President's Message
Are you ready for the 2020 ASCLD Symposium? The 2020 Symposium experience , “Together Toward Tomorrow,” has started. The symposium planning committee is currently working on an exciting and educational week of content and they need your help! Would you like to present a talk at the symposium? Perhaps you have a workshop you would like to lead? Now is your chance.  Abstract Submissions are being accepted starting today and are due no later than Sept. 20th.

Go to the symposium website at www.ascldsymposium.com  for more details regarding abstract submissions. Additional symposium information will continue to be added to the website, so make sure to check back often.

The American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD) is currently accepting applications from members interested in serving as instructors for the newly created 200-Level ASCLD Leadership Academy.

Building on the success of 6 years and more than 400 Leadership Academy graduates in the 100-level, ASCLD is excited to announce the creation of a new 200-level Leadership Academy. This Academy will meet the requirements of certification to Certified Forensic Manager-II in the National Forensic Management Academy. Where the 100-level focuses on new supervisors, the 200-level Academy will focus on training middle management in the crime laboratory.

Like the 100-level, Academy instruction will be delivered via webinar-style online sessions during the months of January, February, and March 2020 and will conclude with live, instructor led Capstone at the 2020 ASCLD Symposium in Denver, Colorado. Each month of web-based instruction will be centered on topical themes and will include 4 weekly, 2-hour sessions.

To read the full Call for Instructors and download the application form, please visit:
https://www.ascld.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2019-Leadership-Academy-Call-for-Instructors.pdf For more information about the ASCLD Leadership Academy or the Call for Instructors, please contact Jeremy Triplett at jeremy.triplett@ky.gov .

“There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests gets together to work toward the same goals.”
Idowu Koyenikan

Have an amazing week - Brooke

Looking Ahead
August 16, 2019 - Board of Directors Meeting - teleconference
September 13-15, 2019  - Board of Directors Meeting - Utah (in person)
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/

ANAB - Upcoming training events
visit www.anab.org


September 9-12, 2019, Springfield, VA
December 10-13, 2019, Emeryville, CA
 
September 24-27, 2019, Largo, FL
October 27-30, 2019, Austin, TX
December 10-13, 2019, Mesa, AZ
 
September 17-20, 2019 (11am-1pm ET)
 
November 13-15, 2019 (11am-1pm ET)
 
August 28-29, 2019, Minneapolis, MN
September 12-13, 2019, San Jose, CA


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 .
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
July 2019 OSAC Standards Bulletin now available, click HERE
ASCLD Partnerships
Crime Lab Minute Sponsors
For More Information, Click the LOGO below:
A2LA WorkPlace Training (A2LA WPT) is a nonprofit organization established with a vision of being the leading management systems, conformity assessment, and measurement training company in the world. Our mission is to provide independent, world-class training programs that inspire confidence in the quality of service and acceptance of results from organizations.
 
Be a leader in your industry by building confidence and consistency in your product through A2LA WPT’s broad spectrum of instructor-led and online e-learning training courses. Move ahead of your competition by learning best practices on international standards, quality systems, technical tools, and soft skill s.
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