(a) The birth of each and every child born alive shall be registered as follows:(1) Within ten days after the date of each live birth, there shall be filed with the local registrar of the district in which the birth occurred a certificate of such live birth, as provided in subsection (b) of this section and, when applicable, a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity form.(2) When a birth occurs in a health care facility under the jurisdiction of the Virgin Islands Government Hospital and Health Facilities Corporation, the health care facility, not more than 24 hours after the birth, shall give the parents a birth certificate application and a voluntary acknowledgment paternity form. The discharge planner shall file the birth certificate application and voluntary acknowledgement of paternity form as required under paragraph (1) in this subsection.(3) In each case other than at a health care facility under the jurisdiction of the Virgin Islands Government Hospital and Health Facilities Corporation where a physician, midwife or person acting as midwife, was in attendance upon the birth, such physician, midwife or person acting as midwife, shall file in accordance herewith the certificate herein required.(4) In each case where there was no physician, midwife or person acting as midwife, in attendance upon the birth, the father or mother of the child, the householder or owner of the premises where the birth occurred, or the manager or superintendent of the public or private institution where the birth occurred, each in the order named, within ten days after the date of such birth shall report to the local registrar of the fact of such birth. In such case, and in case the physician, midwife, or person acting as midwife, in attendance upon the birth is unable, by diligent inquiry to obtain any item or items of information as required in subsection (b) of this section, the local registrar shall secure from the person so reporting, or from any other person having the required knowledge, such information as will enable him to prepare the certificate of birth herein required, and the person reporting the birth or who may be interrogated in relation thereto shall answer correctly and to the best of his knowledge all questions put to him by the local registrar which may be calculated to elicit any information needed to make a complete record of the birth as required by subsection (b) of this section, and the informant as to any statement made in accordance herewith shall verify such statement by his signature, when requested to do so by the local registrar.
(1) Within ten days after the date of each live birth, there shall be filed with the local registrar of the district in which the birth occurred a certificate of such live birth, as provided in subsection (b) of this section and, when applicable, a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity form.
(2) When a birth occurs in a health care facility under the jurisdiction of the Virgin Islands Government Hospital and Health Facilities Corporation, the health care facility, not more than 24 hours after the birth, shall give the parents a birth certificate application and a voluntary acknowledgment paternity form. The discharge planner shall file the birth certificate application and voluntary acknowledgement of paternity form as required under paragraph (1) in this subsection.
(3) In each case other than at a health care facility under the jurisdiction of the Virgin Islands Government Hospital and Health Facilities Corporation where a physician, midwife or person acting as midwife, was in attendance upon the birth, such physician, midwife or person acting as midwife, shall file in accordance herewith the certificate herein required.
(4) In each case where there was no physician, midwife or person acting as midwife, in attendance upon the birth, the father or mother of the child, the householder or owner of the premises where the birth occurred, or the manager or superintendent of the public or private institution where the birth occurred, each in the order named, within ten days after the date of such birth shall report to the local registrar of the fact of such birth. In such case, and in case the physician, midwife, or person acting as midwife, in attendance upon the birth is unable, by diligent inquiry to obtain any item or items of information as required in subsection (b) of this section, the local registrar shall secure from the person so reporting, or from any other person having the required knowledge, such information as will enable him to prepare the certificate of birth herein required, and the person reporting the birth or who may be interrogated in relation thereto shall answer correctly and to the best of his knowledge all questions put to him by the local registrar which may be calculated to elicit any information needed to make a complete record of the birth as required by subsection (b) of this section, and the informant as to any statement made in accordance herewith shall verify such statement by his signature, when requested to do so by the local registrar.
(b) The certificate of birth shall contain at least the items of the standard form approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services of the United States.
(c) Each parent of any child whose birth is being registered pursuant to this section shall provide to the local registrar his or her social security number (or numbers, if the parent has more than one). The local registrar shall maintain said social security number(s) on that portion of the official birth records which remains with the registrar and is not otherwise released to the public. The local registrar shall only disclose said social security numbers to the Virgin Islands Department of Justice Paternity and Child Support Division upon written request. The Division shall exclusively use said social security numbers for the purpose(s) of locating an absent parent, establishing paternity and establishing or enforcing child support orders. A parent need not be required to disclose his or her social security number(s) to the local registrar if the parent provides evidence to establish the following good cause circumstances:(1) the child was conceived as a result of incest or rape; or(2) legal proceedings for the adoption of the child are pending before a court of competent jurisdiction.
(1) the child was conceived as a result of incest or rape; or
(2) legal proceedings for the adoption of the child are pending before a court of competent jurisdiction.
(d) For purposes of this section, “discharge planner” means a person employed at a health care facility under the jurisdiction of the Virgin Islands Government Hospital and Health Facilities Corporation responsible for forwarding birth certificate applications to the local registrar; coordinating patient discharge evaluations; providing discharge summaries to a patient’s insurance provider; preparing comprehensive discharge plans for patients, to include where the patient will live after discharge, how the patient will be transported there, and the patient’s further course of treatment, if any. The discharge plans must be discussed with the patient, the patient’s family, and the health facility’s professional staff. After the patient’s discharge, the discharge planner shall continue to assist the former patient with any questions regarding the former patient’s discharge evaluation, conditions of the recommended care facility, and provide new referrals, if necessary.