The Snohomish Health District is the agency that provides vital records, specifically birth and death certificates, for citizens in Snohomish County (RCW 70.58A.050.) Certificates are ordered over the phone, online or in person at our customer service desk. Fees are collected by customer service staff.
As of January 1, 2021, RCW 70.58A.005 goes into effect. This requires people requesting a birth or a death certificate to provide proof of relationship to the person for which the certificate applies. This additional requirement will add additional obligations on the SHD customer service staff to ensure documentation is correctly provided.
VitalChek Network Inc. is an authorized third party service for obtaining vital records. SHD uses them exclusively. Records can be obtained directly through VitalChek, or SHD staff can use VitalChek’s system to order the record for the customer.
VitalChek has electronic kiosks available to them for this purpose. Local authorized agencies can install these kiosks, and customers can utilize them independently to order their vital records for customers who are listed on the record (all other in person customers will have to go to counter). Records are then processed by SHD staff, and picked up at the counter. The kiosks would be provided by VitalChek at no cost to SHD. VitalChek would maintain the hardware and software of the kiosks. There would be a convenience fee of $3.50 per order (not per certificate) added to the cost the customer pays for the vital record, and that payment would be processed at the kiosk. Customers who do not have a debit/credit card may pay at the counter.
Following the last Board update in June, SHD staff entered into discussion with VitalChek to pursue the installation of two electronic kiosks in the lobby of the Rucker Building. This would help modernize our customer service processes, improve the experience for the customer, and ease the burden on customer service staff once new requirements are enacted.
There is no fiscal impact to SHD to installing these kiosks, except the negligible electricity they would require. There is a $3.50 per order fee to the customer for utilizing the kiosks, which SHD would collect and pass through to VitalChek. In comparison, the Department of Health Vital Records charges $13.50 per order fee for over-the-counter orders. SHD is not currently charging an over-the-counter fee, but has included this in the proposed fee schedule changes for 2021.
At the August committee meetings, staff requested committee approval for the Administrative Officer to enter into the Vital Records Service Agreement with LexisNexis VitalChek Network Inc. The draft agreement was reviewed by the Administration and Executive Committees and by SHD’s contract attorney. Following committee meetings, minor edits were suggested by the attorney and incorporated into the final agreement (Exhibit A). Also included as exhibits are VitalChek’s kiosk proposal (Exhibit B) and policies (Exhibit C).