1. The ABCs of Processing Birth and Death Records Changes and Reminders 2009 Local Issuance Training Presented by: Field Services Office of the State Registrar

2. A is for Amendments  All amendments to birth records are processed by OSR  Please DO NOT direct people to come to our office in person. They must request the amendment via mail.  Provide the Information Packet for Amending Birth Records (http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/o sr/localreg/refdocs.html#amend)

3. B is for Births – Home Births Delayed Registrations  Home births and Delayed Birth registrations are processed by OSR  Again, DO NOT direct people to come to our office in person. They must register the births via mail  Direct customers to call OSR’s public information line. We will send them the appropriate information packet

4. C is for Contacts  Please use the OSR contacts list  Public Information Line: (651)201-5970  Local Registrar Information Line: (651) 201-5580 or (651) 201-5961  MN VRV2000 Technical Support Helpline: 1-888-692-2733

5. D is for Data Practices  Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13 –Safeguard the privacy rights of data subjects –Facilitate Access  Minnesota Statutes, section 144.225 –Birth to unmarried parents are classified as confidential and may be released only as allowed by subdivision 2

6. E is for Electronic Birth and Death Registration System  MN VRV2000 and the future MN Registration and Certification (MR&C)  Minnesota Rules, part 4601.0300, require local registrars to use and actively support the use of the centralized electronic system of the state registrar for vital records processing including: –(1) actively promote the use of the system by funeral directors, hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers in the local registrar's county; and –(2) support electronic ordering of and payment for death certificates by funeral directors.

7. F is for Fees  Minnesota Statutes, section 144.226, and Minnesota Rules, part 4601.0400  As approved in your county you set policies that allow the base fee to be waived  You do not have the discretion to waive the surcharges –Minnesota Statutes –State Registrar –Commissioner –Governor

8. G is for Garbage In - Garbage Out  Applicant information that is not accurate and death amendment information that is not accurate makes the future of records in the electronic system questionable.  Always think about 20 years later and what people will understand about the information you have entered.

9. H is for Helpline  MN VRV2000 Technical Support Helpline: 1-888-692-2733  Please limit use to technical questions and to report MN VRV2000 errors

10. I is for Issuing Non-certified Copies of Historical Records  Birth records prior to 2001  Death records prior to 1997  If you have the record in paper, microfilm, or in another media, you must issue the non- certified copy on request  Issuance of confidential non-certified birth records is limited according to Minnesota Statutes, section 144.225, subdivision 2

11. J is for John and Jane Doe  When issuing birth certificates, use the name provided on the application  If you cannot locate the record, do not use the same application to issue a certificate showing a different name  You may issue certificates that show data items that are in error

12. K is for Know the Policies  For any task or request, know what policies apply  Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 144.212 through 144.227.  Minnesota Rules, Chapter 4601.0100 through 4601.2600.  Procedural Policy – local website/ call OSR  MN VRV2000 User Policies –no sharing of passwords or allowing someone to use the system under your login.

13. L is for Limit Abbreviations  Enhance the quality of the MN VRV2000 audit trails  No Acronyms  Abbreviate only non-essential words  Type out names of counties, cities, clinics, hospitals, and state agencies

14. M is for Marriage Reporting  Annual or semi-annual reporting of the number of marriages filed by month, broken down by the month the marriage actually occurred  Reporting of the number of marriages filed in your county in each month by the 10th of the month following the filing month  No individual level data  Spreadsheets on the OSR web page

15. N is for No In Person Service at MDH/OSR  There is no in person services at MDH/OSR  All services must be requested and provided via mail or fax for issuance.  DO NOT direct people to come to our office in person.  DO NOT encourage people to call our office for an exception

16. O is for OVS A request for verification is automatically transmitted to SSA if you enter a death record for a funeral director  If the number has been verified, you may notice that the SSN field is grayed out but you will not receive any notification  Fact of death (demographic information ) is transmitted to SSA within one business day of the date the fact of death record was filed

17. P is for Paper Records & the Vital Records Preservation Project  All birth records 1900 to the present and all Recognition of Parentage forms related to the birth records are in scanned image form for OSR.  MDH holds the official record for each birth and death record in Minnesota

18. Q is for Quality of Data  Enter Complete Information  Be Specific  Review your work before you save  Think about the future integrity of the system –Marginal Notes –Audit Trails –Official Record of the Transaction

19. R is for Retention Schedules  Minnesota Statutes, section 138.17  You may destroy government records only according to a records retention schedule approved by the records disposition panel  For more information see the County General Retention Schedule for Local Registrars and options for its use  Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC) provides records management assistance to county government entities

20. S is for Statutes and Rules  Vital Statistics Act - Minnesota Statutes, sections 144.211 to 144.227  Minnesota Rules, chapter 4601  Text of the statutes and rules is on the Office of the Revisor's website

21. T is for Tangible Interest  Minnesota Statutes, section 144.225, subdivision 7  Applies to the release of a birth or death certificate  Not required for non-certified copies  Demonstrating tangible interest does not allow the release of private or confidential information

22. U is for Use Drop Down Lists  Ensure data quality and consistency  Document Type  Cities  States

23. V is for Voiding Certificates  Before the certificate leaves your office if the request is in person  Within 7 days if the request was received and responded to via mail

24. W is for Web Pages  Birth and Death Registration and Issuance Information for Local Registrars  Local Issuance web page:  http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/osr /localreg/index.html  MDH Public web page: –www.health.state.mn.us Certificates and Records Birth and Death Registration

25. X is for X2XswmtS!  Your password protects you and MN VRV2000  At least 8 characters  Use upper and lower case  Use special characters  Do not include names or dictionary words  Use numbers  Use a combination you can remember

26. Y is for You - Local Registrars During 2008, you:  Issued over 600,000 birth and death certificates –Over 94% of the total number issued  Corrected nearly 7,000 birth and death records –Nearly 56% of the total number corrected  Amended over 4,000 birth and death records –Over 70% of the total number amended

27. Z is for Zipping in to the Future  MR & C will be coming soon  Training will be scheduled in December and January.

28. Now I Know My ABC’s  Next time won’t you sing with me!!!!  QUESTIONS?