A Performance Audit
An Audit Report on the Department of State Health Services’ Vital Statistics Section and Texas Electronic Vital Events Registrar (TxEVER) System
August 2021
Summary Analysis
The Department of State Health Services (Department) implemented certain controls in the Texas Electronic Vital Events Registrar system (TxEVER) to help protect birth and death records. However, the Department should strengthen its internal controls and its monitoring of local registrars to ensure that birth and death records are secure and accurate and access to TxEVER is appropriate. Specifically:
- The Department did not have adequate controls over inventories related to birth and death records, the issuance of birth and death records, access to secure rooms, or password authentication in TxEVER.
- The Department did not have adequate controls over amending birth and death records, updating certain birth records, or timely notifying customers seeking amendments to birth and death records.
- The Department did not review access in TxEVER. The Department also did not ensure that (1) local users with access to TxEVER had the required background check or (2) all users who register births in TxEVER had the required Birth Registrar Certification.
- The Department did not monitor local registrars for calendar years 2019 and 2020. Specifically, the Department did not receive all local registrar self-assessments and did not conduct any required audits of local registrars.
The Department of State Health Services (Department), through its Vital Statistics Section, administers birth and death records for the State of Texas. This responsibility also includes maintaining the Texas Electronic Vital Events Registrar system (TxEVER) and monitoring local registrars.
The Department should strengthen controls over inventories related to birth and death records, the issuance of birth and death records, and access to secure rooms.
The Department should strengthen controls to ensure that birth and death certificates are properly amended and accurately updated, and that customers seeking certificate amendments receive required notice.
The Department should strengthen controls over its periodic review of TxEVER users, its processes for granting access to TxEVER, and its password controls.
The Department implemented information security controls to protect birth and death records in TxEVER.
The Department did not monitor local registrars for calendar years 2019 and 2020.
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