The Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR 40) and general industry consensus has determined the need for a program providing collection personnel with the training to become proficient in urine specimen collection for drug testing in the work place. Such a program will aim to ensure that the collection is performed in a professional and consistent manner, maintaining confidentiality for the donor and security, integrity and control of the specimen.
The diversity of collection sites and employer needs require that a program used to train and certify collection personnel be adaptable to fit the specific requirements of each facility or company and provide consistency and competency throughout the industry. This course provides participants with sufficient resources and teaching tools so that they can develop a program and effectively train their collection personnel for DATIA certification.
Course Objective
The objective of this CPC training-certification program is to provide instruction and resource material to enable the individual to helping them to become proficient in providing collection services according to proper regulations and guidelines, that ensure the privacy, integrity and security of the donor and the specimen.
Certification and Accreditation
The Collector Certification Program and Accredited Collection Facility Program, administered by DATIA, involve upholding the highest professional standards in the collection facility and its operation and the collection facility's personnel.
To obtain accredited status, collection facilities are required to adhere to strict standards in areas such as regulatory compliance, company service standards, specimen handling, operational practices, business ethics, and facility equipment. All accredited collection facilities are also required to maintain a staff of Certified Professional Collectors (CPC) and at least one Certified Professional Collector Trainer (CPCT).
Course Required Experience Level
DATIA's CPC Training Course is designed for experienced collectors and/ or collection site supervisors. The course is not meant for individuals who have little or no experience in specimen collection procedures. Before taking DATIA's CPC Training course, participants must first meet the following:
Continuing Education Units
Upon successful completion of the course, attendees receive .7 CEUs (7 contact hours) of continuing education credit. Attendees will be provided with a CEU certificate stating the course name, date, sponsoring organization (DATIA) and number of CEUs awarded. These CEUs can be used by attendees for fulfilling continuing education requirements.
Certification Exam Registration
Certification Examination - DATIA offers the Certification examination online, you can sign up and get a password at datia-exams.org. All exams are conducted online rather than in person to accommodate the needs of certification candidates. All questions and answers on the certification exam are derived from the standards taught in the DATIA CPCT™ Training Course and contained in the CPCT and Collector manuals. To register for an examination, DATIA must receive the registration form either online or via fax. DATIA reviews the application and processes it for online.
Please note: To register for the exam, you will need the name and contact information of the monitor.
Mock Collection - Requirements As part of the certification process, you must attest that you have successfully completed the Department of Transportation's required five mock collections before taking the DATIA Certification Exam. You can find more information regarding these five collections here. As part of the examination registration process, you must include the name of the person that monitored the mock collections and include his/her contact information. A random sampling of candidates will be audited each year, and monitors will be contacted to confirm that mock collections were successfully completed. If you do not have a qualified collector to monitor your five collections, you should contact a DATIA Regional Trainer to complete the mock collections. Each R-CPCT has his/her own pricing and scheduling and some may travel to you. It is advised to call the closest trainers in your area for pricing/scheduling quotes. You can also find a monitor through our national database of service providers. You can enter the zip code and check off “collection services” as search criteria to help narrow your selections. These collectors will also have their own scheduling and pricing.
‘Mocks Only’ also known as ‘Initial Proficiency Demonstrations’ After several years of ‘on line’ training, the drug testing industry is coming to the realization ‘on line’ training is a poor substitute to live; especially where DOT ‘mocks’ are concerned. The ‘on-line’ training certainly complies with the requirements. However, the Mocks are actually quite difficult. If poorly trained, collectors are going out to make drug collections with serious and long reaching implications.
At Trifyn, we are able to let students observe and participate in collections and observe real conditions. We can make the student do it again and again, until the student and the instructor are satisfied they know it. This is a huge difference to the ‘on line’ experience, and those completing the course appreciate this. We build up a rapport with the client and are able to offer ongoing phone support for any future situations that arise. All students will receive the arcpoint DOT reference guide. A useful tool for the collector to be able to quickly identify the correct course of action for a wide variety of scenarios that arise. Attending the course is no guarantee of success. In the event a graduate was to complete ‘fatal flaws’ soon after completing the program on real life collections, the DOT would rightly blame the trainers and stop them from providing this service.
Trifyn are looking to introduce quality, well trained professionals into our drug testing industry. Maximum of three per class.
Certified Professional Collector $895/$745 Three Days
As listed under DOT Rule 49 CFR Part 40 Section 40.33 Subpart C
Prior to starting complete and pass the DATIA CPCT exam on line ($199/$299)
From the DOT website
To be permitted to act as a collector in the DOT drug testing program, you must meet each of the requirements of this section:
(a) Basic information. You must be knowledgeable about this part, the current “DOT Urine Specimen Collection Procedures Guidelines,” and DOT agency regulations applicable to the employers for whom you perform collections, and you must keep current on any changes to these materials. The DOT Urine Specimen Collection Procedures Guidelines document is available from ODAPC (Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington DC, 20590, 202–366–3784, or on the ODAPC web site (http://www.dot.gov/ost/dapc).
(b) Qualification training. You must receive qualification training meeting the requirements of this paragraph. Qualification training must provide instruction on the following subjects:
(1) All steps necessary to complete a collection correctly and the proper completion and transmission of the CCF;
(2) “Problem” collections (e.g., situations like “shy bladder” and attempts to tamper with a specimen);
(3) Fatal flaws, correctable flaws, and how to correct problems in collections; and
(4) The collector's responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the collection process, ensuring the privacy of employees being tested, ensuring the security of the specimen, and avoiding conduct or statements that could be viewed as offensive or inappropriate;
(c) Initial Proficiency Demonstration. Following your completion of qualification training under paragraph (b) of this section, you must demonstrate proficiency in collections under this part by completing five consecutive error-free mock collections.
(1) The five mock collections must include two uneventful collection scenarios, one insufficient quantity of urine scenario, one temperature out of range scenario, and one scenario in which the employee refuses to sign the CCF and initial the specimen bottle tamper-evident seal.
(2) Another person must monitor and evaluate your performance, in person or by a means that provides real-time observation and interaction between the instructor and trainee, and attest in writing that the mock collections are “error-free.” This person must be a qualified collector who has demonstrated necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities by—
(i) Regularly conducting DOT drug test collections for a period of at least a year;
(ii) Conducting collector training under this part for a year; or
(iii) Successfully completing a “train the trainer” course.
Five-year Refresher Training $395/ $345 One day
As listed under DOT Rule 49 CFR Part 40 Section 40.33 Subpart C
This course is for those actively engaged in drug testing, looking to fulfill the requirements listed in (e)
It is suggested you complete the program and pass the DATIA CPCT exam on line prior to the course, for thorough understanding. Each collector will have a different level of expertise and experience. Therefore this is not a requirement.
(b) Qualification training. You must receive qualification training meeting the requirements of this paragraph. Qualification training must provide instruction on the following subjects:
(1) All steps necessary to complete a collection correctly and the proper completion and transmission of the CCF;
(2) “Problem” collections (e.g., situations like “shy bladder” and attempts to tamper with a specimen);
(3) Fatal flaws, correctable flaws, and how to correct problems in collections; and
(4) The collector's responsibility for maintaining the integrity of the collection process, ensuring the privacy of employees being tested, ensuring the security of the specimen, and avoiding conduct or statements that could be viewed as offensive or inappropriate;
(c) Initial Proficiency Demonstration. Following your completion of qualification training under paragraph (b) of this section, you must demonstrate proficiency in collections under this part by completing five consecutive error-free mock collections.
(1) The five mock collections must include two uneventful collection scenarios, one insufficient quantity of urine scenario, one temperature out of range scenario, and one scenario in which the employee refuses to sign the CCF and initial the specimen bottle tamper-evident seal.
(2) Another person must monitor and evaluate your performance, in person or by a means that provides real-time observation and interaction between the instructor and trainee, and attest in writing that the mock collections are “error-free.” This person must be a qualified collector who has demonstrated necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities by—
(i) Regularly conducting DOT drug test collections for a period of at least a year;
(ii) Conducting collector training under this part for a year; or
(iii) Successfully completing a “train the trainer” course.
(d) Schedule for qualification training and initial proficiency demonstration. The following is the schedule for qualification training and the initial proficiency demonstration you must meet:
(1) If you became a collector before August 1, 2001, and you have already met the requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, you do not have to meet them again.
(2) If you became a collector before August 1, 2001, and have yet to meet the requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, you must do so no later than January 31, 2003.
(3) If you become a collector on or after August 1, 2001, you must meet the requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section before you begin to perform collector functions.
(e) Refresher training. No less frequently than every five years from the date on which you satisfactorily complete the requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, you must complete refresher training that meets all the requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.
Examination Scoring and Reporting - All certification candidates will receive written notification of their exam scores as follows: 1) at the conclusion of the exam; 2) as a printable pdf report under that CP-ID at datia-exams.org. 3) in the form of a certificate mailed to you with in a week of completion. No exam scores will be reported over the telephone. The pdf and the results shown at the conclusion of the exam notifications will indicate the number of questions missed and whether this constitutes a passing or failing score. Applicants for certification must receive a score of 80%.
Pass Fail Standard - The passing score on the certification examination is based on a minimal level of knowledge that is expected of passing candidates. Each candidate is measured against a standard of knowledge, not against the performance of other individuals taking the examination. An 80% is required to receive certification. The examinations are developed to ensure that all aspects of the collection process are covered, and that there is an equal amount of questions on each criterion. The test questions do not stress one area of the collection process over another.
Appeals Process - Within 30 days of announcing examination results, unsuccessful candidates may appeal their results to the DATIA Specimen Collection Committee. Candidates should submit the question that is being appealed and any documents to support the answer provided by the candidate. These materials should be sent to the attention of the DATIA Specimen Collection Committee at DATIA's headquarters (attn: exam appeals) in written hard copy form with a signature of the petitioner. The committee will review the appeal and respond to the candidate within 30 days. The committee's decision is the final decision and cannot be further appealed by the candidate of DATIA.
Examination Honor System - Candidates for collector certification are required to verify that they have not received any assistance in completing the certification exam beyond the allowed reference materials. Specifically, candidates are not permitted to seek assistance from other collectors, jointly complete exams, or use exams taken previously by themselves or other candidates when completing the exam. Use of any of these means is considered cheating. If a candidate is suspected of cheating in completing their exam, they will be given the reasons for such suspicion and offered the opportunity to explain the circumstances. All information concerning the reasons for suspicion and follow-up information from the candidate will be forwarded to the Specimen Collections Committee (candidate's name and any identifying information will be withheld), who will vote and determine if cheating has occurred. If the committee determines that cheating has occurred, the candidate will be ineligible for certification until the next certification year. If the committee determines that cheating did not occur, the candidate's score on the exam will stand.
Reexamination - Candidates who fail to achieve a passing score on the certification exam will be offered the opportunity to take the exam a second time within 60 days for no charge. The second exam will cover the same material as the original exam, but will contain different questions. Should a candidate register to take the retest after the 60-day period has elapsed, the candidate must remit the full certification fee with the registration form. All registrations are located at datia-exams.org. A candidate can take the certification exam only twice during the certification year, which runs June 1 to May 31. Should a candidate fail to pass the examination after two attempts in one certification year, they will need to wait until the following June to re-register for the examination.
Re-certification - Both CPCTs and CPCs are required to be re-certified each June. This re-certification is achieved through a certification renewal exam conducted online at datia-exams.org. Each user will receive a CP-ID# and a password 8 business hours after submitting their renewal application. DATIA CPCTs and CPCs will be notified beginning two months prior to their certification expiration of the need to re-certify. Other questions on this process can be found on the exam frequently asked questions page. The re-certification exam will be the same as the initial certification exam for the current year. This examination will cover items intrinsic in the specimen collection process to include any and all new regulations, guidelines, and or procedures that have been enacted since the candidate received their initial certification. All of the above policies and procedures apply when re-certifying.
Certification examination fees also apply to re-certification.
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