Frequently Asked Questions - Voluntary Random Drug Testing (VRDT)

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Testing will be done during the regular school day.  Every effort will be made to be discreet and to not disrupt classes or co-curricular activities.

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The confidential screening will be done on campus in a private secure area, through our Health Services department.  Officials in the Health Services department will not reveal to other school officials the names of students screened.

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At the beginning of each school year, every family will be required to complete and submit a form choosing to enroll or not enroll in the program. The confidential list of names of those enrolled will be forwarded to an outside lab.  Once a month, the school will select a day to perform urine screens and the lab then will randomly select about 20 percent of the students enrolled in the program for testing.  The lab will notify parents by mail if the tests are negative.  In the event of a positive test, the lab will immediately attempt to reach the parents by other means.  School officials only will be informed of the number of tests completed and the number of positive results.  No disciplinary action will be taken on the school’s part as the result of a positive VRDT test.

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As the name implies, the program is TOTALLY VOLUNTARY.  Both the parent(s) and the student must agree to be in the program in order to be enrolled. Students selected for testing are only those enrolled in the program.

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There is no cost to our families to participate in this program. The cost is about $45 per screen and HPA’s ‘Ohana Association has agreed to financially support this effort for the first year.  We also will be looking at other sources and/or grants to fund this program.

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The school’s drug and alcohol policy operates independently from the VRDT program. Disciplinary action will only take place if the school—on its own volition and independent "for cause" drug/alcohol testing—already was investigating a particular substance-related allegation. In this situation, the school’s “regular” substance use or possession policy and process will apply. [Click here to review HPA's Drug/Alcohol Policy.] Disciplinary action on the school's part does not occur as a result of VRDT participation.

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Voluntary Random Drug Testing is one component of our overall drug education and abuse prevention program.  Let’s be frank—all schools and communities are impacted by underage drug use and abuse.  To do nothing is not an option.  It is our hope that this program will encourage parental involvement in this critical behavioral area and will empower our young people to make wise choices if and when they are pressured or tempted to engage in substance use and abuse.

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Result: My child tested negative.

If your child tests negative, it does not mean that you should stop talking to him/her about what ill effects drugs can have on them, as well as the downfalls of alcohol abuse.  Remember, the test is a platform for you to use to communicate with your child about such issues.  What questions get raised by your child, as well as yourself, are important.  Educate yourself about drug use and abuse with youths by visiting the sites listed here.

Result: My child tested positive.

Don’t panic and don’t over react.  It is not uncommon for parents to experience shock, guilt, anger, disappointment, disbelief, and many other emotions when they discover their child has used drugs.

Be considerate to yourself and your child by giving yourself the time and space to deal with your feelings.  It is best to do so in private, with your spouse, a friend, a minister, or someone in the counseling profession.  Overly emotional reactions in the presence of your child might interfere with productive problem-solving.

Listen.  You can gain information and insight about your child without having to agree with him/her.  Listen to your teen’s point of view and attitude.

Avoid judgmental statements.  These only give your child an excuse to tune you out and avoid the issue.

Be calm.  Model appropriate problem-solving behavior to your child.  Show how an adult can maturely and reasonably deal with a difficult situation.

Don’t be misled.  Don’t easily accept, “I only did it once,” or “I’ll never do it again.”  You can’t help your child if he/she easily misleads you.

Both parents must agree on a plan.  Whether your child lives with one or both parents, all adults involved should agree on what should be done.  Support from both parents and consistency in follow-through are important.  Parents who disagree about solutions or who will not support each other in follow-through can easily be divided by their child.  If this happens, your child might not get what is needed to deal with the important issues that contributed to his/her drug use.

Be consistent.  Teens who are willing experiment with drugs might also tend to push limits for the excitement and fun of “trying to get away with it.”  If parents are inconsistent, teens will test you and easily discover you don’t mean what you say.  They will break rules, avoid consequences, and continue to engage in nonproductive behaviors.

Don’t make promises you can’t keep.  If you set a consequence or plan of action make sure you can willingly and relatively easily follow through.  Parents often defeat themselves by setting unreasonable consequences that they or their child cannot be consistent with.  If this happens, you both lose.  Set a plan of action and follow through on it.

Continue to have your child drug tested on a regular basis.

Who can help?  Counselors and health care professionals can be a great source of information.  We have compiled a resource list that is a good starting point (Click here).  You also can call Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy and speak with our guidance counselors without any negative repercussions.  As part of the Voluntary Random Drug Testing Program, all of our faculty members are here to help and assist families and not to punish students.

You also can talk to your primary care provider, or your child’s pediatrician, for a referral to a qualified youth counselor or therapist who specializes in drug use/abuse.  Finally, you can check with your health insurance company, which might also refer you to someone on their provider list.  Many churches also have youth counselors who you can go to for help.