Laboratory Services
Celebrating 100 years of service to Montana's Public Health!
The Laboratory Services Bureau partners in the prevention and control of disease and the improvement of community health by providing quality testing in support of environmental and disease assessment and control to programs, health care providers, and the general public at the state and local level.
Sickle Cell Trait for College Sports
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is requiring college athletes to be screened for sickle cell trait, an inherited condition that can cause complications such dehydration and heat stroke during intense exercise. This condition is part of the recommended universal screening panel for newborns, so it is likely college-bound athletes have had the screening, even if they are not aware of the results. If your child was born in Montana and you need sickle cell screening results, please reach out to the MT Laboratory Services Bureau Newborn Screening Program. You will need to complete and have notarized (for identity verification) a "Patient Request for Release of Laboratory Test Results", which can be faxed or emailed to our laboratory (subject line Sickle Cell Result Request). We will get the results to you as soon as possible. If you have a fax number, include it on the form for faster turn-around; otherwise results will typically be mailed to the address on the form.
For more information on sickle cell trait or the NCAA requirement, click on the links below:
What is Sickle Cell Trait? | CDC
Environmental Laboratory, including Water Laboratory Certification and Marijuana Lab Endorsement
Supervisor: Russell Leu, rleu@mt.gov, (406) 444-5259
The State Environmental Laboratory provides the following services:
- Testing to support the Safe Drinking Water Act
- Consultation and certification services to laboratories who perform Drinking Water Analyses
- Testing for possible human exposure to identified chemical threat agents
- Technical assistance in the areas of analyses selection and results interpretation
- Marijuana Lab Endorsement
Public Health Laboratory, including Newborn Screening
Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics Section Supervisor: Michelle Mozer, mmozer@mt.gov, (406) 444-5526
Serology and Newborn Screening Section Supervisor: Vacant, (406)444-3040. Please contact MTPHL with Serology and Newborn Screening questions.
The Public Health Laboratory provides the following services:
- Online ordering and result retrieval
- Public Health Laboratory Directory of Services
- Guidance Documents and consultation in appropriate test selection, specimen requirements, and test interpretation
- Influenza surveillance
- Diagnosis of infectious diseases or intentional biologic or chemical threats
- Newborn screening, including short term followup, for genetic and metabolic disorders
- Aggregated results of specific laboratory tests for statewide surveillance
Laboratory Emergency Preparedness
Laboratory Preparedness Coordinator Kim Newman, knewman@mt.gov, (406) 444-3068
Laboratory Emergency Preparedness provides the following services:
- Response to public health emergencies
- Drinking Water Emergency Sampling (DWES) if water tampering is suspected
- Unknown substance sampling for suspicious substances
- Exposure to toxic chemicals and biological agents
