Hair Follicle Drug Test for Child Custody
Hair Follicle Drug Test for Child Custody – A Practical Guide for Parents
A hair follicle drug test for child custody gives parents, attorneys, and courts a documented look at drug use history covering roughly the last 90 days, or longer with an extended panel, through the AMH Nationwide network. We can provide the lab order you will need and send you to one of our various locations including Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, Omega Labs, United States Drug Testing Labs, and ExperTox. We also offer testing for environmental exposure to determine whether a child is being exposed to drugs in their environment. Call (877) 731-6362 to begin.
Why Do Parents in Custody Cases Choose Hair Follicle Testing?
Parents navigating a custody dispute often choose hair follicle testing because it can document a pattern of drug use, or the absence of one, over roughly the last 90 days rather than only the day of the test. This can matter when a case involves questions about ongoing sobriety rather than a single past incident.
Some parents test proactively, on their own initiative, to have documentation on file. Others test because a court order, a guardian ad litem, or an agreement between attorneys requires it. AMH Nationwide supports both situations, and you do not need a court order to test on your own initiative, though it does not advise on which approach is right for your case; that is a conversation for your attorney.
What Does the Testing Day Look Like?
After AMH Nationwide provides your lab order, you will visit a nearby Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, Omega Labs, United States Drug Testing Labs, or ExperTox collection site where a small bundle of hair is cut close to the scalp from a less visible section of the head. The process itself typically takes only a few minutes and does not involve needles or discomfort.
Schedule
Call AMH Nationwide or contact us and confirm whether the test is tied to a court order or a personal request.
Bring documentation
If you need the test for court or custody, chain-of-custody applies (unless it is an anonymous at-home sample). You will need photo identification and our lab order.
Collection
At the collection site, a small bundle of hair is taken, either closest to the scalp or closest to the skin if body hair.
Lab analysis
The sample is analyzed; any non-negative screen goes through confirmation testing before Medical Review Officer review.
Results delivered
Results are typically available within a few business days to the authorized recipient named at scheduling.
Have questions about scheduling for a custody matter?
AMH Nationwide staff can walk you through timing and chain-of-custody requirements. Call today.
How Do I Talk to My Attorney About This Test?
Before scheduling, it helps to confirm with your attorney which detection window the case calls for, standard 90 day or an extended 6, 9, or 12 month panel, and who should receive the results directly. This avoids scheduling the wrong test type for what your case requires.
AMH Nationwide staff can explain how the testing process works and answer questions about scheduling, but questions about how a result may be used in your custody case, or what a judge is likely to require, should go to your attorney since those are legal questions outside the scope of a testing provider.
How Do I Choose Between the Standard and Extended Hair Test?
The standard 90 day hair follicle test is often sufficient when a case is asking about recent months, while an extended 6, 9, or 12 month segmented test is more appropriate when a court or attorney wants to see a longer, segmented pattern of use or abstinence.
If you are unsure which option your case calls for, that is a question for your attorney rather than AMH Nationwide, since the testing provider arranges collection and laboratory analysis but does not determine what a specific court proceeding requires.
What Questions Should I Ask AMH Nationwide Before Scheduling?
Before scheduling, it helps to consider which detection window fits your case and what drug classifications need to be covered. We can help you decide which panel is best without overspending. We will provide the lab order you will need and send you to one of our various locations including Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, Omega Labs, United States Drug Testing Labs, and ExperTox. We will also establish how results will be delivered and to whom, and how long results typically take so you can plan around a filing deadline or hearing.
AMH Nationwide staff can answer scheduling and process questions directly; questions about what a specific court will require, or how a result may be used in your case, should still go to your attorney.
Does AMH Nationwide Offer Support Beyond the Test Itself?
AMH Nationwide’s role is to provide the lab order needed and arrange collection, laboratory analysis, and Medical Review Officer review; it does not provide legal representation, custody counseling, or therapy services, so parents needing support beyond testing should work with their attorney or a qualified counselor alongside the testing process.
What AMH Nationwide can offer is a straightforward, discreet process and clear answers about scheduling, turnaround time, and how results are delivered, which can reduce some of the uncertainty around this part of a difficult situation.
More Resources for Parents
Common Questions From Parents
AMH Nationwide focuses on the testing process itself; a counselor, support group, or your attorney’s office may be better positioned to offer guidance on the emotional side of a custody matter.
Yes, many parents schedule a follow-up test weeks or months later to help document continued abstinence; discuss timing with your attorney so the follow-up aligns with your case.
AMH Nationwide can explain the testing process and general result format, though interpreting how a specific result affects your custody case is a legal question for your attorney.
Call (877) 731-6362 and explain your timeline; AMH Nationwide can advise on realistic turnaround and whether any expedited option is available for your situation.
Neither test is universally more accurate; they answer different questions. Hair testing covers a longer window of roughly 90 days or more, while urine testing covers a much shorter recent window, so the right choice depends on what the case is trying to establish.
Body hair, such as underarm or leg hair, can be used as an alternative when scalp hair is too short, though body hair grows differently and the standard 90 day estimate does not translate directly to body hair samples.
AMH Nationwide does not publish a fixed nationwide price since cost depends on the panel and detection window selected; call (877) 731-6362 for a current quote.
No single test result automatically determines a custody outcome; a judge weighs many factors, and how any result is used in your case is a legal matter for your attorney to advise on.
Ready to schedule testing for a custody matter?
Discreet, nationwide collection through our national lab networks. Call today or contact us.