NC S144

Appropriates $3,628,119 in nonrecurring funds for fiscal year 2021-2022 to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center for construction of a new regional autopsy center in Winston-Salem.

Appropriates an additional $17,972,362 in nonrecurring funds for fiscal year 2022-2023 for the same project, totaling $21,600,481.

New facility will serve 32 counties in western North Carolina and perform approximately 1,760 medicolegal autopsies per year.

Current autopsy center space is inadequate, non-compliant with National Association of Medical Examiners standards, and performing 1,226 postmortem examinations in 2018 with projected increases from opioid epidemic deaths.

New center will include eight autopsy workstations, refrigerated storage for 50 bodies, and appropriate support facilities; becomes effective July 1, 2021.