How monitoring works

The short version

1. Call us and tell us what is going on.
2. We set a plan with the right tests and frequency, case by case.
3. You choose, in writing, who may see your results.
4. You get notified electronically when it is time to test.
5. You test by appointment at our office, another Blackburn location, or through mobile testing.
6. Results go out quickly to your authorized contacts, with lab confirmation of positives when needed.
7. Your coordinator stays with you, adjusting the plan and connecting you with more support if you need it.

Here is what each step looks like in practice.

Step 1: The intake call

Everything starts with a conversation, by phone at (888) 305-5422. You might be calling for yourself, for an adult child, for a client, or because an attorney told you to. Your coordinator will ask:

• Why are you testing, and what would a good outcome look like?
• Which substances are a concern: alcohol, drugs, or both?
• Do you take any prescribed or over-the-counter medications?
• Who needs to see results, such as family, a clinician, an attorney or a program?
• Is there a legal or professional requirement with specific rules?
• Where are you based, and what does your weekly schedule look like?

There are no wrong answers. Families often call before the person being tested has agreed to anything, and that is fine. We can help you think through how to bring it up.

Step 2: Your plan, set case by case

We do not use a one-size-fits-all package. Your coordinator recommends test types and a frequency based on what you told us. For example, someone worried mainly about drinking may test with a mix of EtG and breath tests. Someone leaving treatment for opioid use may test more often at first with a 12 panel urine screen. A person with a court requirement follows whatever their order specifies.

The science behind the plan matters. Different tests look back over different windows of time: breath testing shows alcohol in your system right now, EtG can be detectable for up to about 5 days after drinking at common cutoffs (Mayo Clinic Laboratories), and saliva tends to reflect recent use over hours to a few days (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 2019). We combine tests and timing to cover your goal. See all test types.

Step 3: Written authorization

Your results belong to you. Before any results are shared, you sign a written authorization naming each person or organization that may receive them. Nobody else sees your results. You can add or remove people as your situation changes. If you are a parent arranging testing for an adult child, they sign the authorization to include you.

Step 4: Electronic notices

On a random program, you receive an electronic notification on the days you need to test. Random timing is what makes results credible to the people who rely on them. Your coordinator will explain how notices arrive, how long you have to report, and what to do if a notice comes at a hard time.

Step 5: Testing by appointment

All testing is scheduled; we do not take walk-ins.

• Office: 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
• Outside office hours: other Blackburn locations on the Westside.
• Mobile testing: at your home or workplace, for an additional fee.

Bring a photo ID. Collection is observed when your plan requires it, and chain of custody documentation is used when a court, attorney or professional program needs it.

Step 6: Results, shared quickly

Instant urine screens and breath tests give results during your visit, and we share them quickly with the people you authorized. When an instant screen shows a presumptive positive, the sample can be sent to a partner laboratory for confirmation. The National Institute on Drug Abuse describes this two-step approach, a screen followed by confirmation, as the standard way to verify a positive. We will always tell you which stage a result is at. More on lab confirmation.

Step 7: A person who stays with you

This is the part most testing services leave out. Your coordinator reviews your record, answers questions from you and your authorized contacts, and adjusts the plan. Doing well for months? Frequency can come down. Going through a hard stretch? It can go up for a while, if that helps.

If a test is positive, or you tell us you are struggling, your coordinator will talk with you first, then help you find the next right step. That might be therapy or psychiatric care, a more structured living situation, one-on-one mentoring, or scholarship help for treatment. A drug test can tell you something is wrong; it cannot diagnose or treat it, and addiction medicine guidance from ASAM treats testing as one tool within care, not a replacement for it.

If you or someone you love is in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline). For a medical emergency or suspected overdose, call 911. For free, confidential treatment referrals any time, the SAMHSA National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357.

Need more than testing?

A test result tells you what is happening. It does not tell you what to do next. Because Blackburn Monitoring is part of The Blackburn Group, your coordinator can connect you with the right kind of help without starting from scratch somewhere else.

• Therapy and psychiatry

  Individual therapy and psychiatric care for substance use and the mental health concerns that often travel with it.

  Blackburn Clinical Services

• Sober living

  Structured sober living and sober apartments for men in West Los Angeles, for when more support at home would help.

  Blackburn Recovery Services

• Mentoring

  One-on-one mentoring for accountability and structure, with a consistent person who checks in and helps you follow through.

  Blackburn Mentoring

• Scholarship help

  Treatment scholarships through our nonprofit for people who need care and cannot cover the full cost.

  The Blackburn Foundation

Your monitoring coordinator can make the introduction.

Which program is right for you?

Compare one-time testing, the random testing program and ongoing monitoring, or see what affects cost. When you are ready, get started here.