FY 2024 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program-Competitive

The New Hampshire Department of Justice is the State Administrating Agency authorized to administer U.S. Department of Justice Grant programs and is submitting the FY24 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program-Competitive application on behalf of the State of New Hampshire.
According to the most recent New Hampshire Drug Monitoring Initiative data from the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), 486 people died in 2022 from drug overdoses with 426 of these being opioid related. These high number of deaths impact the workload on forensic services, making Coverdell Competitive funding strategically important to the state.
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner currently has only two pathologists employed, with one position vacant. This staffing shortage leads to pathologists taking on extra duties, creating an increase in backlog cases and an overall decreased efficiency. As a result, this Coverdell funding to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will support costs related to an Evidence Technician, who is responsible for the inventory and control of all specimens and physical evidence for this forensic organization's autopsies. This grant will continue to support costs related to an Office Manager, whose position assists with necessary clerical duties. Deputy Chief Forensic Investigator will continue to be funded, whose duties includes working with law enforcement, families, funeral homes, and the public during the forensic investigation process.
If awarded this additional competitive funding, a Planning Analyst position will be supported that will include compiling and collecting data for drug overdose deaths for reporting purposes. Overtime to the aforementioned Office Manager would be allocated as by assisting with these office duties, the Office Manager allows the pathologists and evidence technicians to better spend their time in investigations. This is vital with the continuing high rate of opioid and stimulant overdose deaths and the shortage of one pathologist. A portion of this competitive funding will go towards imagery equipment called the Lodox Systems, which produces full body X-ray imaging to enhance the speed and accuracy in pathology centers.
The outcome of providing this funding to this established and accredited forensic laboratory system is the enhancement of the efficiency and accuracy of forensic services in the state by increasing staffing, equipment, and technology to handle the increased workload and backlog of cases being faced due to the documented high number of drug overdose deaths yearly.