Elite Program for Industrial Clients

Denning Health’s ELITE, turn-key program, is an effective and proven tool for the prevention of drug and alcohol related problems within safety-sensitive work environments. Since 1995, companies in forestry, mining, food processing, telecommunications, and manufacturing have benefited from our experience in creating and implementing the ELITE program resting on a legally defensible Substance Use and Impairment Policy. This program is comprised of an information session for executives; policy development; supervisors training for front-line supervisors; employee education sessions; and drug and alcohol testing.

All training sessions are led by Tom Yearwood, LLB. Tom has a law degree from Dalhousie University and has over 30 years of experience.

Executive Information Session

This session is designed for Executives, Managers, Operations Managers, HR Managers, and anyone else who may be asked to make decisions or explain the Substance Use and Impairment Policy. The session will help attendees gain a deeper understanding of the legal landscape around workplace drug and alcohol policies and be better equipped to make decisions regarding their own program. The session will also help Denning Health gain a better understanding of the client’s unique workplace environment so that the policy that is then drafted will meet all the client’s needs.

Policy Development

Substance Use and Impairment Policies are written by Tom Yearwood, LLB, which will meet both current Canadian Human Rights legislation and applicable Labour and Employment Laws in your jurisdiction.

Supervisors Training

Supervisors’ Intervention Training is an exam-based course intended to improve your supervisors’ ability to legally address situations of suspected on the job use/possession/impairment. Attendees will also gain an in-depth understanding of post incident investigations carried out to determine if drug and alcohol testing is legally defensible in each situation.

Employee Education

Employee orientation introduces employees to the Substance Use and Impairment Policy and helps gain their support for the program.

Testing Services

Our drug and alcohol testing services include point-of-care urine drug screens; lab-based urine drug screens; point-of-care oral fluid drug screens; lab-based oral fluid drug screens and breath alcohol tests. With all point-of-care tests, negative results are available within five minutes after collection of the sample. Many of our clients are choosing to implement a program that includes point-of-care testing as it keeps to a minimum the number of employees who are off the job while waiting for a lab-based drug screen result. All samples that are sent to the lab will be reviewed by a Certified Medical Review Officer, which prevents any chance of a false positive due to such factors as a legitimate prescription medication.

If you choose to sign up for our Collection Site Management Program, then we will recruit and train collectors who can conduct on-site testing at your workplace.

How to get started

If you would like to discuss how our ELITE program will work for you,  please email info@denninghealth.ca or call 604-572-4558.

Drug and Alcohol Monitoring and Intervention Programs

The Denning Health Group has long ago recognized a need for adequate monitoring and intervention and therefore have developed our programs accordingly. Our programs for social workers, probation officers and others involved in law enforcement include urine and hair follicle testing. All urine and hair samples are tested at an accredited forensic laboratory. All urine samples that screen positive are confirmed through Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). All hair samples that screen positive are confirmed through Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS/MS).

Urine Drug Testing

With urine, we can test for Amphetamines, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, Cocaine, Marijuana, Methadone, Codeine, Morphine, Heroin, Phencyclidine, Propoxyphene and Alcohol. There are other less-common drugs that we can test for upon special request. With hair, we can test for Amphetamines, Cocaine, Marijuana, Codeine, Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Morphine, Heroin, and Phencyclidine. Upon special request, we can also test the hair for Alcohol and Oxycodone. With saliva, we can test for amphetamines, cocaine, THC, Opiates and PCP. We can test for the entire panel or we can request a confirmation test for one single drug category. Sometimes a client may opt for saliva testing as opposed to urine testing due to the shorter window of detection.

When Urine Testing Is Recommended

Urine testing is recommended if you want to know if your client used a particular drug within the past couple of days. Urine testing is also recommended as part of a monitoring or maintenance program to see if your client is keeping clean on a week-by-week basis, or to ensure that your client is actually taking their methadone.

Hair Testing

We can conduct hair tests that cover the time periods 0-3 months prior to the date of collection; 4-6 months prior to the date of collection; 7-9 months prior to the date of collection; and 10-12 months prior to the date of collection. We cannot test for a time period that is less than three months in length and the hair must be at least 1.5 inches long at the back of the head near the crown in order for us to conduct the standard three month test. We require longer hair in order to go back further than three months.

When Hair Testing Is Recommended

Hair testing is recommended if your client has successfully evaded a requested urine test and the suspected drug would now be gone from the urine. Hair testing is also recommended if your client has been on urine testing but you have reasons to believe the client may have cheated on their tests. Hair testing is also a cost-effective option for maintenance testing to ensure that a client is staying clean.

One-Time Testing Versus Random Testing

A one time test means that your client has been referred for one single test. Hair test referrals are always one time tests. Urine test referrals may be one time tests. Social workers who refer their client for a one time test will receive written notification if the client does not attend their test.

A random referral means that the client is being referred for a series of surprise random urine tests. The social worker can choose how many tests to schedule over a certain period of time (the custom program) or the worker can choose from one of three programs that include a pre-set number of tests over a specified time period. Social workers who refer their client for random testing will receive a weekly progress report regarding the client’s compliance with the program.

The Role Of The Medical Review Officer

We strongly recommend that social workers utilize the services of a Certified Medical Review Officer to assist them with interpretation of drug screen results. Our Medical Review Officers provide phone-based consultations, written reports, and in-court testimony. For further details and prices, please email Traci Weaver at tweaver@denninghealth.ca.

How To Get Started

If you are a social worker, probation officer or other professional involved in law enforcement, and if you would like to receive a referral package and information sheets that include a complete list of collection sites across every Canadian Province and in the US, please email tweaver@denninghealth.ca or call Marnie Johnson at 604-572-4558.

Custody and Court Ordered Drug and Alcohol Testing

If you have been ordered by a court to undergo testing, or are involved in a custody battle, we can help

The first step is to have your lawyer contact us for a Lawyers Referral Package.

How To Get Started

If you are a lawyer and you would like to receive our testing referral package for lawyers, please email info@denninghealth.ca or call 604-572-4558. If you have been ordered by the courts to submit to a drug test, or if your family member or ex-spouse is the one requesting the test, please have your lawyer contact us for a referral package.