The office of the chief medical examiner (OCME) proposes a systems-based approach to eliminate the backlog in forensic toxicology reporting in washington, D.C. The project's goals include implementing…

The District of Columbia's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) received a $500,000 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program (CFDA 16.742). The goal of this 3-year grant is to implement a systems-based approach to eliminate the backlog in forensic toxicology reporting within the OCME's Forensic Toxicology Division. Key deliverables include a measurable reduction in toxicology reporting turnaround times at both 30 and 60 days post-case receipt. The project will utilize Lean Six Sigma process improvements, automation, and expanded laboratory capacities to enhance the timeliness of forensic toxicology analysis. This will benefit the OCME, its criminal justice partners, and the citizens of Washington, D.C. by reducing delays in legal proceedings and providing more timely closure for families and survivors.

The office of the chief medical examiner (OCME) proposes a systems-based approach to eliminate the backlog in forensic toxicology reporting in washington, D.C. The project's goals include implementing a lean-six sigma program, utilizing automation, and expanding laboratory capacities to drive process improvement. The deliverables include a measurable reduction in toxicology reporting at both 30- and 60-day post-case receipt. The forensic toxicology division provides services for postmortem and human performance (driving under the influence and drug-facilitated sexual assault) cases within the district of columbia. The backlog can impact not only the OCME's timeliness of death certification but also the processing of part I crimes, including homicide and rape. The proposed process improvements aim to eliminate delays in legal proceedings and provide more timely closure to families and survivors of rape by addressing the backlog in the toxicology division. This will benefit the OCME, its partners within the public safety and justice cluster (including victim services and law enforcement), as well as citizens of the district of columbia.