State To Suspend Birth And Death Certificate Fees For Tornado Victims

The Tennessee Department of Health will waive fees for tornado victims needing replacement birth certificates and will also provide to family members free of charge death certificates for those who lost their lives during the storms that struck Tennessee on February 5.

Eligible residents live in the Mid-Cumberland, South Central, Upper Cumberland and West regions of the state. The waiver is effective through March 15, 2008. “Documents like birth and death certificates are critical to these residents as they begin the process to rebuild and restore some sense of normalcy to their lives,” said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “Birth certificates are particularly crucial for identification purposes, and death certificates are needed to claim life insurance benefits, for property transfers and to close accounts.” A part of the State Department of Health, the Tennessee Office of Vital Records registers and maintains the original certificates of births, deaths, marriages and divorces that occur in Tennessee. Certified copies of the original records are available to the person named on the record and to certain family members or legal representatives. Vital Records requires identification for all requests for birth and death records. Typically, a photocopy of a government issued form of identification, which includes the requestor’s signature, must accompany all requests, however special arrangements will be made for tornado victims who have lost their identification documents. For more information or to inquire about eligibility, contact your county health department. A complete listing is available online at http://health.state.tn.us/localdepartments.htm.