President's Message
ASCLD 2020 Symposium is taking shape – with the symposium taking place in March, the Conference Timeline has been shifted to account for the earlier date. The following information may help you start planning your trip to Denver, whether as an attendee, a plenary presenter, a workshop instructor, or all of the above!

Theme: Together Toward Tomorrow
Call for Abstracts: July 29, 2019
Website Launch: July 29, 2019

Leadership Academy Registration Opens: October 7, 2019
Symposium Registration Opens: November 4, 2019
If you have suggestions for what you might be looking for at the symposium, be sure to send your ideas to asclddirector@gmail.com so they can be directed to the symposium planning committee.

A shout out to our friends and colleagues at the Puerto Rico lab, and all of the volunteers with the ASCLD Puerto Rico Initiative. I am pleased to announce that Puerto Rico has successfully passed their ANAB reassessment. Great job to all of you for your hard work and commitment.

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.”  Pele
 
Have an amazing week –
Brooke

President's Corner
Meet the new ASCLD Executive Director,
John Byrd! 
Looking Ahead
July 19, 2019 - Board of Directors Meeting - teleconference
August 16, 2019 - Board of Directors Meeting - teleconference
September 13-15, 2019  - Board of Directors Meeting - Utah (in person)
OSAC QIC Feedback
The ASCLD reps on the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) Quality Infrastructure Committee's (QIC) Impact Assessment Task Group are seeking informal feedback from lab directors to assess the laboratory impact of the following document being considered for inclusion on the OSAC Registry of Standards. This survey should take less than 4 minutes to complete. For further information, and to review each proposed standard, click the appropriate link(s) below. If you have any questions about this process, please contact the Impact Assessment Task Group Chair, Rita C. Dyas @ Rita.Dyas@chandleraz.gov.


NOTE: The formal public comment period closes on July 2. 2019, per the NIST OSAC website.  The associated QIC survey will also close at that time.  Please participate; your feedback is important.
Sharon B. Nakich Award
The OSAC Forensic Science Standards Board is Pleased to Announce the Sharon B. Nakich Award

In honor of our colleague, Sharon Nakich, who passed away in March after a short battle with cancer, the FSSB has developed a new peer-to-peer award that is being launched this year. Please consider nominating a fellow peer before the deadline below.
 
This award is an OSAC peer-to-peer award given annually that acknowledges a helpful attitude, kindness, teamwork or behind-the-scenes contributions to support the goals of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science. This award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to promote OSAC's mission through his/her support of OSAC. This nominee works diligently and tirelessly as a champion for OSAC, at times without recognition. 

Read about the additional requirements and details here .
Weekly News and Resources
RECALL OF BD VACUTAINER FLUORIDE TUBES
FOR BLOOD ALCOHOL DETERMINATIONS

For more information, along with the catalog number and lot number of the product that was recalled, please click here .
Community Research and Surveys
Forensic Compensation Survey
 
The Kentucky State Police is conducting a national forensic compensation survey to identify salary and benefit trends across the United States. Upon completion, the aggregated results of the survey will be published as a resource for all crime laboratories. Please consider completing this short survey about compensation in your laboratory. If you have questions, please contact Jeremy Triplett at  jeremy.triplett@ky.gov .  
The survey can be found at:   https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RGSDRMT


Foresight
Will your laboratory be among the 2020 FORESIGHT Maximus award winners? Click HERE to download the LABRAT form and for more information.
Training
For additional information, please visit  https://iafs2020.com.au/
STRmix USA Workshop
July 9-12, 2019
Alexandria, VA


If interested in attending, please read and fill out the registration form, and return it to  rena.lawless@esr.cri.nz by June 25, 2019.


ANAB - Upcoming training events
visit www.anab.org

September 10-13, 2019, Springfield, VA
December 10-13, 2019, Emeryville, CA

August 6-9, 2019, Minneapolis, MN
September 24-27, 2019, Largo, FL
December 9-13, 2019, Mesa, AZ

July 22-25, 2019 (11am-1pm ET)

July 23-25, 2019 (2-4pm ET)

August 28-29, 2019, Minneapolis, MN
September 12-13, 2019, San Jose, CA


Train the Director Webinar Series

Due to the overwhelming response to the first season, the FTCoE and ASCLD are pleased to bring you the latest collaborative installment in the Train the Director Webinar Series - Quality Assurance in the Forensic Laboratory This expansive series will highlight five different forensic disciplines: Digital Forensics, Fire Debris Analysis, Trace Analysis, Quality Assurance, and Crime Gun Intelligence. The subject matter experts that will be presenting on these topics are champions in their respective fields and will bring valuable information to the forensic community through their detailed and thorough research. The archived webinars are available by clicking the link above,

Digital Forensics Training

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice provides leadership and assistance to local criminal justice programs that improve and reinforce the nations' criminal justice system. Below is some information on digital forensics training opportunities (both classroom or virtual/online) and resources funded by BJA, including the Law Enforcement Cyber Center, and trainings organized by NW3C. NW3C is the training and technical assistance provider under the BJA Economic, High-Technology, White Collar, and Internet Crime Prevention National TTA Program. BJA has also encouraged online course offerings to save time/costs of travel, and included trainings for prosecutors, too. (Note: some NW3C courses sponsored apart from BJA funding may have a cost).  Click the links below for more information:
Forensic Research Committee
The goal of the Laboratories and Educators Alliance Program (LEAP) is to facilitate collaborative research between academia and forensic science laboratories. This joint effort between the American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD) and the Council of Forensic Science Educators (COFSE) identifies forensic science needs and provides a platform for laboratories, researchers, and students to seek projects aligning with their mutual research capabilities. Read more...
Newly Identified Novels Psychoactive Substances

Recent Additions:
(click drug name for more information)
The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education (CFSRE) at the Fredric Rieders Family Foundation, have received funding from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to develop systems for the early identification and notification of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) in the drug supply in the United States. The goal of the program is the early identification of these substances in seized drug and forensic toxicology casework samples through various high resolution mass spectrometry retrospective data-mining and sample-mining techniques. Information about these programs can be found on our website .
Registration is now open for the NIJ/FTCOE:
When: July 18-19, 2019: 8am - 5pm ET
Where: Mariott Metro Center, Washington, D.C.
Click here for the agenda that includes a robust lineup of speakers and wide array of topics. Both in-person and virtual attendance registration is available.
ASCLD's research efforts with respect to the OPIOiD crisis appear in the following article:

Opioid Legislation
Over the past several months, Congress has been developing new legislation aimed at addressing the nation’s opioid epidemic, providing additional funding, and building on the   Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) that became law in 2016. Congressional leaders announced an agreement on   H.R. 6 - the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act .   Continue reading...

Federal Corner
BJA Updates

BJA Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program
BJA is awarding an expected $320 million to jurisdictions under BJA’s Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program (COAP), which provides financial and technical assistance to state, local and tribal jurisdictions to develop and implement efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support those impacted by the opioid epidemic. Category 6 of this grant is most applicable to forensic science laboratories. Applications should focus on addressing the opioid epidemic (e.g. testing for drugs but not case management systems). Solicitations will be released Feb-March 2019, and can be viewed here .   The report from last year to give you some ideas for application are posted here .

For information on other upcoming BJA solicitations including the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative please see https://www.bja.gov/Publications/fy-2019-solicitations-that-support-law-enforcement.pdf


CDC Updates

CDC Announces Traceable Opioid Material Kits to Improve
Laboratory Detection of Synthetic Opioids
The CDC’s Division of Laboratory Sciences is pleased to announce the availability of the first of two Traceable Opioid Material Kits . The kits will increase the capacity of laboratories in the U.S. to identify current and emerging opioids that are contributing to our nation’s opioid crisis. The Fentanyl Analog Screening (FAS) Kit is available, effective February 1, from Cayman Chemical. CDC anticipates that the second kit, the Opioid CRM Kit, will be available for distribution from Cerilliant Corporation in March 2019. Both kits may be received free of charge. 
·        Can be from any sector — academic, public, or private.
·        Must be located in the United States.
·        Must have current DEA registration .
·        Must comply with respective state and local regulations.
·        Must submit requests directly to the respective vendor.
The kits are available at no charge. Although laboratories may request multiple kits, supplies are limited and requests will be filled based on product availability.  https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/dls/erb_opioid_kits.html
DEA Updates

NFLIS Program for Toxicology and ME/Coroners Expansion

Emerging Trends Program

Reference Materials Program

Real-time Network

Fentanyl Signature Profiling Program

DEA Resources

CBP Program Updates

The US Customs and Border Protection has alerted ASCLD to a monthly phone call about drugs being seen by CBP. As CBP provides a first line of defense for the United States, these calls present early warnings of what might be coming to state and local crime labs. This teleconference is called the Scientific Trends Online Network Exchange (STONE) and is organized through the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) network.

HIDTA Updates

ASCLD is currently forming stronger bonds with the HIDTA and specifically the HIDTA National Emerging Trends Initiative. A meeting is being organized in Cleveland in November to discuss ASCLD/HIDTA partnership on emerging drug data sharing.

USDOT NHTSA Updates

NHTSA has a working group evaluating the existing Recommendations for Toxicological Investigation of Drug-Impaired Driving and Motor Vehicle Fatalities . The working group is going to put out the existing recommendations for public comment and possible federal endorsement, and work on related data collection issues.

Standards Corner


Click HERE to review standards available for comment.

OSAC News
May 2019 OSAC Standards Bulletin now available, click HERE
ASCLD Partnerships
Crime Lab Minute Sponsors
Newsletters
Donate to ASCLD
Donations to ASCLD can now be made online! This is a great way to honor the memory of a forensic colleague, to commemorate a life event for that person who has everything, or to otherwise assist in supporting the tireless efforts of the ASCLD organization in the pursuit of excellence in forensic science management. The donation page can be accessed by clicking HERE or by visiting the ASCLD website and clicking on "Donate to ASCLD" under the "Member Site" tab (this donation page is accessible even to non-members). Please consider donating and do share this information with anyone you think might be interested.
The American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors

65 Glen Road, Suite 123
Garner, NC 27529
Phone: 919.773.2044