Board adds oral‑fluid testing to random drug‑testing options for probation and intervention participants

The California Board of Registered Nursing voted unanimously May 29 to permit oral‑fluid (commonly called saliva) testing as an acceptable method for random drug testing for probationers and intervention‑program participants, after a technical presentation from Vault Health and its medical review officer.

Board members heard detailed evidence about how oral‑fluid testing differs from urine, hair and blood testing and how programs should integrate multiple specimen types. Board Chair Tricia Wynne moved the motion to allow oral‑fluid testing; the motion was seconded and passed with votes from President Dolores Trujillo, Vice President Nilu Patel and other board members.

Why it matters: Board staff and members said oral‑fluid testing could make supervised collections more accessible and improve program compliance for participants who live far from collection sites. Vault Health described a “virtual monitored collection” workflow that lets participants use shipped kits and be monitored live by a collector through an online video connection.

Key facts and implementation details presented at the meeting: - Vault Health said a typical virtual bundle is five test kits (two tubes per test to enable a split specimen), and the…