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NAPHSIS is the hub for vital records data—such as birth, death, and marriage information—in the United States.
When someone is born, dies, gets married, or gets divorced in the United States, official information called “vital records” are documented by NAPHSIS members who work in state vital records and public health statistics offices.
NAPHSIS is the platform for the secure exchange of vital records data. Vital records data is de-personalized to protect personal identities and then exchanged using secure online portals from NAPHSIS.
Organizations can request access to NAPHSIS’ vital records data to help make more informed decisions. For specific examples and use cases, read the frequently asked questions below.
NAPHSIS provides national advocacy, technical assistance and training, educational programming, and resources to assist and promote its membership. NAPHSIS also owns and operates national electronic systems that move vital records data around the country.
Vital records are official records of important “life events” such as birth, death, marriage, and divorce.
Vital records provide legal documentation of life events and are often required to establish a person’s identity for things like obtaining a passport or driver’s license, enrolling children in school, or boarding a cruise ship. Vital records also provide important checks and balances for government agencies (i.e. Social Security Administration) or insurance companies who need to verify whether or not a person is alive before issuing payments to individuals.
NAPHSIS members work in state vital records and public health statistics offices. NAPHSIS members represent 57 jurisdictions in the United States, including the 50 states, the District of Columbia, New York City, and five territories (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands).
NAPHSIS members collect and maintain vital records for their jurisdiction. The exchange of vital records is critical to the upkeep of the records database, as people do not always live in the same state in which they were born or eventually die. To help jurisdictions prevent fraud and provide accurate public health statistics for each jurisdiction’s residents, NAPHSIS provides systems that allow for inter-jurisdictional exchange of information.
Visit naphsis.org/get-vital-records to get started.
Vital records are the primary source of data for tracking statistics of the nation’s health trends. The data helps public health experts recognize emerging issues, create initiatives for prevention or intervention, and keep track of advancements in addressing health disparities. When you hear about the latest teen pregnancy rates or read about the number of cancer and heart disease deaths in your community, vital records are the source.
