The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at the Department of Health and Human Services issued a proposed guideline for the inclusion of hair specimens in the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs.
If finalized, the guideline would allow federal executive branch agencies to collect and test a hair specimen as part of their drug testing programs but only for pre-employment and random testing. A federal agency choosing to test hair specimens must authorize collection and testing of at least one other specimen type (e.g., urine or oral fluid) that is authorized under the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs. The agency also would have to allow the alternate specimen to be used if a donor is unable to provide a sufficient amount of hair for faith-based or medical reasons, or because he or she does not have enough hair.
The proposed guidelines would establish standards and technical requirements for hair collection and collection materials, initial hair drug test analytes and methods, confirmatory hair drug test analytes and methods, processes for review by the medical review officer, standards for certification of laboratories engaged in hair drug testing for federal agencies' drug-free workplace programs, and requirements for federal agency actions that are covered by these guidelines.
