THIS PROJECT IS IN RESPONSE TO CATEGORY 1: STRENGTHENING THE MEDICAL EXAMINER-CORONER SYSTEM PROGRAM - PURPOSE AREA 1: FORENSIC PATHOLOGY FELLOWSHIP; COMPETITION ID: C-BJA-2021-00101. PROPOSED PROJECT: THE MARION COUNTY CORNERS OFFICE SEEKS FUNDING TO HIRE A FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST FELLOW FROM JULY 2022 THROUGH JUNE 2023. DUE TO AN INCREASE IN CASELOAD DUE TO THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC, SUICIDE RATES, AND OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS MCCO IS REQUESTING FUNDING FOR A FELLOW FOR MARION COUNTY IN INDIANA. THE REQUESTED FUNDS WILL BE USED TO PAY THE SALARY OF THE FULL-TIME FELLOW FOR 12 MONTHS OF THE PROJECT, AS WELL AS TRAVEL TO PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES AND MEMBERSHIP DUES. SERVICE AREA: THE MARION COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE (MCCO, ALSO CORONER'S OFFICE) IS LOCATED IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. INDIANAPOLIS IS THE CAPITAL AND LARGEST CITY IN INDIANA. INDIANAPOLIS - MARION COUNTY IS THE 16TH LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH A 2019 POPULATION ESTIMATE FROM THE US CENSUS OF 876,384 RESIDENTS IN A 403-SQUARE MILE AREA. DEMOGRAPHICS FOR THE AREA ARE THE FOLLOWING 61% CAUCASIAN, 28% AFRICAN AMERICAN, 10% HISPANIC, 3% ASIAN, AND 3% NATIVE AMERICAN OR MULTIRACIAL. THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS IS ESPECIALLY BURDENSOME. MCCO CONDUCTS AUTOPSIES FOR NOT ONLY THE COUNTY ITSELF, BUT FOR INDIANAPOLIS-INDIANA'S CAPITAL AND THE 23 SURROUNDING COUNTIES AS WELL. AS WITH MOST METROPOLITAN AREAS, MARION COUNTY SUFFERS FROM A HIGH LEVEL OF VIOLENT CRIME.