10/03/2025

Reminder: OVRS Webinar | FAQ Preview Inside

📢 Reminder: OVRS Webinar – Monday, October 6 @ 4 PM!

Complimentary for OFDA Members
Earn 1 CE Hour – Laws & Rules

This Fall, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Bureau of Vital Statistics will launch the new Ohio Vital Records System (OVRS), replacing IPHIS/EDRS. Join us for this live webinar to explore OVRS features, workflows, and best practices for a smooth transition.

Rena Boler, State Registrar and VSCP Project Director, and Joshua Levy, Customer Service Professional, will provide expert guidance on the new system, while OFDA Past President Gary Burr will highlight key features and share insights from Indiana’s similar rollout to help funeral directors navigate the transition with confidence.

CLICK HERE to Register

Note: This program is live only – no on-demand access will be available.

Reminder: Please plan to log in a few minutes early to ensure your Zoom application is up-to-date and you are connected before the session begins.

✅ FAQ Preview: Answers to Your Questions

OFDA will create a FAQ document after the webinar to address questions raised during the program and will continue to gather questions in the weeks following, providing this updated resource to members as new information becomes available. In the meantime, here are answers to three recent questions:

1. If we are serving a family where a death occurred in a Phase 2 county and we are located in Phase 1, how do we complete the Death Certificate process? 

• The county roll-out is based on the Funeral Home location, not the family or the decedent. All Local Health Districts, Coroners, and Physicians are under the October 22 start date.

2. For religious-based decedents where embalming cannot take place, how quickly can we receive a burial transit permit?

• ODH Vital Stats has it set up so that receiving a permit is instantaneous – next Monday’s webinar will go into more detail.

3. If funeral homes that are close (in proximity) to Phase 1, but fall into Phase 2, are ready to implement in October, can they petition with Vital Stats to be included in Phase 1?  

• YES! After October 22, ANY Funeral Home that wants to move over early is able to do so. The only thing to keep in mind is that a record started in OVRS cannot be completed in EDRS and vice versa.