Birth Registration Training

The Minnesota Department of Health offers periodic training for hospital staff to learn how to collect data, establish parentage, and register births in Minnesota Registration and Certification (MR&C). We've created two videos to help new birth registrars get started quickly:  

• Birth registration quick start for new birth registrars (YouTube): An 11-minute video reviewing birth registration regulations.
• Birth registration demonstration (YouTube): A 26-minute video demonstrating how to enter birth data into Minnesota Registration and Certification (MR&C)

Birth registration 101

Birth registration 101 is a virtual training class for hospital birth registrars and other staff who are new to vital records and birth registration. Staff from the Office of Vital Records at the Minnesota Department of Health and the Division of Child Support at the Minnesota Department of Human Services lead the live interactive session. Successful completion of the session meets state requirements for MR&C security and training.

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Use the Minnesota Registration and Certification (MR&C) system efficiently
• Inform unmarried parents about their paternity establishment options
• Direct parents and families who need certificates or birth record changes

Upcoming training dates

Thursday, December 12, 2024, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

• Join via Microsoft Teams (Meeting ID: 275 380 710 012 | Passcode: q9ipAB)  
• Join by phone (audio only) at 651-395-7448 (Phone conference ID: 884 235 394#)

Office hours

Office hours is a virtual opportunity for both new and experienced birth registrars to learn more about a featured topic, ask questions, and share information. Each session includes topic presentations, resources, and open forum discussion.

Recorded office hours

• Domestic violence education for birth registrars (YouTube) May 2024
• Health information on birth records (YouTube) June 2023
• Importance of birth data and focus on assisted ventilation (YouTube) March 2024
• Registering fetal and neonatal deaths (YouTube) April 2023
• Social Security numbers and birth registration (YouTube) September 2024
• Surrogacies and Adoptions (YouTube) January 2024

Improve your reporting

Applying Best Practices for Reporting Medical and Health Information on Birth Certificates is a one-hour course created by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems. The course is for birth registrars and health professionals who supply medical/health information for birth certificates or reports of fetal death.

The course:

• Explains the importance of reporting birth record and fetal death information
• Describes how birth registrars and clinicians can improve maternal and infant health data
• Offers continuing education credits (CMEs, CNEs, CEUs, CPHs). Certificates are available for those who successfully complete the course.

The NCHS also developed the Guide to Completing the Facility Worksheet for the Certificate of Live Birth and Report of Fetal Death to assist birth registrars in completing the birth registration worksheets.  

Track your training

Please take our training tracker survey any time you’ve completed a training session. It helps us gauge the reach of our classes and inform facilities which of their staff have been trained.  

Practice using MR&C

Practice entering birth records using fictitious records, in the MR&C training environment. Email health.vitalrecords@state.mn.us to request access. Include your first and last name, the facility you represent, and your work email address.