Accomplishments
Dotti Owens Ada County Coroner“I am blessed to have been designated with the honor of speaking for our deceased.”- Dotti
“Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Ada County Coroner for the last eight years. I will continue to serve my community of Ada County, by ensuring that we are providing both impartial medicolegal death investigations and forensic investigations so that we will be able to determine an accurate and timely cause and manner of death for our decedents. During my last two terms, the Ada County Coroner’s office has reached new heights. When re-elected, I will continue to push the office forward making Ada County and the Office of the Coroner one of the most respected offices in the state, region, and nation. I will continue to make the Office of the Coroner better than I found it.” – Dotti Owens, Ada County Coroner
Dotti’s Accomplishments as Ada County Coroner
- Received full NAME Re-Accreditation for the Ada County Coroner’s Office 2022, Ada County continues to hold dual accreditations (NAME/ IACME). The Medicolegal Death Investigation system is vital and strengthening this system is essential. In response to the demand to strengthen the Coroner system, Dotti Owens has raised the operating standards of the ACCO to new levels. For the first time in history, the ACCO received full accreditation through the National Association of Medical Examiners NAME. in 2017. This accreditation was obtained under Dotti’s leadership by enforcing an extensive set of standards while implementing national credibility, quality, and integrity throughout all aspects of the office.
- Maintained International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IACME) Accreditation for the Ada County Coroner’s Office from 2016 to the present. Re-accreditation occurring in 2022.
- Under the direction of Dotti Owens, the ACCO has developed into a regional facility while easing the taxpayer burden. Throughout the last few years, the ACCO has contracted with 33 Idaho counties and three reservations. Services provided to outside counties consist of autopsy services, toxicology, histology, and anthropology services. Operating as a regional facility (per national recommendations) has allowed counties in Idaho to have the ability to utilize necessary services while maintaining standards as defined and adopted by the Idaho State Association of County Coroners.
- New Facility, estimated completion October 2023. Dotti facilitated and designed the new Ada County Coroner’s Office which broke ground in March of 2022. This will serve the needs of the county for years to come. Ada County is building a facility for the Ada County Coroner’s Office because a new facility is a complete necessity for the residents of Ada County to continue receiving consistent quality services. This facility will allow the Ada County Coroner’s Office to put all of their focus on their duties, and remove the burden of constantly struggling to maintain quality services in the setting of having more cases than the facility can support.
- Standards for the State of Idaho. Dotti has been instrumental in bringing medicolegal death investigation standards to Coroners throughout the state of Idaho. Tasked with composing a state manual Dotti hit the challenge head-on and in April 2018 a state policy and procedure manual were adopted through the Idaho State Association of County Coroners. In addition, Dotti Owens and her team of highly trained professionals have been training and assisting Coroners throughout the state under a grant that Dotti was able to obtain for the association.
- Grant for expansion of Morris Hill, saving tax payer’s funding. In 2020 Dotti secured a grant that would assist the county with expanding cooler/freezer space within the Morris Hill location. Growth, combined with the Pandemic caused the office to be challenged with storage space for the deceased. The expansion allows the Coroner’s Office to successfully function at the old facility, while the new building is under construction. After relocation to the new facility, Morris Hill will be maintained as a backup facility.
- Suicide prevention for middle-aged males; Ada County’s highest suicide demographic. In 2021, Dotti secured several grants that enabled her to successfully roll out the Mantherapy campaign throughout Ada County. In the first year, the campaign received a 180% increase in the M.T. prevention site and a raise in calls to the prevention hotline. Dotti will continue with M.T. with grants secured to keep moving it forward.
- Development of a Family Packet to assist the families with the entire process.
Leading with Compassion, Professionalism, and Experience. Q&A with Dotti Owens.
Realize that this position is a matter of life and death, working for the living, by serving the deceased. Our staff are NOT "Worker Bee's" but are compassionate, professional, and knowledgable within their specialty. Please, do your homework.