NAPHSIS ANNUAL MEETING 2014 SEATTLE, WASHINGTON SECURITY COMMITTEE STATE STORIES Lonzo Kerr, Deputy State Registrar Texas NAPHSIS Security Committee

NAPHSIS ANNUAL MEETING Security of Vital Records and Information  Staff Screening and Monitoring behavior  Access to Vital Records Facilities  How we protect access to and release Vital Records Data

OUR RESPONSIBLITY  Protect the integrity of Vital records and information, and setting the highest possible standards for security and fraud prevention.

OUR GUIDANCE  Model State Vital Statistics Act and Regulations  NAPHSIS Security Guidelines  State legislation, policies and procedures

STATE STORIES  ANA V.  Hired without a criminal background check  Had two felony arrests pending against her when hired  Her family had a history of violence  16 year old Daughter  Son executed in home  Husband serving life sentence for attempted murder  Related to a person who worked for two immigration attorneys  Cousin would call Ana and place orders for birth certificates  Ana would then search the database for a similar record on file  The selected record would then be changed to match the request  When issuing a single record to the public Ana document the order as 2  Placed the appropriate fee with the order then printed the fraudulent one  She did this approximately 300 times  How was Ana able to get away with this for 3 years?  Ana or any employee could report to work and turn on all the computers

STATE STORIES  All issuance staff worked from the same cash register  Ana was able to change information on birth records  No reconciliation of transactions (application, paper, money) 6 months  No monitoring of records changed (even with 5 or more changes)  Applications were destroyed before required retention period  Records were sold along the Mexico Border for $8, each  Ana received a sentence for all offenses of 33 years in prison  After entering prison Ana turned states evidence against co-conspirators  Other stories  Burglary  Stealing paper from co-workers  Adding name to birth record (claiming to be the father of deceased girl friend’s child)  Attempting to file paternities without authorization

Prevention is Key  Ensure that your facilities are secure.  Controlled access  Cameras  Screen your staff to ensure good hiring  Criminal background checks  Be sure to have an explanation for periods of unemployment  Protect the access to your data  Manage how you release data to the public  Prevent your staff from casual use of Vital Record information  Separation of duties

Our Challenges  Filing delayed certificates of birth  Texas has over 9,000 flagged record  Obtaining reliable documentation  Mid-wife Fraud  Third Party Vendors  Requests from Law Enforcement (FBI request)  Amendments to Birth and death Records  Medicaid Fraud; Mom wants to add a fathers name to the record based on a marriage before the birth.  Informant information i.e. Who is the wife?

What Texas is Doing  Fraud Unit since 1995  Fraud unit investigators are Peace Officers  Passport personnel are housed in VSU  Better working relationships with Federal Law enforcement (EPIC & ICE)  All facilities have controlled access  All entrances, hallways, lobby, records room and exits have video cameras  Redirecting investigative resources toward mid-wives who file fraudulent records  Run CURPS for and obtain Foreign Birth Certificates  Dedicated Attorney for Vital Records fraud hearings

State Stories From the Floor  Any one have a state story they would like to share?

Questions and Answers

Thank You!!! CONTACT INFORMATION  Lonzo Kerr, Jr.  Deputy State Registrar, Texas  

The Security Committee Robin Rodriguez (AZ) Janet Winther (CA) Karen Roth (CA) Penny Baltikauski (CA) Coy Lee (CA) Joel Wade (CO) Sylvia Luna-Lopez (DC)Monica Davis Roundtree (DC) Betty Shannon (FL) Stephanie Lockridge (GA) Donna Calabrese (KS) Tammy Weaver (MI) David Brown (MS) Michelle Zeilman (MO) Lexi Hall (MO) Mark Kassouf (NM) Don Smalling (OK) Catherine Haralson (TN) Geraldine Harris (TX) Lonzo Kerr (TX) Janet Rainey (VA) Gary Thompson (WV) Linda Langlois (WI) NAPHSIS SUPPORT-Patricia Potrzebowski, Kelly Baker, Larry Nielsen Will Whitman

Contact Information  If you need assistance, have questions or concerns, or want to discuss a fraud/security issue, please contact:  Sue Bordeaux NAPHSIS Security Committee Chair  Or contact NAPHSIS headquarters at