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City health department launched free electronic program
YOUNGSTOWN
The Youngstown Health Department has rolled out a new electronic program that enables the public to search for and access basic birth- and death-record information without cost.
The fee for a certified copy of a birth or death record is $23; but now the electronic program allows the basic search to be done locally, thereby saving not only the fee but a trip to the Ohio Department of Health in Columbus, said Kristy Boyles, manager of the Youngstown Health Department’s Division of Vital Statistics.
The local health department’s electronic program is connected to a statewide electronic index, operated by ODH, that has birth records back to 1908 and death records back to 1954 for the entire state, Boyles said.
She said people often want birth and death records to trace relatives and family medical history to learn what medical conditions for which they might be at risk.
The electronic system does not provide the entire records, just the basic information.
For instance, the death information available includes the name, date and location of the death, and the ODH file number if more data is desired, Boyles said.
However, she said, people can view the entire record at the Youngstown Health Department, but they are not permitted to take a copy with them. If they need a copy, they must pay the $23 fee.
Boyles said the city health department has hard copies of death certificates only for people who died in the city health district.
To use the public index, visit the health department at 345 Oak Hill Ave., Second Floor, Suite 200, Youngstown, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. An appointment is not necessary.