NEWS RELEASE
June 28, 1999

Department of Community Health to Hold Open House for New Vital Records Customer Services Facility

Michigan Department of Community Health Director, James K. Haveman, Jr., will officially open the newly remodeled Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Vital Records Customer Services facility on Tuesday, June 29, 1999, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The facility is located at 3423 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in Lansing.

"These have been important renovations considering the Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics is responsible for preserving and storing approximately 30 million vital records for Michigan citizens," said Haveman. "By analyzing health related data and information, we are better able to develop and assess programs and understand patterns of illness and disabling conditions in Michigan."

The vital records system involves the legal registration of all vital events, births, deaths, marriages and divorces that occur in Michigan. Annually the division receives about 250,000 requests for copies or questions about vital records. As a result of these requests, in 1998, approximately 100,000 copies of vital records were provided to individuals needing copies for legal identification or for verification of a vital events. Approximately 16,000 legal changes were made to vital records in accordance with state laws or as ordered by the court.

The state vital records system now totals over 30 million records. Births account for the largest number of records, 14 million records, followed by death records at over 6.5 million and then marriage and divorce records.

Health data and information are provided each year to thousands of individuals and agencies via the Department of Community Health web page at under the heading "Health Statistics and Vital Records."