Bureau of Vital Records & Health Statistics (BVRHS)

The Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics serves Idaho residents by registering, documenting, correcting, and amending records of vital events, which include births, deaths, marriages, divorces, stillbirths, miscarriages, and abortions. The bureau also issues certified copies of vital records to those who are legally entitled to receive them.

Additionally, the bureau provides public health data and analysis of health trends that can be used to develop and shape future health interventions and programs.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

Vital Records Services

The Vital Records Services Program responds to customer requests for certified copies of vital records (such as birth and death certificates) and makes corrections and amendments to vital records. The Customer Service Team in this program receives customer orders, makes sure the customer is legally entitled to the record, and mails out certified copies of the records.

Most changes made to vital records after they have been filed are processed by the Legal Amendments Team. Changes can include corrections, court-ordered name changes, amendments, paternity actions, adoptions, and surrogacies. The team also processes delayed registration of vital events and certificates of birth for children whose births were not attended by a medical professional.

The Legal Amendments Team also manages the three registries that are maintained in Vital Records Services:

• Voluntary Adoption Registry, which matches parents and adopted children who would like to connect with each other
• Putative Father Registry, which helps fathers of children born out of wedlock establish paternity rights
• Abandoned Child Registry, which facilitates claims of parental rights by parents of children who have been abandoned by the other parent

Vital Records Management

The Vital Records Management Program develops, maintains, and supports a range of systems that are used by Idaho entities that register vital events in Idaho.

The Electronic Birth Certificate system allows birthing facilities throughout Idaho to submit birth certificates directly to the bureau and allows birth parents to request a Social Security Number for the newborn without having to visit a local social security office.

The Electronic Death Registration System allows mortuary services and medical providers to submit death certificates directly to the bureau. Part of the electronic registration process is to notify the Social Security Administration that a death has occurred, reducing errors in social security benefit payments that must be recovered from the estate.

Health Statistics

The Health Statistics Program collects, analyzes, and publishes public health data. Data sources include vital records; the Idaho Violent Death Reporting System, which collects data on violent deaths; and the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System, which reports on drug overdose data.

The program publishes health data dashboards on birth data, population data, and violent death data. These dashboards are available at www.gethealthy.dhw.idaho.gov under the Population Health Data menu.

Statistical reports and publications can be found at https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/about-dhw/reports-and-statistics by scrolling to Vital Records and Health Statistics. Additional information about obtaining an Idaho certificate is available at vitalrecords.dhw.idaho.gov.