Druchol gives co-parents, lawyers and family courts a verified record of a parent's sobriety. The parent takes breathalyzer tests on a schedule, at random or on request, using a Bluetooth breathalyzer and the Druchol app. Every test is recorded on video with its location, and the results go to the other parent and anyone else on the account.
It's a way to address concerns about a parent's drinking while letting them keep their parenting time, and to give everyone the same facts instead of competing accounts.
How remote alcohol monitoring works in a custody case
- The parents agree to monitoring, or a court orders it as part of a parenting order or agreement.
- The parent being tested signs up and receives the i Alco Supreme breathalyzer.
- The other parent, and if needed a lawyer or mediator, is added as a monitor or a viewer.
- A testing schedule is set: fixed times around parenting time, daily random tests, or a test requested on the spot.
- About an hour before each test, the parent gets a text and an email. They take the test in the app while it records a video and their location.
- Results are saved with the exact BAC reading, sent to contacts by email and included in weekly and monthly reports.
Testing around parenting time, or every day
When the concern is drinking while caring for the children, tests can be scheduled just before a pickup, during the visit and before the drop-off. When the concerns are greater, daily random testing of up to 4 tests a day gives a fuller picture. One plan covers both, at $79 a month with unlimited testing days and no contract.
What the other parent sees
- Every test with its BAC reading, the video of the test and the location where it was taken
- Emails when a test is passed, failed or missed, depending on their notification settings
- Weekly CSV reports and monthly PDF reports by email, if they turn them on
- As a monitor, the ability to create schedules and request a test right away
Reports for lawyers, mediators and the court
Monthly PDF reports summarize passed, failed and missed tests on a calendar. Each one includes a QR code that opens the official copy on druchol.com, so a lawyer, mediator or judge can confirm it matches Druchol's records. Lawyers and mediators can also be added as viewers to see results as they happen.
How monitoring helps co-parenting
Providing reassurance about sobriety
Monitoring can give the other parent, the court, or a child welfare professional objective evidence that a parent is not consuming alcohol before or during parenting time.
Supporting expanded parenting time
If concerns about alcohol use have led to supervised visits or restricted access, a demonstrated record of compliance may support requests for increased or unsupervised parenting time, depending on the circumstances.
Reducing conflict and allegations
Objective test results can reduce disputes based on accusations or suspicions by providing documented evidence rather than relying solely on competing accounts.
Protecting child safety
Courts generally prioritize the child's best interests. Monitoring can be one tool used to help ensure that a parent is sober while caring for the child.
Demonstrating accountability and progress
A parent participating in treatment or recovery can use monitoring records to show ongoing commitment to sobriety.
What to agree on in your parenting plan
- When tests happen, and for how many months
- Who is added as a monitor or a viewer
- Who pays for the monitoring
- What happens after a missed or failed test
- When monitoring can be reduced or stopped
Frequently asked questions
Can the other parent see the test results?
Yes. Add the other parent as a monitor or a viewer. A monitor can also create test schedules and manage billing, while a viewer can only see results and download reports. Both can log in to see every test, including the BAC reading, the video and the location, and can choose to get an email when a test is passed, failed or missed.
How do I share results with my lawyer, a mediator or the court?
Add your lawyer or mediator as a viewer so they can see results as they come in, or download the monthly PDF report. Each report has a QR code that opens the official copy on druchol.com, so anyone reading it can check that it hasn't been changed. Raw test results and weekly CSV reports can also be downloaded.
Will a family court accept Druchol results?
Courts decide case by case what evidence they accept, so no monitoring provider can promise that a court will rely on its results. Druchol gives you a dated record of every test with the BAC reading, a video of the person taking it and the location, plus reports that can be verified online. Speak with your lawyer, and follow any order that names a specific type of monitoring.
Who pays for alcohol monitoring in a custody case?
That is usually set out in the court order or the parenting agreement. The parent being tested can pay when they sign up, or a monitor can manage the billing on the account. Druchol is $79 a month plus a $150 breathalyzer, with no contract.
How often should a parent be tested?
It depends on the order and the concerns. Some families test only around parenting time, such as before a pickup, during the visit and before the drop-off. Others use daily random tests, up to 4 a day. Druchol includes unlimited testing days, so the price is the same either way.
What happens if a test is missed or failed?
A test that isn't completed within an hour of its scheduled time is recorded as missed. A reading of 0.08% BAC or higher is marked as failed, and every reading is saved with its exact BAC so monitors can see any alcohol, not just failed tests. Contacts get an email based on their notification settings. Agree in advance what will happen after a missed or failed test.
Can a parent fake a test?
Every test is recorded on video with its location, so monitors can see who blew into the breathalyzer and where. Test videos are kept for more than five years.
This page is general information and not legal advice. If a court order names a particular monitoring method, follow the order and speak with your lawyer before making any change.
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