Those who provide professional training to drug test collectors play a critical role in maintaining drug-free workplaces and protecting the safety of the workforce and public. Many people are part of any workplace drug and alcohol screening program including the employer and supervisor, the Medical Review Officer (MRO), the Designated Employer Representative, the Third Party Administrator/Consortium, the testing facility and the Substance Abuse Professional (SAP).
The specimen collector is the only person in the drug-testing process who has direct, face-to-face contact with the employee. They ensure the integrity of the urine specimen and collection process and begin the chain of custody that may eventually end up in a court of law. The collector should have a specific set of skills and knowledge that includes a full understanding of federal drug screening regulations, singular attention to detail and the ability to work well with people in potentially heated or emotional situations. It is the trainer’s responsibility to teach these skills and enhance these qualities in the collector.
The Course
NDASA’s Train-the-Trainer: Approved Trainer Course is a professional-level training that allows you to train and certify NDASA Registered Professional Collectors for USDOT and non-DOT collections.
This course meets the regulatory standards of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rule 49 CFR Part 40 and provides a solid foundation for training collectors in a wide range of testing programs.
Upon successful completion, approved trainers receive a 5-year certification from the National Drug & Alcohol Screening Association that qualifies them to provide collector training. In addition, approved trainers also receive NDASA licensed materials to train those outside of their company to become NDASA certified professional collectors.
| Regulatory Standard | Examination | Deliverables | Industry Applicability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | Universal skills set | Multi-industry | |
| 40 CFR Part 40 – Subparts C, D, E, I and R | Signature | NDASA Certification | Public sector |
| Eligibility | Regulated by federal, state or local mandates | ||
| NDASA Approved Trainer qualification | Private sector |
Course Prerequisites
To take this course and receive trainer certification upon completion, a participant must:
- Be certified as a collector (by an industry association or a network of collection sites).
- OR, have been designated as a trainer for at least one year.
- Have been performing collections for at least one year, including federally mandated collections.
- Submit a letter of recommendation from a client or supervisor.
- As a Trainer, you must read and be familiar with the following: 49 CFR Part 40: Subparts C, D, E, I, and R, Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy Compliance interpretations and Q&A and DOT Urine Specimen Collection Guidelines (These also are available in the Resource Library for download.)
- Must be able to articulate the steps of both a federal and non-federal test to the NDASA examiner
NDASA Materials Provided
Upon successful completion of the course, in addition to NDASA Certification, newly approved trainers will receive:
- PowerPoint Presentation – (Use of overhead projector and remote preferred for in-person training.)
- Mock-collection checklists
- Collector agreements
- Credentials Template
- NDASA Registered Collection Certification for future trainees
Please contact Samantha Brown, NDASA’s training and certification coordinator (samanthabrown@ndasa.com) upon completion of the course to request your materials.
