Drug and alcohol testing for Avalon residents

Avalon is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island, more than 20 miles off the Los Angeles County coast. Nobody from Avalon drops by for a quick test, and we will not pretend otherwise. What we can do is help you build a plan that works with the boat schedule and the trips you already make to the mainland.

Getting to us from Avalon

Passenger ferries run from Avalon to Long Beach and San Pedro, and the crossing takes roughly an hour or more each way depending on the route and the weather. From the Long Beach or San Pedro terminals, our office is roughly 25 miles away by the I-405 or the I-110, often 35 to 50 minutes in light traffic and much longer at rush hour. Book your test for the middle of the day so you are not racing the last boat home.

Avalon and the courts

Catalina has its own courthouse in Avalon, part of the South District of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. It has historically held limited sessions, and some matters from the island are heard at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach. Check your paperwork to see where your case is set. If your order includes testing, ask your attorney whether testing on the mainland is acceptable, and we can provide chain of custody documentation when needed.

Island families

Avalon’s public school is run by the Long Beach Unified School District. In a small town, privacy matters. Testing with us happens off the island, and results go only to the people you authorize in writing, which many island families tell us is part of the appeal.

Testing options

Whether you need one test this week or a structure for the next year, Avalon clients choose from four options:

• One-time testing. A single scheduled test when you need an answer now.
• Random testing program. You are notified when to report, so tests cannot be planned around. See our random drug testing program.
• Ongoing monitoring. A coordinator who knows you, a schedule that can change as things improve, and results shared only with people you authorize in writing. Learn about drug and alcohol monitoring.
• Court ordered testing. Court ordered testing with chain of custody documentation when it is needed.

Tests include a 12 panel urine drug test that covers common substances such as opioids, stimulants, benzodiazepines and cannabis, fentanyl testing, an EtG alcohol test, a breathalyzer, and saliva testing on request. Positives that will be acted on are confirmed by partner laboratories. Bring a photo ID to intake. Observed collection is used when a court, program or agreement requires it. Compare everything on our services page.

Mobile testing

Mobile testing at a home or workplace is offered on the mainland for an additional fee. Testing on Catalina Island is a different matter, so call to ask what is possible before you plan around it. For most Avalon residents, the practical plan is to test during scheduled trips to the mainland. Outside office hours, testing can be arranged at other Blackburn locations on the Westside.

Who we help

Most calls from Avalon come from one of these groups:

• Families of adults and teens who want clear answers without becoming the police at home.
• People with court, probation, diversion or attorney requirements. Attorneys can start on our page for attorneys.
• Licensed professionals under monitoring, such as doctors, nurses, lawyers and pilots.
• Treatment programs and clinicians who want objective results between sessions. See our page for clinicians.

More support when you need it

Living on Catalina can make help feel far away, and a phone call to your coordinator closes some of that distance. If what you learn calls for more help, your coordinator can point you to it.

• Therapy and psychiatry

  Assessment, therapy and psychiatric care at Blackburn Clinical Services.

  Visit Blackburn Clinical Services

• Sober living

  Structured sober living and sober apartments on the Westside through Blackburn Recovery Services.

  Visit Blackburn Recovery Services

• Mentoring

  One-on-one mentoring for accountability and structure, at work, at home and in daily life.

  Visit Blackburn Mentoring

• Scholarship help

  Treatment scholarships for people who need care and cannot cover the cost, through The Blackburn Foundation.

  Visit The Blackburn Foundation

Not sure where to start? Our get help page lists free and urgent options. Your monitoring coordinator can also make the introduction.

Nearby areas

We also have pages for Long Beach and Rancho Palos Verdes. See every area we serve.