Vermont Office of the Chief Medical Examiner – Burlington, VT

Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME)

Mission and Responsibilities

The Vermont Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is a division of the Vermont Department of Health. Its primary mission is to investigate deaths that are sudden, unexpected, violent, or occur under suspicious circumstances. The office ensures that accurate and objective death investigations are conducted to determine the cause and manner of death, which serves the interests of public health, safety, and the judicial system. The OCME operates a centralized system led by a forensic pathologist who serves as the Chief Medical Examiner.

Key Services

The OCME performs several critical functions for the state:

• Medicolegal Autopsies: Examinations performed to determine the cause of death in cases under the office’s jurisdiction.
• Cremation Permits: Reviewing and authorizing permits for cremation to ensuring no further investigation is needed before final disposition.
• Death Certification: Completing and signing death certificates for cases investigated by the office.
• Public Health Surveillance: Analyzing data from death investigations to identify trends in public health issues, such as the opioid crisis or suicide rates.

Information for Families

The OCME understands that families interact with them during difficult times.

• Identification: Family members are typically not required to come to the office for identification; this is usually handled at the place of death or via other means.
• Reports: Final autopsy reports are confidential and released only to the legal next-of-kin or personal representative upon written request. Reports can take several weeks to complete.
• Location: The office and morgue are located on the campus of the University of Vermont Medical Center (Baird Building, Level 1), near the Emergency Department.