New payment instructions for security paper
Sekuworks, the vendor that provides
Minnesota vital record certificate paper recently changed the address where
counties should direct payment for paper orders.
Sekuworks, the vendor doing
business as Northern Bank Note, sent notices to Minnesota counties from North
Mill Capital LLC in February, 2015, about the payment change. The notices
were accurate, but premature.
After those county notices were sent,
Sekuworks notified and provided the Minnesota Department of Administration, the
holder of the state contract, documentation required to officially change
payment instructions for payment of security paper used for Minnesota vital
records.
In early March, the Office
of Vital Records was informed that the payment changes were official and the
state security paper contract was amended. The contract had previously been
extended through January 31, 2016.
PLEASE NOTE AND COMPLY WITH
THE NEW PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS WHEN PAYING FOR ANY SECURITY PAPER YOUR COUNTY HAS
ORDERED.
Payment for security paper should now be made to the following
address:
Sekuworks, LLC
P.O. Box 786506
Philadelphia, PA
19178-6506
Overnight delivery via
courier should be sent to:
Sekuworks, LLC
Lockbox No. 786506
401 Market Street
Wells Fargo Bank MACY1372-045
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Wire Transfer, ACH or other
electronic funds transfer should be sent to:
Wells Fargo Bank, National
Association
ABA#121000248 OR
SWIFT Code: WFBIUS6S
Account No. 4194359741
Reference: Sekuworks, LLC
Please cal the Local Issuance Support line at OVR if you have questions, 651-201-5998.
Morticians report cremation more frequent than burial
Death is inevitable and certain
activities are important for disposition. Morticians and funeral
directors assist with funeral arrangements in some way for nearly all of the
deaths in Minnesota. They care for the dead and also the living. The
Minnesota Department of Health,
Mortuary Science Section, licenses and regulates funeral establishments,
crematories, alkaline hydrolysis, morticians, interns and funeral directors.
They conduct unannounced
routine inspections of all funeral establishments and crematories around the
state and enforces Minnesota Statute 149A; Funeral Industry Law.
As in most states there are
different means for the disposition of human remains. In Minnesota, traditional
burial is common. However, there has been an increase in cremation rates
throughout most of the state.
In 2014, based on the most
current preliminary data, there were 41,493 deaths in Minnesota and 57 percent
of those decedents, or 23,355, were cremated. In 2013, the counties with
the highest rates of cremation were: Cook, 80 percent; Lake, 77.9 percent;
Koochiching, 74.2 percent; Saint Louis, 66.8 percent; and Washington, 66.4
percent.
The Mortuary Science Section
also licenses 565 funeral establishments, 61 crematories and two alkaline
hydrolysis facilities. Alkaline hydrolysis, popular in Europe and gaining acceptance here,
is a chemical form of cremation. The first alkaline
hydrolysis unit for funeral home use was licensed in 2012. The only other alkaline hydrolysis unit is used exclusively used by the
Mayo Clinic for the disposition of human remains through their Anatomy Bequest
Program.
Alkaline hydrolysis
uses a combination of heat, pressure and
alkali to reduce human remains into a form that can be further mechanically
reduced to finer particles. Although alkaline hydrolysis is not offered
by most licensed funeral homes in Minnesota it may become more available as
cremation demand increases and funeral establishments expand their services.
MDH also issues individual
licenses to practices; currently there are 1,291 licensed Morticians, 26
Interns and five funeral directors. The number of Minnesota funeral
directors is low because MDH no longer issues funeral director “only”
licenses. Morticians are licensed to perform all aspects of licensed activity
including the preparation and the transportation of human remains.
Like funeral directors,
morticians meet with families to arrange for the funeral and
disposition of their loved ones, complete paperwork, file the
death certificate, apply for veteran’s burial benefits, social security
benefits, and assist families with insurance assignments, pension and annuities
on behalf of the survivor(s).
These staff often help with the transportation
of human remains and fetal dispositions. They are an important resource in
explaining options and information even to the small number of families and
survivors who chose to have home funerals.
More information about home
funerals is available in the “Choices” document on the MDH Mortuary Science
Section website.
NCHS Records Close Out
Demand is increasing and accurate vital records data is
needed faster and faster each year. This year, the National Center for
Health Statistics (NCHS) asked all states to report 2014 preliminary vital
records numbers by February, 2015. This was an
effort to provide a more timely and higher quality preliminary
national file. NCHS contracts with 57 states and jurisdictions for birth,
death, and fetal death data to help produce the nation’s official vital
statistics.
Minnesota’s first contract date for final close of birth data
was March 15, 2015. The Office of Vital Records (OVR) worked
with birth registrars and resolved all outstanding issues for validations and
verifications as well as any statistical inconsistencies related to
the 69,167 births filed last year. To close out a data year all
quality issues need to must be resolved according to
NCHS standards.
NCHS’s date for final close of death
and fetal death data is May 15, 2015. All death records must have both the
fact of death and the cause of death completed and they must
have any outstanding quality issues resolved. OVR staff worked with funeral directors, physicians, medical examiners and their
staff and anticipates no problems in achieving this deadline for the 41,493
deaths in 2014.
The fetal death data has already been resolved and closed out
two months ahead of schedule! There were 459 fetal deaths in 2014.
OVR is in good
standing with
NCHS and is proud to
close out 2014 data. We extend a sincere thank you to our partners in vital
records for their dedication and commitment in providing accurate and timely
data. Together we can all help achieve a better tomorrow one record at a time.
Mission and vision guide
Vital Records work
The Office of Vital Records oversees and maintains a reliable statewide
system to register, certify, and report vital events. The office works with
important partners such as hospitals and funeral establishments to document
births and deaths. And the office works with local county vital records offices
to provide customer services and assure that death, fetal death, and birth
certificates are issued conveniently and without delay.
Our work informs public
health and improves lives. Together, we make a difference!
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