Form CMEC-1 2023 Census of Medical Examiner and Coroner Offices

Form CMEC-1

OMB No. 1221-0296: Approval Expires 00/00/20XX

2023 CENSUS OF
MEDICAL EXAMINER AND CORONER OFFICES

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics
Acting as collection agent: RTI International
Please use this form to provide information on behalf of the following agency:
[FILL AGENCY NAME HERE]
If the agency name printed above or jurisdiction(s) included are incorrect, please call us at 1-866-509-7470.

Survey Instructions:
• Submit this form using one of the following three methods:
o Online: https://www.bjscmec.rti.org

Agency ID:
Password:
o E-mail: [email protected]

•
•
•
•

o Mail: Use the enclosed postage-paid envelope
Please do not leave any items blank. If you do not understand a question, please email or call for clarification.
If the answer to a question is none or zero, write “0” in the space provided. When exact numeric answers are not available,
please provide estimates and mark the estimate check box where appropriate.
Use blue or black ink and print as neatly as possible.
Use an X when marking an answer in a box.

Please indicate the primary person who completed this form:
Name:
Last Name

First Name

MI

Title:

—

Phone:
Area Code

Number

Extension

E-mail:
Agency
Website:
If you have any questions, call RTI toll-free at 1-866-509-7470, or send an e-mail to [email protected]. If you have general projectrelated questions, please contact Matt Durose of BJS at (202) 598-0295 or [email protected].
Burden Statement
Federal agencies may not conduct or sponsor an information collection, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information, unless it displays a currently valid
OMB Control Number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 90 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions,
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden
estimate, or any other aspects of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street,
NW, Washington, DC 20531. The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, as amended (34 USC 10132), authorizes this information collection. Although this survey is
voluntary, we urgently need your cooperation to make the results comprehensive, accurate, and timely. We greatly appreciate your assistance.

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This survey is intended to collect information about your office’s death investigation functions. If
your office is embedded within another department or type of office (e.g., law enforcement agency,
mortuary), please only report details about the resources and practices related to death
investigation functions.

ADMINISTRATION
A1. What is the title of the head position in your office (e.g., Chief Medical Examiner, Coroner) and
who holds that title?
Title:
Name:
Last Name

First Name

A2. Is your head of office required to be a Forensic Pathologist or other type of physician?
Yes – the head of office is required to be a Forensic Pathologist
Yes – the head of office is required to be a physician, but not a Forensic Pathologist
No
A3. Which of the following best describes your death investigation office?
Coroner office
Medical examiner office
Law enforcement coroner office (e.g., Sheriff-coroner)
District attorney or prosecutor office
Justice of the peace
My office does not
investigate deaths  SKIP to the end of the survey and return in the enclosed envelope
Other medicolegal death investigation office (please specify)

A4. What level of government best describes your office?
City office
County office
District/regional office
State office
A5. Does your office have authority over multiple jurisdictions? For example, your office is the
medical examiner or coroner for multiple counties or districts.
Yes
No
A6. What geographic jurisdictions does your office have authority over (e.g., Wake County or State
of Ohio, or Judicial District 8)? If you have authority over multiple jurisdictions, enter a comma (,)
between each jurisdiction.

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First we will collect additional information about the head position in your office that you
reported in A1.
A7. Is your head of office’s position full-time or part-time?
Full-time (30 hours or more per week)
Part-time (Less than 30 hours per week)
A8. Is the head of your office elected?
Yes
No
A9. Does your head of office perform any of the following death investigation functions in addition
to their primary administrative duties? Select all that apply.
Autopsies
Scene investigations
Other investigative casework (e.g., perform body examinations or inspections, conduct and
document interviews)
The head of office is an administrative position only and does not perform direct death
investigation or autopsy duties
A10. What was the annual salary (or annual salary equivalent if paid hourly or by stipend) for your
head of office as of December 31, 2023?
Annual Salary or
Equivalent

$

,

The next section collects information about the following types of staff who could support death
investigation functions at your office.
•
•
•
•
•

Forensic Pathologists or Autopsy Pathologist
Death Investigators
Other scientific support staff (e.g., Forensic Toxicologists, Forensic Analysts)
Ancillary staff (e.g., drivers, photographers, evidence technicians)
Administrative staff (e.g., administrative managers/directors, administrative assistants, record
clerks, secretaries)

Each employee should be reported only once in this section. If an employee fills more than one role, please
include them in their primary role.
For questions in this section, please consider the following definitions:
• Full time employees: Staff directly employed by your office who have regularly scheduled
hours and work on average 30 hours or more per week on death investigation functions.
• Part-time employees: Staff directly employed by your office who have regularly scheduled
hours and work on average fewer than 30 hours per week on death investigation functions.
• Contractors/Fee-for-service: Those who are hired to do work for your office as a contractor
and are not directly employed by your office (e.g., receives a 1099).
• On-Call employees: Staff directly employed by your office who do not have regularly scheduled
hours and only work on an as needed basis.
• Vacancies: Positions for which your office has funds to staff but remain unfilled or open.
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Many medical examiner and coroner offices do not directly employ Forensic or Autopsy
Pathologists, and rely on contracted entities, the state Medical Examiner, or other medical
examiner/coroner office for their autopsy services.
A11. How are autopsy services handled by your office? Select all that apply.
Autopsies sent to the State Medical Examiner or another
SKIP to A17 on page 5 if your
public Medical Examiner/Coroner office
office only contracts autopsy
Private company, independent contractor (e.g. locum
services or sends to another MEC
tenens), university, hospital, or other contract entity
office.
perform autopsies
Forensic or Autopsy Pathologists directly employed by
our office perform autopsies
Next, we will collect information about Forensic Pathologists or Autopsy Pathologists that were
directly employed by your office during the pay period that included December 31, 2023.
A12. How many Forensic/Autopsy Pathologists did your office directly employ in the following
categories during the pay period that included December 31, 2023? Include full-time, part-time,
and on-call employees. Do not include contractors. Include Chief Medical Examiners that are
Autopsy/Forensic Pathologists. Enter 0 if your office does not have staff in given category.
My office did not directly employ Forensic/Autopsy
Pathologists  SKIP to A17 on page 5
Full-time employees:
Part-time employees:
On-call employees:
A13. How many full-time and part-time Forensic/Autopsy Pathologists directly employed by
your office in the pay period that included December 31,2023 were certified in forensic
pathology by the American Board of Pathology (ABP)? Do not include contractors. If none,
enter 0.
Number of full-time autopsy pathologists certified by ABP in forensic pathology:
Number of part-time autopsy pathologists certified by ABP in forensic pathology:
A14. How were Forensic/Autopsy Pathologists directly employed by your office paid in 2023?
Do not include contractors. Do not include Chief Medical Examiners/head of office salaries
reported in A10. Select all that apply.
Hourly
Salary
Continue to A15 on page 5
Stipend
Fee-for-service (paid by case, call, day, or other fee structure)  SKIP to A16 on page 5
if staff are paid only on a fee-for-service basiso

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A15. What is the annual starting salary range (or starting salary range equivalent if paid hourly
or by stipend) for full-time and part-time Autopsy Pathologists directly employed by your
office as of December 31, 2023? Do not include Chief Medical Examiner salaries previously
reported in A10.
Annual Starting Salary Annual Starting Salary
Minimum
Maximum
N/A
a. Starting annual full-time
salary (or salary equivalent
,
,
if paid hourly or by stipend)
b. Starting annual salary parttime (or salary equivalent if
,
,
paid hourly or by stipend)

$

$

$

$

A16. Did your office employ any certified Pathologists’ Assistants to perform autopsies,
separate from assisting in an Autopsy Technician role, during the pay period that
included December 31, 2023?
Yes
No
The following questions collect information about Death Investigators that worked for your office
during the pay period that included December 31, 2023.
A17. How many Death Investigators did your office employ or contract in the following categories
during the pay period that included December 31, 2023? Include full-time, part-time, on-call
employees and contract Death Investigators that work directly for your office. Include head of office
positions (e.g., Coroners) that are also Death Investigators. Enter 0 if your office does not have staff
in given category.
My office did not employ death investigators
 SKIP to A21 on page 6
Full-time employees:
Part-time employees:
Contractors/Fee-for-service:
On-call employees:
A18. How many full-time and part-time Death Investigators that worked for your office during
the pay period that included December 31, 2023 were certified by the American Board of
Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI)?
Number of full-time Death Investigators certified by ABMDI:
Number of part-time Death Investigators certified by ABMDI:
Number of contract/fee-for-service Death Investigators
certified by ABMDI:
A19. How were Death Investigators at your office paid in 2023? Do not include head of office
salaries reported in A10. Select all that apply.
Hourly
Salary
Continue to A20 on page 6
Stipend
Fee-for-service (paid by case, call, day, or other fee structure)  SKIP to A21 on
page 6 if paid only on a fee-for-service basis
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A20. What is the annual starting salary range (or starting salary range equivalent if paid hourly
or by stipend) for full-time and part-time Death Investigators employed by your office as of
December 31, 2023? Do not include head of office salaries reported in A10.
Annual Starting Salary Annual Starting Salary
Minimum
Maximum
N/A
a. Starting annual full-time
salary (or salary equivalent
,
,
if paid hourly or by stipend)
b. Starting annual salary parttime (or salary equivalent if
,
,
paid hourly or by stipend)

$

$

$

$

A21. Did your office have unpaid volunteer Death Investigators in 2023?
Yes
No

These next questions ask about scientific support staff (e.g., Forensic Toxicologists,
Anthropologists, Autopsy Technicians, or non-autopsy physicians) and ancillary staff (e.g., drivers,
photographers, evidence technicians, family support workers) that were employed by your office
during the pay period that included December 31, 2023.
A22. How many scientific support or ancillary staff with roles specific to death investigation
functions did your office directly employ in the following categories during the pay period that
included December 31, 2023? Do not include contractors or contract entities. Enter 0 if your office
does not have staff in a given category.
My office did not employ scientific support or
ancillary staff  SKIP to A23
Full-time employees:
Part-time employees:
On-call employees:
These next questions ask about administrative staff (e.g., administrative managers/directors,
administrative assistants, records clerks, secretaries, and IT staff) that were employed by your office
during the pay period that included December 31, 2023.
A23. How many Administrative Staff did your office directly employ in the following categories
during the pay period that included December 31, 2023? Do not include contractors or contract
entities. Enter 0 if your office does not have staff in a given category.
My office did not employ administrative
staff  SKIP to A24
Full-time employees:
Part-time employees:
On-call employees:
A24. How many vacant or unfilled positions did your office have for each of the following roles
during the pay period that included December 31, 2023? If none, enter 0.
Forensic or Autopsy Pathologists:
Death Investigators:

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EXPENDITURES AND FUNDS
B1. On what month and day does your office’s fiscal year begin (e.g., 01/01, 07/01, 10/01)?

/

MM /DD
B2. How much did your office spend on death investigation functions in the most recently
completed fiscal year?
• If your office is part of a larger organization (e.g., sheriff-coroner, funeral home), only include
expenses related to death investigation functions. If your office only functions as an MDI office,
include your total expenses.
• Include expenses paid by your office, such as, for autopsies, personnel, supplies and equipment,
training, transportation, toxicology/ancillary testing, indigent burial, and body storage expenses
related to MEC functions.

$

,

,

.00

Check if estimate:

B3. Which of the following functions of your office are included in the total expenditures
reported in B2? Select one for each row.
Expense
a. Autopsies
b. Personnel
c. Supplies and equipment
d. Training
e. Transportation
f. Toxicology
g. Indigent Burial
h. Body storage

All

Some

None

B4. Which of the following provides budgetary oversight of your office?
Public health agency (e.g., department or division of public health)
Law enforcement agency (e.g., department or division of public safety)
Government attorney’s office (e.g., district attorney, attorney general)
Department or division of forensic science
Court system
Other government funding body (e.g., county or state commission)
Other (please specify)

B5. In your most recently completed fiscal year, did staff in your office use their own personal
resources, or spend personal, out-of-pocket money for which there was no reimbursement,
on any of the following? Select one for each row.
Expense
Yes
No
Don’t Know
a. Personal protective equipment (PPE)
b. Continuing education or certifications
c. Other official work supplies
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WORKLOAD
This section has questions about three levels of involvement in death investigations.
Depending on how your office categorizes cases/investigations, numbers reported in a given category may
be the same as the number reported in a prior category.
a) Total number of deaths your office was notified of in 2023: The total number of deaths your
office was notified of, including all cases reported to your office even if jurisdiction was declined.
b) Number of deaths for which your office performed death investigation functions: The number
of deaths for which your office performed death investigation functions beyond documenting the
initial notification of the death outlined above. For example, the number of cases for which your
office performed death investigation functions like responding to a scene, identifying a decedent,
conducting supplemental interviews, notifying family, or ordering autopsies.
c) Number of deaths where your office determined cause and manner: The number of deaths
where your office determined cause and manner. Do not include cases where another agency (e.g.,
State Medical Examiner) assumed jurisdiction to complete the death certificate.
C1. In 2023, was your office notified of any deaths? Include all cases that were reported to your office,
even if jurisdiction was declined. Include cremation cases.
Yes
No  SKIP to C4 on page 9

C2. In 2023, what was the total number of deaths reported to your office for the following
levels of involvement in death investigations?
NA – My office
My office had
did not have
deaths in this
Number of deaths
deaths in this category, but did
category
not track
a. Total number of deaths
your office was notified
of in 2023
b. Number of deaths for
which your office
performed death
investigation functions
c. Number of deaths where
your office determined
cause and manner

,
Check if estimate:

,
Check if estimate:

,
Check if estimate:

C3. In 2023, was your office notified of any deaths that occurred on tribal lands? The term
‘tribal lands’ includes areas labeled Indian country, federal or state recognized reservations,
trust lands, Alaska Native villages, and tribal communities.
Yes
No - Our office does not have tribal lands in our geographic jurisdiction
No - Our office receives deaths from tribal lands, but none were reported in 2023
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These next questions ask about autopsies your office ordered or performed in 2023.
C4. Did your office conduct medicolegal autopsies at your facility or facilities (e.g., “in-house”) in
2023? Include referrals from other medicolegal death investigation authorities but exclude any private
or clinical autopsies. Include both partial and complete autopsies.
Yes
No  SKIP to C6
C5. In 2023, how many medicolegal autopsies did your office conduct at your facility or
facilities (e.g. “in-house”)?
Number of medicolegal autopsies conducted at your facility or facilities

,

Check if estimate:

C6. Did your office order any medicolegal autopsies to be conducted at a location other than your
facilities in 2023? Include autopsies sent to State Medical Examiners, other Medical
Examiner/Coroner offices, and private facilities or hospitals.
Yes
No  SKIP to C10
C7. In 2023, where were the autopsies ordered by your office performed? Select all that apply.
State Medical Examiner’s office If your office does not use private facilities or hospitals
Other public MEC office
to perform autopsies  SKIP to C10
Private facility or hospital
C8. How many of these autopsies were performed for your office by private facilities/hospitals
in 2023?
,

Number of autopsies performed at private facilitates/hospitals

Check if estimate:

C9. How far from your office is the autopsy facility or contractor your office uses most
frequently?
Less than 50 miles
50-100 miles
Greater than 100 miles
C10. In 2023, as part of practice or policy, did your office routinely perform or order autopsies for the
following types of deaths when determining cause and manner of death and signing the death
certificate? Do not include external examinations.
Type of death
Yes
No
a. Drug related
b. Elderly
c. Homicides
d. Motor vehicle deaths
e. Suicide by firearm
f.

Suicide by hanging
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These next questions ask about your office’s medicolegal death investigations (MDI).
C11. In 2023, did your office (e.g. medicolegal death investigators) perform scene investigations?
Yes
No  SKIP to C13
C12. In 2023, how many scene investigations did your office (e.g. medicolegal death
investigators) conduct?
Number of scene investigations
Check if estimate:

C13. For those functions that are conducted internally by your office, who is primarily responsible
for performing the following duties? Select one for each row.
Not applicable Forensic or
Other Medical this function is
Autopsy
Death
Examiner/
not performed
Duty
Pathologists
Investigators
Coroner Staff
by my office
a. Determination of which
deaths are accepted
for further investigation
b. Death scene
investigations with
inspection/
examination of body
c. Determination of which
deaths are autopsied
d. Determination of which
deaths receive forensic
toxicology testing
C14. At the death scene, external examination/inspection, or at autopsy, did your office routinely
perform drug screening tests (e.g., urine screen or Randox ®) in 2023?
Yes
No  SKIP to C16
C15. After performing drug screening tests, did your office routinely confirm positive results
with toxicology testing in a laboratory in 2023?
Yes
No
C16. For your office, who of the following is primarily responsible for notifying next of kin about the
individual’s death?
Law enforcement personnel
Medical examiner/coroner personnel
Someone else (please specify):

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C17. In 2023, did your office respond to a multiple fatality event with four or more decedents?
Yes
No  SKIP to D1
C18. Did your office need or use assistance from other Medical Examiner/Coroner
offices/jurisdictions during any multiple fatality event in 2023?
Yes
No

SPECIALIZED INVESTIGATIONS
For the following questions, unidentified remains refers to remains that are unidentified for 60 days
or more. Include cases unresolved for 60 days or more even if subsequently identified. Include cases from
all prior years.
D1. As of December 31, 2023, did your office have any records of remains that were unidentified
for 60 days or more? Include cases regardless of disposition of the remains. Include cases
unresolved for 60 days or more even if subsequently identified after December 31, 2023.
Yes
No  SKIP to D3
D2. How many cases of human remains did your office have on record that were unidentified
for 60 days or more as of December 31, 2023? Include cases regardless of disposition
of the remains.
Don’t know

,

Total number of unidentified humans remains on record

Check if estimate:

D3. How long does your office generally hold unidentified human remains before disposition?
Less than 1 month
1-6 months
More than 6 months to a year
Our office holds unidentified remains indefinitely
D4. How does your office dispose of unidentified human remains? Select all that apply.
Bury
Cremate
Donate body to a body donation program
Donate body to other program(s) (e.g., museum)
Our office holds unidentified remains indefinitely
Other (please specify)

D5. What biometrics and samples do you routinely collect before disposition of unidentified
human remains? Select all that apply.
Dental records (charting)
Dental Radiographs/X-rays
Fingerprints
Full body radiographs (X-ray, CT)
Photos of identifying characteristics (e.g., tattoos, scars, etc.)
Samples for DNA analysis (e.g., blood card/spot, bone)
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D6. For suspected overdose deaths in 2023, did your office do the following for all deaths, some
deaths, or not at all? Exclude delayed overdose deaths (e.g., hospital inpatients). Select one for
each row.

Action

All deaths

Most
deaths

Some
deaths

None/My
office does
not do this

a. Go to scene of death if outside
of hospital
b. Order an autopsy
c. Draw toxicology specimens
d. Run toxicology tests
e. Consult with a toxicologist before
determining cause and manner of
death
D7. If you have a sudden unexpected infant death case, which of the following procedures would
your office conduct, or request, if warranted, to determine cause and manner of death?
Select one for each row.
Decision made
elsewhere (e.g. state
medical examiners’
Procedure
Yes
No
office)
a. Scene investigation
b. Doll re-enactment
c. Imaging, including x-ray, CT, or MRI
d. Autopsy
e. Forensic toxicology
f.

Microbiology

g. Histology
h. Genetic testing (e.g., sudden cardiac deaths)
D8. Does your office use the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, diagnosis when completing
a death certificate?
Yes
No
Death certificate completed elsewhere (e.g., state medical examiners’ office)

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RECORDS AND EVIDENCE RETENTION
E1. Did your office have a computerized system to manage, compile, or track cases or evidence as
of December 31, 2023? Such a system is also known as a computerized case or information
management system. This does not include the use of Excel or other spreadsheet software to manage
case information.
Yes  SKIP to E3
No

E2. What is the primary reason your office does not have a computerized case or information
management system? Select one.
Do not want computerized case or information management system
Funding
Privacy or security concerns
Too few cases/records
Other (please specify)

E3. For deaths reported to your office in 2023, how often was a narrative investigation report
produced? An investigation report is distinct from any logs, death certificates, law enforcement or
autopsy reports.
All deaths
Some deaths
No deaths
Did not have any deaths in 2023

E4. Did your office have a written retention schedule for the following items in 2023? A retention
schedule is a policy for how long records are retained. Select one for each row.
Not applicable our office does
not produce or
Yes
No
use this
a. Case records
b. Forensic toxicology specimens
c. Biological specimens other than
toxicology specimens
d. Non-biological evidence

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E5. Does your office currently archive hard copies of your official investigative records and
reports?
Yes
No  SKIP to E7
E6. Does your office currently archive hard copies of your official investigative records and
reports in any of the following places? Select one for each row.
Location
Yes
No
a. Government-owned office
b. Government-run or government-controlled dedicated storage facility
c. A regulated third-party storage facility (e.g., Iron Mountain)
d. Personal storage (including both home and rental storage)
e. Other business or office (e.g., funeral home, hospital, law office)
E7. How does your office dispose of unclaimed human remains? Select all that apply.
Bury
Cremate
Donate body to a body donation program
Donate body to other program(s) (e.g., museum)
Our office holds unclaimed remains indefinitely
Other (please specify)

E8. For unclaimed remains, does your office work with Veterans Administration or other groups
to determine if the decedent is a veteran?
Yes
No

RESOURCES
F1.

As of December 31, 2023, did your office have access to the Internet, separate from a personal
device, to use for official job functions?
Yes
No

F2.

As of December 31, 2023, did your office have a work vehicle dedicated to death investigation
functions separate from personal vehicles?
Yes
No

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F3.

As of December 31, 2023, did your office, or the agency with administrative oversight of your
office, own a body storage cooler that you used for death investigation functions?
Yes
No  SKIP to F5

F4.

Is the official maximum capacity of all your office’s body storage cooler(s), including
disaster equipment, 20 or more?
Yes
No

F5.

Did your office have access to the following resources, either directly or through another
agency, as of December 31, 2023? Select one for each row.
Yes, through a
Resource
Yes, directly
partner agency
No access
a. Criminal history databases
b. EMS records
c. Fingerprint databases
d. Medical records databases
e. Prescription drug monitoring programs

F6.

In 2023, did any of the staff at your office participate in any of the following trainings?
Select one for each row.
Training or resource
Yes
No
a. Mass fatality investigation/disaster planning
b. Bloodborne pathogens

F7.

In 2023, did your office provide mental health/wellness support for staff? For example,
counseling, therapy, or peer support.
Yes
No

F8.

In 2023, did your office participate in the following multidisciplinary review teams?
Select one for each row. Select no if an item is not offered in your jurisdiction.
Specialty area
a. Child fatality
b. Elderly/vulnerable adult fatality
c. Overdose fatality
d. Maternal death
e. Suicide

Yes

15

No

My office did not
have cases of this
type in 2023

F9.

In 2023, did your office directly provide the following support services or provide referrals for
these services? Select one for each row.
Service directly
provided

Support service

Referral to
another entity
or organization

No

a. Advocates for families of victims
b. Grief and bereavement services for
survivors (e.g., counseling or therapy,
homicide survivor groups)
c. On-scene support or advocacy for
bystanders or other family and friends
of deceased
F10. As of December 31, 2023, did your office have a dedicated family support specialist or trained
trauma counselor for family and friends of the deceased?
Yes
No
F11. Does your office have access to a computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT) scan, either
directly or through a partner agency?
Yes, directly
Yes, through a partner agency
No

Thank you for your participation in the 2023 Census of Medical Examiner and
Coroner Offices (CMEC).
Your feedback is very important to us!

Please return your survey in the enclosed envelope or send to:
Census of Medical Examiner and Coroner Offices
RTI International
ATTN: 0218708.000.005
3040 E. Cornwallis Road, PO Box 12194
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194

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