Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2021, $304,592)
The Nassau County Medical Examiner Division of Forensic Services Biology section is requesting a primary allocation of $260,582 to maintain the increased level of capacity the laboratory has experienced in past CEBR programs and to reduce the current turnaround and backlog to levels suitable to laboratory customers. A secondary allocation of $44,010 has been requested to support the New York State Executive Law 838-a "test all" sexual assault kit legislation which has resulted in an increase in sexual assault related evidence testing. The $304,592 in total funding requests will be utilized to support (1) $33,556 in Personnel and Fringe, (2) 98,076 in Next-generation Sequencing equipment, (3) $120,960 in Supplies, (4) $45,500 in Procurement Contracts and (5) $6,500 in the “Other” category. The overall goal of both funding streams is to maintain a test all policy for property crime evidence as well as sexual assault kit evidence. This will be accomplished by enhancing casework resources and capacity with the expectation of increasing the number of eligible profiles entered into the Combined DNA Index System. The maintenance of capacity and reduction in turnaround will be accomplished through the purchase of casework reagents and consumables along with the use of funds to support personnel overtime (and associated fringe) to address the technical and administrative case review backlog. The review backlog continues to be to most significant obstacle in reducing case turnaround. Additional support to assure program success is requested in procurement contracts and “other” categories of funding to support equipment preventative maintenance contracts and equipment software upgrades. Success of the 2021-2023 CEBR program will be measure by casework performance metrics generated by the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).