FY 2021 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program - Formula

This proposal involves two agencies in Virginia, the Department of Forensic Science and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The SAA for this grant is the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. (OCME) The quality of service provided by the OCME has a significant impact on law-enforcement agencies, public health and safety programs, grieving families, and the development of interventions to prevent deaths within the Commonwealth and nationwide. The purposes of the OCME’s funding request are to (1) train forensic pathologist fellows; (2) minimize the time it takes to get toxicology testing results for suspected drug deaths; and (3) ensure that medical examiner staff attend continuing education training/seminars and maintain current knowledge, abilities, and skills. (DFS) The purposes of this DFS funding request are: 1) to increase laboratory efficiency and quality through the use of an electronic technical review process; 2) to improve the quality of forensic science services provided by ensuring that DFS forensic and management staff attend continuing education training and maintain up-to-date knowledge, skills and abilities; and 3) to increase the use of electronic records during evidence intake and Certificate of Analysis distribution.