June 23, 2021
Recent
News
With Connecticut, recreational marijuana use has now been legalized in nearly half of US

Connecticut became the 19th state to legalize recreational use of marijuana Tuesday, when Gov. Ned Lamont signed a highly anticipated bill which hopes to address racial inequities stemming from the nation's war on drugs.
“We had a chance to learn from others, and I think we’ve got it right here in the state of Connecticut,” said Lamont, referring to the multiyear effort to finally pass a legalization bill during a ceremony at the state capital.
“Maybe we weren’t the first but we were the first, I think, to show that we can get it right," he said. 
People age 21 and older will be allowed to possess and consume marijuana beginning on July 1 under the new law, which also lays the groundwork for a new cannabis industry in the state and attempts to address racial inequities stemming from the nation’s war on drugs.
Amazon ditched cannabis testing, and more employers will likely follow

Amazon certainly wasn't the first major corporation to arrive at the cannabis reform party, but it sure made one of the biggest entrances to-date when it publicly pledged to relax its drug testing policies and also to back federal legalization efforts.
And now it's a question of how many others will follow — especially during a time when some firms are desperate for workers.
Amazon kicked off June with an announcement that it would stop testing for cannabis metabolites as part of its drug screening program for positions not regulated by the US Department of Transportation. The company also said it would back the federal Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, a recently reintroduced bill aimed at de-scheduling marijuana and reassessing some past cannabis-related convictions.
It's not yet clear to what extent Amazon will fund cannabis reform efforts on the federal level as well as to what any future business endeavors in the space may be. Amazon spokespeople did not comment beyond the company's June 1 statement and declined to respond to questions posed by CNN Business.
DATIA
News & Events
Patrice Kelly of ODAPC to Speak at DATIA Conference
DATIA is thrilled to announce that Patrice Kelly, Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC) will be speaking at DATIA's Annual Conference.

Patrice Kelly has been the Director of the ODAPC in the Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) since late 2017. ODAPC’s mission is to enhance public safety within transportation industries across the United States by issuing regulations to prevent alcohol misuse and illegal drug use in transportation systems and ensuring that DOT’s drug and alcohol policies are implemented in a consistent, fair and efficient manner. As an Ex Officio member on behalf of DOT, she was the longest serving member on the Department of Health and Human Services Federal Drug Testing Advisory Board.

Watch your email and our Facebook and LinkedIn Pages for more Conference updates.
DATIA's New Website Coming Soon

DATIA's new system will be launching in the next few weeks.
Key features of the new website include:
  • New member portal
  • Autorenewal option
  • Increased automation resulting in faster time to get exam log ins and certificates
  • Ability for members to see when their membership and certifications expire
  • More user friendly
Join DATIA on LinkedIn and Facebook
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DATIA Member
Forums and Webinars
SAVE THE DATE for DATIA's upcoming Member Forums and Webinars!
-Learn about the tools, resources and certifications that DATIA provides to make your business successful.
-Network with other members
-Learn about DATIA involvement opportunities

DATIA Member Forum Dates

July 21, 7 pm EST
· Tools You Need to Move Your Business Forward

September 21, 7 pm EST
· Move Forward with your Certification: A Step-by-Step Guide on What You Need to Get Certified:
o CPC(T)
o DER
o MRO Assistant
o DATIA Accredited Collection Facility
o NAADATP

November 16, 7 pm EST
· Moving the Industry Forward through Advocacy, How DATIA is Making Your Voice Heard

January 18, 7 pm EST
· Move Your Business Forward through Networking: A networking event for DATIA business owners consists of a 30-minute presentation and then 30 minutes of Q&A.

DATIA Webinars Dates
Stay tuned for details
August 5, 7pm EST
October 5, 7pm EST
December 2, 7pm EST
February 1, 7pm EST
Department of Transportation News
Spring 2021 regulatory agenda: FMCSA seeks to ‘streamline and improve’ database of drivers who fail drug, alcohol tests

A proposal to “streamline and improve error-correction procedures, queries, and consent requirements” within the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is among the anticipated agency actions listed on the Department of Transportation’s regulatory agenda for Spring 2021.

Released June 11, the agenda – issued by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs twice a year – provides the status of and projected dates for all potential regulations listed in three stages: pre-rule, proposed rule and final rule. Listings marked “long term” aren’t expected to be worked on for at least six months.

The potential measure to amend clearinghouse protocol is among seven regulations listed in the proposed rule stage, with a notice for proposed rulemaking expected in February.
FMCSA fully implemented the clearinghouse in January 2020, unveiling a national online database intended to enhance road safety by providing – in real time – the names of commercial motor vehicle drivers who have failed drug and alcohol tests.
SAMSHA News
SAMHSA Awards Vibrant Emotional Health the Grant to Administer 988 Dialing Code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) today announced Vibrant Emotional Health (Vibrant) will be the administrators of the new 988 dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline). A pair of the agency’s grants, totaling $48 million and including $32 million in Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 funding, will fund the effort to better harness technology to help Americans in mental health crisis and save more lives. Vibrant, in partnership with SAMHSA, has administered the Lifeline since its creation in 2005. This funding also supports the national Disaster Distress Helpline, a subnetwork of the Lifeline.

“The need for quick, easy and reliable access to emotional support and crisis counselling has never been greater. The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the stressors faced by Americans; too often, such stressors result in suicidal and mental health crises,” said Tom Coderre, Acting Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the interim head of SAMHSA.

“These grants will work to expand the nation’s call centers’ capacity and technological readiness as the Lifeline’s shift to 988 becomes operational next summer. Until that launch, we ask anyone who needs help or who has a loved one at risk of suicide to call or chat with Lifeline operators at 1-800-273-8255.”
2021 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
August 25-28, 2021
Marriott Marquis Washington, DC
Space is limited so don't delay. Purchase your exhibit space today!
The DATIA Annual Meeting will be held August 25-28, 2021 at the Marriott Marquis in Washington DC.

This meeting is presented for professionals, from industry service providers to end-user client to regulatory officials in order to learn and discuss the very latest information on regulatory affairs, ethics, safety and business practices critical to their organization’s outlook.
Renew Your Membership
Don't miss out on another great year of with DATIA! DATIA membership provides you and your company a number of key benefits:

  • Represents Your Interests on Capitol Hill and with Key Agency Officials
  • Educates and Informs You on New Developments Within the Industry
  • Increases Standards for Professionalism and Business Practices
  • Markets Your Company to Consumers of Drug and Alcohol Testing
DATIA focus Magazine
Call for Submissions
The goal of DATIA focus is to offer guidance, education, and insight for providers of drug and alcohol testing services to work more efficiently and effectively, as well as to provide employers implementing drug and alcohol testing programs with education on best practices, industry standards, and lessons learned.

Share your industry expertise by contributing an article to the DATIA focus! Email Krystle at info@datia.org.
DATIA Online Courses
DATIA provides members and non-members alike a number of online courses to train and advance their drug and alcohol testing knowledge. From providing introductory courses to certifications, DATIA supplies the resources right to your home or office via our online portal.

*Designates exam must be completed post course to receive certification

This course is a general primer on how to manage a Consortium or Third Party Administrator (C/TPA) service.

provides collection personnel with the training to become proficient in DOT and federal urine specimen collections for drug testing in the workplace

The course concentrates on DOT procedures because they are considered the “gold standard in the industry” and covers each step of the collection process and problems arising in the collection process.

The goal of this course is to provide an introduction to the drug and alcohol testing process.

The objective of this course is to ensure that MRO Assistant duties are performed in a professional and consistent manner, including maintaining confidentiality for the donor, and ensuring security and integrity in the process.
Certification Exam not provided by Datia

This course provides tools and techniques to successfully identify and facilitate a reasonable suspicion scenario through discovery, documentation and discussion 

This course will provide you with comprehensive SAP qualification training meeting the Department of Transportation's (DOT) SAP qualification training requirements
Certification Exam not provided by Datia
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