Brochure and Registration PDF file  

Introduction:

DATIA is pleased to announce a series of national seminars on how to professionally manage a drug and alcohol-testing Consortium and provide Third Party Administration services.

Since the Department of Transportation implemented mandated drug testing regulations in 1988, an entirely new industry made up of Consortiums and Third Party Administrators (TPAs) has been created to help employers meet the drug and alcohol testing regulations. The Consortium/TPA model has proven a cost effective and convenient method for businesses of all sizes to meet the drug and alcohol testing regulations, and the industry has grown and prospered.

Some estimates are that there are now over 2,500 Consortiums/TPAs nationwide, and the industry enjoys a growth rate exceeding 20 percent annually. At the same time that this important new segment of the drug and alcohol testing industry has come into being, there has been a lack of standardized procedures and rules applying to Consortiums/ TPAs.

No federal regulations govern the proper management of Consortium/TPAs. The many programs that have been developed employ different methods for administering the testing process for their members. In 1995, the DOT published a brief announcement of what a Consortium/TPA can and can not do, but still no comprehensive guidelines exist for this new industry.

This lack of a national consensus and frequent ambiguity on the role of a Consortium/TPA in assisting employers meet the drug and alcohol testing rules needs to be addressed in order for the industry to continue its growth and have the confidence of its members and government officials.

This important DATIA seminar, sponsored by the national association for the industry, is presented by experts who have formed and successfully managed drug-testing programs.

Course Overview:

In this one-day program, you will learn:

• The role of a Consortium/TPA and the scope of their possible services.
  
• Whether you should you hire in-house or contracted Specimen Collectors and Medical Review Officers.
  
• What Certified Drug Testing Laboratories must include in written contracts, and how you can arrange cost-efficient billing procedures and discover methods of tracking missing test results.
  
• What methods can be used to notify clients of a random test.
  
• What the latest federal guidance is on whether you should test a percentage of the entire Consortium pool, or test a percentage of each client's employees.
  
• When pre-employment testing has to be done and when it can be exempt.
  
• How to ensure time sensitive drug and alcohol testing at remote sites and on a 24-hour basis.
  
• What the allowed methods are to report test results to clients.
  
• What information you should maintain in your client files and database and how long the information should be kept.
  
• How to determine the scope of drug and alcohol testing services to provide in mandated or non-mandated testing programs.
  
• What facts you should consider when managing a follow-up testing program for positive tests.
  
• What you should do if your client violates regulations and whether or not it is your responsibility to report them to the federal agency.
  
• How to set up clear and fair procedures to ensure maximum deterrence and detection of drug abusers in your Consortium/TPA.
  
• How to implement effective billing and collection methods, including a foolproof way of ensuring clients are current in their payments.
  
• What software and hardware Consortiums are using to manage their clients and their tests.
  

I. Course Introduction

II. Legislative And Regulatory Climate Which Created Consortiums

III. First Thoughts And Information On C/TPA Management

IV. Development Of Standardized Operating Procedures

V. Developing An Effective Contract With A Client

VI. Developing A Company Policy

VII.Employee Training And Education

VIII. Development Of Effective MembershipDocuments

IX. Managing An Effective And Credible Testing Process

X. Ensuring Accountability In The Testing Process

XI. Managing Paperwork And Filing Requirements

XII. Management And Oversight Of C/TPA Vendors

XIII. Effective Federal Agency And Modal Relations

XIV. Managing Business And Organizational Issues

XV. Interpretation And Policy Positions

XVI. C/TPA Code of Conduct

Hotel Accommodations:

To make room reservations, call the hotel in the city in which you will be attending training and indicate you are a DATIA attendee. You will receive a discounted rate for rooms held in the DATIA block up to four weeks prior to the program. Room confirmations will be sent from the hotel. Pre-negotiated room prices are in parentheses below.