The Health Statistics Center (HSC) is a division of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Public Health, Office of Epidemiology and Health Promotion. The HSC has two main functions.

 The first is to be the state’s official repository of birth, death, marriage, and divorce records, which are collectively referred to as “Vital Records.” These records are maintained and certified in HSC’s Vital Registration Program. The Vital Registration Program verifies the completeness and accuracy of the records. Certified copies of these records are required for such items as school entry, employment, and passports and are available for a fee from the Vital Registration Program.

The second main function of the Health Statistics Center is to analyze the information from vital records (and other sources) and make it available for planning and policy purposes. This function is performed by the Statistical Services Program. The information is used for such purposes as estimating the state’s population between census years, but the major use of the data is to monitor the health of West Virginians. This is done by analyzing birth, death, behavioral and other health data.. By comparing current year information with previous years and with national data, the relative health of West Virginia’s citizens can be determined. Such analysis can identify areas where specific interventions might favorably impact the health of state residents.

The HSC produces two annual publications plus special reports on specific topics. The HSC will also try to fill specific data requests for information that is not covered in the reports. Individual personal confidentiality is maintained, and the requested data is reviewed to see that it is statistically valid before being released.