When parental rights have been terminated, CPS may order a birth certificate through the Department of State Health Service’s (DSHS) Vital Statistics unit in order to facilitate the child’s adoption. Designated regional staff submits requests to state office via the DFPS BVS/Adoption Requests mailbox. State office orders the birth certificate from the Vital Statistics unit.

CPS staff follows the step below to request a certified birth certificates for adoption purposes:

• The regional designee submits an e-mail request to the DFPS BVS/Adoption Requests [sic, email link]  mailbox that includes the items below:
• The child’s name and PID number in the subject line.
• The template below with the child’s information for each birth certificate request. If certificates are needed for siblings a separate template must be completed for each child but they can be on the same e-mail.
  • Child’s name
  • Child’s date of birth
  • Gender
  • Place of birth (city or town/county/state)
  • Full name of father and cause number for termination order
  • Full maiden name of mother and cause number for termination order
• A copy of the child’s termination orders as an attachment. The orders must state that the parental rights have been terminated for both parents and the managing conservatorship of the child is with DFPS. If siblings have the same mother but different fathers, a copy of each order terminating a father’s rights must be included. Please underline the language that states parental rights have been terminated.
• Once the request has been received, state office staff does the following:
• Submits the request to the Vital Statistics unit within three business days.
• Sends the designee an e-mail to confirm that the request was received and processed.
• Forwards the birth certificate from the Vital Statistics unit to the designee who made the initial request.
• Sends the designee an e-mail informing them that the certificate is being sent.

If the designee does not receive a confirmation from state office that the request was received and processed within three business days, the designee should send a follow up e-mail (with the original request attached) to the DFPS BVS/Adoption Requests mailbox.