Donor Guides:
EtG Fingernail Testing

Setting up a test is only necessary if any of the following apply:

• The donor is an unemancipated minor and you are their legal guardian
• The donor is outside of the greater Saint Louis, Missouri area
• A court has issued an order requiring the test
• Someone other than the donor is responsible for paying for the testing

If none of the above apply to your situation, you can skip to the section titled Scheduling Your Test (If Necessary).

In some cases, testing may have already been set up for you by someone else. You can find out if your testing has already been set up by calling our office at 1 (636) 916-0050.

If testing hasn't been set up by someone else, you should do so before appointments are made, or testing is performed.

Setting up testing isn't very complicated or difficult to do, but to make the process as quick and accurate as possible, it's a good idea to collect all of the information you will need ahead of time. You should gather the following information before setting up testing:

• The test panel to be performed or a complete list of drugs that should be tested for if testing for more than just EtG
• If the donor is outside of the greater Saint Louis, Missouri area, you will need to provide us with the donor's location so that a testing site can be found
• If you wish to schedule an appointment to avoid another donor who will be testing, you will need the name of the other donor so that we can schedule enough time between your appointment and theirs
• If any legal order of protections or restraining orders are in place between any other donors, we will need to know the names of the individuals the orders pertain to so that we can attempt to accommodate appointment times
• If a court has issued an order requiring the test, please have a copy of that order or ask your attorney to send a copy of the order to our office before you set testing up

If you do not have all of the required information or are unsure about the information that you do have, please let us know.

Setting up testing is a crucial step which will allow us to make sure we have all of the information we need to provide the appropriate testing services to you. It also allows you to ask any questions and make requests prior to testing.

We understand that sometimes it's not possible for you to set up your testing ahead of time. Sometimes donors in court cases are told to immediately test after leaving the courthouse, and it may not be practical for concerned parents to call ahead of time to set up testing. In these situations we ask that you try to bring with you all of the information listed in the previous section titled Prior to Setting Up Your Test. If you can't provide this information, we will do everything we can to ensure that testing is completed, however the process may take longer than normal, and in some cases, we may not be able to perform testing until the information is provided.

Once you are ready to set testing up, you can do so in person or by calling us at 1 (636) 916-0050. You will be asked to provide some basic information about yourself. If you aren't the donor, we will also ask for some basic information about the donor.

If another person is responsible for payment, you should let us know when setting testing up.

If you are paying for your own testing and you live in the greater Saint Louis, Missouri area, you will not need to make payment arrangements, instead you will pay for your test when you arrive for testing.

If you are setting up testing for someone else and you are responsible for paying for the testing, you will need to ensure that payment has been made before the donor arrives for testing. If you will be with the donor when they arrive for testing, you may pay for the testing at that time. If you will not be with the donor, we recommend that you pre-pay for testing while setting the test up, or as soon as possible.

For your convenience, we accept bank issued Visa^® and Mastercard^® branded credit or debit cards, cash, cashier's checks, or money orders. If you are pre-paying for someone else's test with a credit or debit card, you should understand that we will not charge your card until the donor arrives for testing. If the testing never occurs, your card will never be charged.

If you pre-paid for someone else's test, you can, at any time, request a refund or that we remove authorization to use your credit or debit card for any testing that has not been completed. If you pre-paid with cash, cashier's check, or a money order, a refund will be issued by check. Refund checks usually take 7 to 14 business days to be issued and can either be mailed or picked up in person. Cash refunds are not provided.

Please keep in mind that if the donor arrives for testing and no payment has been made, the amount of the payment is insufficient, or the credit or debit card on file is declined, the donor will not be able to test unless they opt to pay for the testing themselves.

Once testing is set up, someone will need to notify the donor that they should make an appointment, if they need to. We do not notify donors when testing has been set up or payments have been made.

Appointments are suggested, but not required for fingernail testing.

When scheduling an appointment, please make sure you have all of the necessary information ready to make the process as quick and accurate as possible.

To schedule an appointment, you will need to provide:

• Your name, or the name of the donor if you are scheduling for someone else
• Your telephone number
• If any legal order of protections or restraining orders are in place between you and any other donors, we will need to know the names of the individuals the orders pertain to so that we can attempt to accommodate appointment times
• The date and time that you prefer

If you are scheduling an appointment for a minor, you will also need to provide:

• Name of the minor
• Age of the minor
• If a parent or guardian will not be accompanying the minor to the testing site, prior written authorization from a verified parent or guardian must be in place¹

When choosing an appointment time, please be sure that you are able to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time and allot 30 minutes for testing.

We understand that life happens, and you may not be able to arrive on time, but if you are going to be more than 15 minutes late to your appointment, we recommend that you call to reschedule. We can't guarantee your appointment if you arrive more than 15 minutes after your scheduled appointment time.

To schedule an appointment or to make changes to an existing appointment, you can call us at 1 (636) 916-0050. You can also schedule an appointment online using our online scheduler service.

Testing typically takes 30 minutes to complete.

If you made an appointment, please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time to check-in.

You will need to provide payment when you arrive for testing unless payment arrangements have been made. For your convenience, we accept bank issued Visa^® and Mastercard^® branded credit or debit cards, cash, cashier's checks, or money orders.

Please be sure to bring with you:

• A valid (not expired) government issued photo ID. Acceptable IDs include:
  • Driver's License
  • Non-Driver License (state issued ID)
  • Passport
  • Military ID
• A copy of any court orders if the testing is ordered by a court
• A list of all individuals you wish for us to release results to as well as their associated addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses

If a minor will be testing, you will also need to provide:

• At least one form of ID for the minor. Acceptable IDs include:
  • Driver's License or Permit
  • Non-Driver License (state issued ID)
  • Passport
  • School ID
  • Birth Certificate
  • Social Security Card
• If you are a social worker for the state and you will be authorizing testing for the minor, you will need to bring proof of guardianship or the court order for testing that specifically lists you as having the authority to authorize testing for the minor
• Proof of guardianship if any of the following are true:
  • Your name does not appear on the minor's birth certificate
  • Your last name differs from the minor's last name and no birth certificate showing your name is presented
  • You are a relative of the minor
  • You are a family friend of the minor
• A certified copy of your emancipation order if you are an emancipated minor

You will be provided with a secret pin number when you have completed your test. This number is used to identify the person providing it as authorized to discuss your test result or request copies of your result. Anyone with your name and that pin number can access your test result or request copies of the result. You should keep this number in a secure location or destroy it if you do not wish to use it.

Test results are typically available in five to ten days. Results will be mailed, faxed, or emailed to any individuals the donor or guardian, if the donor was a minor, authorized to receive them prior to testing. Mailed results typically arrive seven business days after the testing is complete. Faxed and emailed results are typically transmitted to recipients within two hours of the result being transmitted to us by the laboratory.

If you have any questions about your results or you would like extra copies of your result, you can call us at 1 (636) 916-0050 or visit us in person to discuss those questions and request additional copies of your result.

If requesting additional copies of your result in person, you will need a valid government issued photo ID. If you are unable to request additional copies in person, you will need your unique pin number that was provided to you during testing. If you have lost your pin number, you may still be able to request additional copies of your results by providing additional identification over the phone.

Please note that results over one year old will require a small record retrieval fee for each result requested. This fee must be paid prior to results being retrieved and is not refundable. Results over ten years old may no longer be available.

EtG fingernail testing is typically performed in response to allegations of alcohol abuse during a legal proceeding, usually child custody and divorce cases. In some instances, EtG fingernail testing has been used as part of an alcohol use monitoring program. Regardless of the reason, having to take an alcohol test that can possibly detect usage up to 90 days in the past would make most people anxious. This is especially true if your ability to see your children, or your freedom is at stake. We understand that you will probably have these concerns and worries. We want you to know that we are here to help make the testing process as easy and stress free as possible. If, at any time, you have any questions about the testing process, need help interpreting your results, or would like information on how to join Alcoholics Anonymous or where alcohol abuse treatment can be obtained, please give us a call, we are here to help.