13 Approved laboratories under the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act  

  • DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

    Approved Laboratories under the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act

    [46 Pa.B. 68]
    [Saturday, January 2, 2016]

     Under the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act (act) (35 P. S. §§ 10172.1—10172.5), the Department of Health, with concurrence from the State Police and in consultation with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, is required to approve laboratories to receive sexual assault evidence for testing and analysis. Under section 3(a)(5) of the act (35 P. S. § 10172.3(a)(5)), laboratories that have been approved by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to access the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) or an equivalent Federally administered National DNA database are automatically approved to receive sexual assault evidence for testing and analysis.

     The following laboratories have been approved by the FBI to access CODIS and therefore are approved to receive sexual assault evidence for testing and analysis.

    State Police Bureau of Forensic Services

     Law enforcement agencies submitting sexual assault evidence to the State Police's Bureau of Forensic Services should submit evidence directly to their regional laboratory. The regional laboratories will screen the evidence or forward the evidence, or both, to the Forensic DNA Division, which will ensure the completion of all necessary DNA analysis, to include CODIS searching and entry. Laboratories that have questions should contact the following regional laboratory with any questions regarding submission. Questions regarding DNA testing can be addressed to the Forensic DNA Division at (724) 832-5423.

    Bethlehem Regional Laboratory
    2932 Airport Road
    Bethlehem, PA 18017
    (610) 861-2103

    Erie Regional Laboratory
    4310 Iroquois Avenue
    Erie, PA 16511
    (814) 899-8447

    Greensburg Regional Laboratory
    425 Willow Crossing Road
    Greensburg, PA 15601
    (724) 832-3299

    Harrisburg Regional Laboratory
    1800 Elmerton Avenue
    Harrisburg, PA 17110
    (717) 783-5554

    Lima Regional Laboratory
    350 North Middletown Road
    Media, PA 19063
    (610) 891-6360

    Wyoming Regional Laboratory
    479 Wyoming Avenue
    Wyoming, PA 18644
    (570) 693-5717

    Other approved laboratories

    Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office
    1520 Penn Avenue
    Pittsburgh, PA 15222
    (412) 350-3741

    Philadelphia Police Department
    Office of Forensic Science
    843-849 North 8th Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19123
    (215) 685-3100

     Persons with a disability who require an alternate format of this notice (for example, large print, audiotape, Braille) should contact Dr. James Lute, Department of Health, Bureau of Laboratories, 110 Pickering Way, Exton, PA 19341-1310, (610) 280-3464. Speech or hearing impaired persons may call by using V/TT (717) 783-6154 or the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TT).

    KAREN M. MURPHY, PhD, RN, 
    Secretary

    [Pa.B. Doc. No. 16-13. Filed for public inspection December 31, 2015, 9:00 a.m.]

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