URINE TEST KITS PROVE POPULAR WITH PARENTS

District Attorney's Office Has Second Supply Of 50 Donated Urinalysis Kits

The idea of Mom or Dad sticking a plastic cup in their hands and asking for
a urine sample may not appeal to area teen-agers, but many say they
understand the rationale behind home drug testing.

"It might hurt the trust with your parents, but at least you know they
care," said 16-year-old Brian Cordill.

On Feb. 18, the Reno County district attorney's office began handing out
free urinalysis kits to parents, hoping to curb rising adult drug cases by
intervening early.

"We're hoping to identify those drug users before they ever get into the
system," said Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder. "Let the
family be responsible for identifying the problem and taking care of it
before it reaches the courts."

Last week, Schroeder's office ran out of the initial 50 kits, which are
similar to pregnancy tests, donated by the Hutchinson-based drug-testing
firm Pipeline Testing Consortium Inc. It received another 50 kits - which
can cost from $10 to $25 - later in the week, again donated by Pipeline.

The most recent tests check for traces of marijuana, cocaine and
methamphetamine, Schroeder said. The first 50 also tested for PCP and
morphine, which are fairly rare in the county, he said.

The office hands out about four kits a day, no questions asked.

"We tried to avoid prying in any way," Schroeder said. "We don't want
parents to come in and be embarrassed."

Some have gone out of their way to thank Schroeder. One woman offered him
$20 for a kit.

"The feedback's been extremely positive," he said.

But Schroeder admits he's not sure how effective the program will be. Such
measures by cities and law enforcement agencies to combat drug use are
relatively new. Amid some controversy, a police department in Oregon began
offering in-station tests in 1999, and a Michigan police chief started a
program similar to Schroeder's in January.

Teen reaction to the program has been mixed, but many - including some who
have been tested - seem to support distribution of the kits.

"Parents would feel more comfortable knowing their kids aren't doing
something," said Duane Schwindt, 17.

And Schwindt speaks as a teen who is already randomly tested at Buhler High
School. There, parents who sign a consent form can authorize a visiting
probation officer to test their children for drug use, Assistant Principal
Stefani Dreiling said.

Schwindt said he doesn't sweat the test, which gives his mom peace of mind.

"Why should I, when I don't do anything?" he said.

Still, other teen-agers at Buhler High School said they don't like the idea
of overly suspicious parents.

Kassidy Crum, 15, said that if her parents were going to "pop a UA on me,
I'd tell them it's none of their business."

"I'd be mad, personally," said 15-year-old Jenna Reeves. "Parents are
showing that they don't trust kids. Just ask us, and we'll tell the truth."

In fact, parents should probably use a test as a last resort, said Betsy
Mansel, the substance abuse coordinator at Horizons Mental Health Center,
Hutchinson.

"It's important that the family have good communication and that
preventative strategies be employed before a test is given," Mansel said.
"The majority of kids would be honest."

The kit comes with literature about drug abuse that may prove more valuable
than the test, said Schroeder, who likened the actual test to "the prize in
a box of Cracker Jacks."

Vergi Geurian, president of Pipeline, said a lot of parents who pick up the
kits never use them. That's because having a kit on hand works two ways: A
teen can avoid peer pressure by the excuse of an imminent drug test, and
parents retain control by having the option of giving a test at any time.

"Most of the time I think the parents already know what the outcome is
going to be," said Jill Brown, director of Christian education at
Hutchinson's First Presbyterian Church, which held a youth group discussion
Sunday night about the kits.

But some said that having the option of testing at home is necessary. It's
not that easy to spot drug use, they said, and most teen-agers won't
readily admit to using.

"How else do you find out if you're a parent?" said Sue Ann Osterhout, a
counselor for Hutchinson Community College's student support services.
"We're talking about someone's life here."