Operational Support

The outbreak of COVID-19 resulted in travel restrictions in most states; consequently, national meetings related to PDMP activities were not held.

The PDMP TTAC team regularly coordinates conference calls for PDMP administrators to connect and discuss issues such as system enhancements, technical assistance, and promising practices. During the reporting period, TTAC staff members held three compliance conference calls that brought together interested PDMP administrators to discuss concerns or issues and seek solutions through a consensus of ideas. TTAC staff members conducted six calls during the reporting period to explore the issue of patient matching.

The PDMP TTAC team hosts and facilitates monthly conference calls with the RxCheck Working Group; the PMIX Working Group; the PMIX Operations, Technical, and Standards Compliance Subcommittees; and ad hoc committees as needed to support the groups in accomplishing their goals. During this reporting period, the TTAC team hosted and facilitated 29 monthly conference calls with the various PMIX groups and 23 calls with the various RxCheck groups.

Working as public information officers (PIOs) has never been more difficult with the COVID-19 pandemic and recent police protests and civic unrest. To assist PIOs in this difficult environment, PSP established the Public Information Officer Community of Practice (PIO CoP). IIR coordinated a PIO Roundtable discussion held on August 27, 2020 and moderated by SME Ms. Laura McElroy who led a discussion with four different police agency PIOs on the challenges and strategies they have experienced.

IIR hosted a Prosecutors Roundtable on November 19, 2020, which included presentations from PSP sites Amarillo, Anniston/Oxford, and Cleveland, as well as alumni site Detroit, Michigan, as an opportunity to engage with the PCoP in planning for future virtual TTA. Roundtable discussion and presentation topics included paperless case management, crime strategies units, officer-involved shooting investigations, and strategies for leveraging technology.

On 09/02/2020 we conducted an initial needs assessment virtual onsite visit with the POC from the Meskwaki Tribe.

On 09/02/2020 we conducted an initial needs assessment virtual onsite visit with staff from the Absentee Shawnee Tribe.

On 07/31/2020 we conducted an initial needs assessment virtual onsite visit with court staff from the Klamath Tribes.

In 2019, the PRC administered a new recertification exam for the first time to auditors who had previously taken the original recertification exam. After three cohorts of auditors had taken the new exam, the PRC conducted an extensive question-by-question analysis of the test-takers' performance and, after reviewing that data and discussing with PMO and OGC, it was decided that one question would be modified.

Upon the launch of the new PREA Resource Center website in November 2020, the PRC undertook efforts to ensure the new site complied with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. These guidelines include recommendations that will make web content more accessible to a wider range of people with disabilities.