Mandatory Drug Testing Mandatory Drug Testing ProgramProgram

Hall Co. School SystemHall Co. School SystemDrug Screening procedure for Drug Screening procedure for

Interscholastic Athletics.Interscholastic Athletics.

The Hall County School System believes that the use and abuse of drugs that have not been prescribed for medical benefit can be detrimental to the physical, emotional, and mental health of their student-athletes, It is further believed that this use and abuse of drugs seriously interferes with the performance of the student-athletes, and is dangerous to themselves as well as their peers. Because of these serious concerns, the following drug screening procedure is in effect:

Hall Co. School SystemHall Co. School SystemDrug Screening procedure for Interscholastic Drug Screening procedure for Interscholastic

Athletics.Athletics. GOALSGOALS To develop a drug free program that produces student-To develop a drug free program that produces student-

athletes who serve as positive role models and athletes who serve as positive role models and influence their peers to lead healthy and responsible influence their peers to lead healthy and responsible lives.lives.

To educate our student-athletes about the dangers To educate our student-athletes about the dangers and problems associated with drug use and abuse.and problems associated with drug use and abuse.

To prevent drug use and abuse by our student-athletesTo prevent drug use and abuse by our student-athletes To identify any student-athlete who may be using To identify any student-athlete who may be using

and/or abusing drugs and to identify the drug(s), as and/or abusing drugs and to identify the drug(s), as well as to provide help through counseling and well as to provide help through counseling and treatmenttreatment

To educate our student-athletes of the effects drugs To educate our student-athletes of the effects drugs have on their mental, emotional, and physical well-have on their mental, emotional, and physical well-being and the effect drug abuse has on their being and the effect drug abuse has on their teammates, the athletic program, the school, and the teammates, the athletic program, the school, and the community.community.

The mThe most commonly used ost commonly used drugs of our youth.drugs of our youth.

AlcoholAlcoholMarijuanaMarijuanaInhalantsInhalantsAcidAcidMushroomsMushroomsEcstasyEcstasy

NitrousNitrousCrackCrackHeroinHeroinCocaineCocainePrescription Prescription

DrugsDrugsCrystal Crystal

Meth.Meth.

Facts About Drugs used Facts About Drugs used today in our schools.today in our schools.

1.1. Anything you have heard Anything you have heard of is available in most of is available in most high schools.high schools.

2.2. Almost all drugs of Almost all drugs of abuse, that you have abuse, that you have ever heard of, can be ever heard of, can be obtained by students.obtained by students.

Facts About DrugsFacts About Drugs

33. Kids today know as much or . Kids today know as much or more about drugs than their more about drugs than their parents.parents.

4. 4. Next to schools, shopping Next to schools, shopping malls are the best source of malls are the best source of drugs in suburbia.drugs in suburbia.

5. ALL types of kids do drugs.5. ALL types of kids do drugs.

The Legal QuestionThe Legal Question

Can school systems enact a Can school systems enact a mandatory random dmandatory random drug rug screening program for screening program for

their students?their students?

LINDSAY EARLS vs LINDSAY EARLS vs Pottawatomie County Pottawatomie County (Oklahoma) Board of (Oklahoma) Board of

Education (June 2002)Education (June 2002)

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public high schools can that public high schools can

randomly conduct drug testing randomly conduct drug testing of students participating in of students participating in

after-school activities.after-school activities.

How it started in How it started in Hall CountyHall County

It all began with a It all began with a phone call.phone call.

The Phone CallThe Phone Call

Flowery Branch High School Flowery Branch High School Principal Mark Coleman Principal Mark Coleman called me at the Central called me at the Central Office in early 2004 and Office in early 2004 and asked," Canasked," Can we drug test we drug test our athletes at Flowery our athletes at Flowery Branch High School?”Branch High School?”

.

Discussion with Discussion with SuperintendSuperintendentent::

I then approached our Superintendent I then approached our Superintendent Dennis Fordham about Dr. Coleman’s Dennis Fordham about Dr. Coleman’s proposal. His response was consistent proposal. His response was consistent with the model he had built in addressing with the model he had built in addressing such issues: Take it to the high school such issues: Take it to the high school principals to see if interest was present, principals to see if interest was present, and more importantly, if consensus could and more importantly, if consensus could be reached.be reached.

What do we do now?What do we do now?How do we begin?How do we begin?

Research existing modelsResearch existing modelsDevelop goals for our program.Develop goals for our program.Decide what we’ll test for.Decide what we’ll test for.Decide who we’ll test.Decide who we’ll test.How do we want to handle How do we want to handle

positivespositives??

All of these questions and more we All of these questions and more we had to come up with answers for.had to come up with answers for.

OUR PROGRAM IS OUR PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR DESIGNED FOR

EDUCATION AND EDUCATION AND INTERVENTION.INTERVENTION.

GIVE OUR STUDENTS GIVE OUR STUDENTS ANOTHER REASON ANOTHER REASON

TO SAY, “NO!”TO SAY, “NO!”

We decided to:We decided to:Let the professionals do the Let the professionals do the

selecting, testing and reporting.selecting, testing and reporting.Test 100 student-athletes per year Test 100 student-athletes per year

@ $25.00 each.@ $25.00 each.Test by season: Students could be Test by season: Students could be

randomly selected during every randomly selected during every season in which they participate.season in which they participate.

Payment would come from athletic Payment would come from athletic account at each high school.account at each high school.

What will our What will our communities communities

think?think?

Will they be Will they be supportive?supportive?

Community MeetingsCommunity Meetings

Public hearings were held. Public hearings were held. All parents were invited as All parents were invited as well as community members.well as community members.

Representatives from the Representatives from the toxicology lab were on the toxicology lab were on the program to explain the program to explain the procedures they used.procedures they used.

Toxicology IssuesToxicology Issues Assured parents that there would be no Assured parents that there would be no

way a specimen could be contaminated.way a specimen could be contaminated. Testing was accurate 99.99% of the time.Testing was accurate 99.99% of the time. Confirmation of a positive would be done Confirmation of a positive would be done

by a medical review officer to parentsby a medical review officer to parents Selection of random subjects would be Selection of random subjects would be

chosen by Toxicology Lab. The school chosen by Toxicology Lab. The school provides list of student numbers for the provides list of student numbers for the selections.selections.

We are not We are not testing for testing for Alcohol or Alcohol or SteroidsSteroids!!

PROCEDURESPROCEDURES

1.1. The student-athlete must present to The student-athlete must present to thethe head coach a signed consent form, head coach a signed consent form, which authorizes the school to which authorizes the school to administer drug testing and that allow administer drug testing and that allow the results of the test to be released to the results of the test to be released to parents or guardians, administrative parents or guardians, administrative officials, and the head coach. (Note: A officials, and the head coach. (Note: A signed consent form is a requirement signed consent form is a requirement for participation in any GHSA governed for participation in any GHSA governed inter-scholastic activity that requires inter-scholastic activity that requires an annual physical examination for an annual physical examination for participation. Parents and students do participation. Parents and students do not have the option of not participating not have the option of not participating in the drug-screen program.)in the drug-screen program.)

PROCEDURESPROCEDURES

2.2.Random testing will take place at any time Random testing will take place at any time during the school year with student-athletes during the school year with student-athletes chosen through lottery/random selection. The chosen through lottery/random selection. The substances that will be tested include: substances that will be tested include: amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, opiates, and propoxyphene. Testing consists of and propoxyphene. Testing consists of providing a urine sample to those providing a urine sample to those representatives of the firm administering the representatives of the firm administering the test. School personnel will supervise but will test. School personnel will supervise but will not administer the test. Privacy of the students not administer the test. Privacy of the students and confidentiality are secured to ensure and confidentiality are secured to ensure against tampering. Specimens will be against tampering. Specimens will be processed for identity and secured to ensure processed for identity and secured to ensure against tampering. Test results will be reported against tampering. Test results will be reported to the school through the proper chain of to the school through the proper chain of command. In case of a positive result, the command. In case of a positive result, the parent or guardian will be notified.parent or guardian will be notified.

PROCEDURESPROCEDURES

3. The student-athlete must 3. The student-athlete must fill out a form listing any fill out a form listing any medication that he or she is medication that he or she is currently taking to safe currently taking to safe guard against “false guard against “false positives”.positives”.

Consequences for PositivesConsequences for Positives

First PositiveFirst PositiveIf a test is returned positive, the parents or If a test is returned positive, the parents or guardians and the student-athlete will be notified. guardians and the student-athlete will be notified. A student-athlete will be banned for 10%of the A student-athlete will be banned for 10%of the team’s scheduled games for the season (excluding team’s scheduled games for the season (excluding practice scrimmages) beginning with the next practice scrimmages) beginning with the next scheduled contest(s). The student athlete may scheduled contest(s). The student athlete may remain a part of the team and will be expected to remain a part of the team and will be expected to participate in team practices or conditioning participate in team practices or conditioning sessions. The student-athlete and parents must sessions. The student-athlete and parents must provide evidence of enrollment in a drug-provide evidence of enrollment in a drug-counseling program approved by the principal counseling program approved by the principal (SUPER I is available for 1(SUPER I is available for 1stst offenders). The offenders). The student-athlete must agree to another drug test student-athlete must agree to another drug test with in a timeframe recommended by the with in a timeframe recommended by the Northeast Georgia Toxicology Lab as family's Northeast Georgia Toxicology Lab as family's expense (cost will be approximately $25).expense (cost will be approximately $25).

Second PositiveSecond Positive If a student-athlete has a second positive If a student-athlete has a second positive

screen, the parents or guardian and the screen, the parents or guardian and the athlete will be notified. The student-athlete athlete will be notified. The student-athlete will be suspended from the team at the time will be suspended from the team at the time of notification. A meeting will be scheduled of notification. A meeting will be scheduled with the parents or guardians, the student-with the parents or guardians, the student-athlete, the principal, the head coach, and athlete, the principal, the head coach, and the athletic director to arrange the following:the athletic director to arrange the following:

Agree for participation in a drug treatment Agree for participation in a drug treatment and counseling program on a regular basis, and counseling program on a regular basis, for a minimum of four weeks. Parents or for a minimum of four weeks. Parents or guardians are expected to participate in the guardians are expected to participate in the program.program.

Consequences for PositivesConsequences for Positives

Consequences for PositivesConsequences for Positives

Second Positive (continued)Second Positive (continued) Sign an agreement that releases Hall Sign an agreement that releases Hall

County Board of Education from any County Board of Education from any liability for injury or illness resulting liability for injury or illness resulting from drugs and/or treatment.from drugs and/or treatment.

Apply for reinstatement to the team Apply for reinstatement to the team after a minimum of four weeks if the after a minimum of four weeks if the following provisions are met: a) provide following provisions are met: a) provide a negative drug screen; b) agree to a negative drug screen; b) agree to continue with drug counseling; c) agree continue with drug counseling; c) agree to future “on demand” testing; d) to future “on demand” testing; d) understand that the application for understand that the application for reinstatement may be denied.reinstatement may be denied.

Third PositiveThird PositiveA third positive screen will result in A third positive screen will result in suspension from all interscholastic athletics suspension from all interscholastic athletics for one calendar year from date of result. for one calendar year from date of result. Parents or guardians and student-athlete Parents or guardians and student-athlete will be notified immediately. Continued will be notified immediately. Continued counseling and treatment during the year counseling and treatment during the year of suspension is expected with periodic of suspension is expected with periodic testing at family’s expense. Reinstatement testing at family’s expense. Reinstatement procedures will remain constant, meaning procedures will remain constant, meaning they will have to go through the re-they will have to go through the re-instatement process outlined in the instatement process outlined in the consequences for a second positive.consequences for a second positive.

Consequences for Positive Consequences for Positive resultsresults

Consequences for Positive Consequences for Positive resultsresults

In the event the student-athlete In the event the student-athlete believes this policy has not been believes this policy has not been applied to him/her in a manner applied to him/her in a manner consistent with the intent, the consistent with the intent, the parents or guardians may appeal the parents or guardians may appeal the decision to the principal of their decision to the principal of their school within 72 hrs. of a positive school within 72 hrs. of a positive test result, and the decision in this test result, and the decision in this matter shall be final. This procedure matter shall be final. This procedure is intended to supplement the is intended to supplement the existing policies of the Hall Co. Board existing policies of the Hall Co. Board Of Education and the Georgia H.S. Of Education and the Georgia H.S. Assoc. regarding the governance of Assoc. regarding the governance of interscholastic athletics.interscholastic athletics.

Consequences for PositivesConsequences for Positives

Administrators shall not use test results Administrators shall not use test results obtained pursuant to this policy for obtained pursuant to this policy for disciplinary or other purposes, other than disciplinary or other purposes, other than as set forth above. (as set forth above. (All student-athletes All student-athletes remain subject to the Hall Co. Board of remain subject to the Hall Co. Board of Education Student Code of Conduct and Education Student Code of Conduct and may be subject to established discipline may be subject to established discipline procedures if found in possession or under procedures if found in possession or under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol at the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol at school or at school sponsored events.)school or at school sponsored events.)

In addition, parents (guardians) may make In addition, parents (guardians) may make a request to have their student-athletes a request to have their student-athletes tested at their expense.tested at their expense.

Is this working the way we Is this working the way we want?want?

How can we make it better?How can we make it better?Don’t just test one time per Don’t just test one time per

season.season.Go to a higher panel screen. Go to a higher panel screen.

(Test for more types of drugs)(Test for more types of drugs)Don’t disclose too much in Don’t disclose too much in

terms of what we are testing.terms of what we are testing.Expand it to other extra-Expand it to other extra-

curricular and privileged curricular and privileged activitiesactivities

ANY QUESTIONS?ANY QUESTIONS?