to determine what it is.
You Should Be Able to Get Results Fast
When waiting for drug test results, time is of the essence. Whether you need the results for work purposes or you're being tested for date rape drugs, your drug testing location should be able to provide a rapid turnaround when it comes to your results. This is for your own convenience as well as the accuracy of the drug test. Wait too long and the results could be skewed.
There are ways to prevent this, though. For instance, US Drug Test Centers offers instant urine drug testing — also called point of collection (POCT) or onsite testing. The test is conducted at the same facility where you provide the specimen, and we return negative results the same day.
When it comes to date rape drug testing, we work with a specialty lab to help get you answers fast. Certain date rape drugs can leave your body very quickly. Turning around results fast is vital to getting answers.
They Should Work With SAMHSA-Certified Laboratories
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is an agency that's part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Among other duties, SAMHSA provides guidance when it comes to employee drug testing programs. Labs that perform employee drug testing look to SAMHSA for assistance, and SAMHSA-certified laboratories are required for any drug testing requested by the federal government or the Department of Transportation.
We make it a top priority to utilize SAMHSA-certified laboratories. This means our labs perform drug testing held to the highest standards and undergo rigorous inspections each quarter to ensure quality and accuracy. (Plus, all of our drug test results are review and verified by a medical review officer.)
The Best Drug Testing Locations Know How to Stay DOT-Compliant
This is of utmost importance. The Department of Transportation doesn't take drug and alcohol use lightly. In fact, it completely forbids it. Even in the age of legal recreational and medicinal marijuana in certain states, plus an ever-growing number of people using (and abusing) prescription painkillers, the DOT remains steadfast in its stance: drugs and alcohol are 100% off-limits.
For businesses who work within the Department of Transportation, staying compliant with their rules and regulations can make or break the company. If you fail an audit, you'll have serious trouble on your hands.
This is why you need a trusted third party to help you navigate the terrain and make sure you're always compliant, so you can focus your attention on your businesses — where it needs to be.
US Drug Test Centers is thoroughly knowledgeable when it comes to the DOT's expectations and always stays up-to-date on their requirements so that employers don't have to.
The Best Drug Testing Locations Offer Additional Services
If you're an employer looking for help maintaining a drug-free workplace, there's a good chance you need more than drug and alcohol testing. This is why US Drug Test Centers offers other related services, including:
- Creating your drug-free workplace policy, or improving the one you already have.
- Giving you free access to our state-of-the-art cloud-based drug testing software.
- Designated employer representative (DER) training.
- Other drug-free workplace training.
- Managing your random selection for random drug testing.
- Making sure you're always DOT-compliant, if applicable.
In addition, we aim to make drug testing as fast and convenient as possible. This is why we have more than 20,000 locations all around the United States. When you order a drug test online, we'll make sure you go to the location that's closest to you.
Ready to talk more? Contact us today with any questions or simply order a test online.
Ashlee Arnold is one of the founders of US Drug Test Centers and is currently the Vice President. 
