Public Hearing: YES ☐ NO ☒ Department: Medical Examiner
SUBJECT:
Title
Commission District(s): All Districts
Request of Opioid Settlement Funds for Various Medical Examiner Operations
Body
Information Contact: Beoncia Loveless, Director of DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office
Phone Number: 404-508-3515
PURPOSE:
To utilize Opioid Settlement funds to finance a forensic fellowship position, a social worker position, and toxicology testing and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Medical Examiner’s Office.
NEED/IMPACT:
The opioid epidemic has placed unprecedented strain on the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office, the state's crime laboratory, and public safety and child welfare entities. The surge in opioid-related fatalities has created a cascading effect throughout our system, resulting in:
• Dramatically increased caseloads that often exceed manageable limits. From 2015 to 2024, DeKalb County experienced a 116% increase in drug-related deaths, with the total number of cases reported to the Medical Examiner’s Office increasing by 30% in this same timeframe. However, the population of DeKalb County increased by only 8% during that decade.
• Operational challenges compounded by the national shortage of board-certified forensic pathologists
• Staff burnout due to the volume and complexity of opioid-related death investigations
• Increased demand for specialized toxicological testing and analysis
This funding would support the complete compensation package for a forensic pathology fellow, including salary, benefits, travel and training expenses, and educational allowances. Funds would be donated directly to Morehouse School of Medicine and designated specifically for the DeKalb County/Morehouse Forensic Pathology Fellowship program. This investment directly addresses the physician shortage impacting Medical Examiner systems nationwide.
Enhanced toxicology capabilities are essential for accurate determination of opioid-related deaths and identification of emerging substances. A comprehensive toxicology panel, which is $258-$482 per panel (cost is subject to increase June 30, 2026) is necessary to determine cause and manner of death as well as detect novel drug trends. While Forensic Medicine Associates, Inc. currently covers toxicology testing under the Medical Examiner Services agreement, settlement funding for these services would allow reallocation of existing resources toward additional personnel, including partial funding for a second forensic pathology fellow.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The forensic fellow compensation package is $150,000. Toxicology testing is $85,000. The total fiscal impact is 235,000.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended Action
To approve the resolution and award the Medical Examiner’s Office the requested funds.