Decedent Affairs
The Decedent Affairs office at UC Davis Health is here to support families and staff during this difficult time. If assistance is needed, please reach out to us at 916-734-2885. We’re here to help in any way we can.
Services we provide:
- Help with next steps needed for burial or cremation arrangements for families
- Assist funeral homes with immediate burials or cremation services for religious or cultural reasons
- Provides coordination between UC Davis Health, Sierra Donor Services, and the Sacramento County Medical Examiner’s Office
- Serves as liaison with funeral homes as arrangements are made with families
- Supports staff and physicians with expiration packet requirements
When a loved one passes
At UC Davis Health, we treat decedents with dignity and compassion and are diligent in our processes so final arrangements are completed in a timely manner. Please note: Once remains are transported off hospital units, visitation is no longer allowable.
Inpatient Deaths
- Patients are transported to our morgue located at the Sacramento County Medical Examiner’s office.
- UC Davis Health Decedent Affairs will start and complete the medical portion of the death certificate. This can take 1-3 business days.
- Help facilitate transportation to the funeral home of the family’s choosing.
Home/Hospice Deaths
- Upon notification of the death, UC Davis Health Decedent Affairs will start and complete medical portion of the death certificate.
Emergency Department Deaths
- Any death occurring in the Emergency Department will have the death certificate created by the funeral home unless the decedent’s primary care physician is a UC Davis provider.
- Patients will be transported to our morgue to await final arrangements.
- UC Davis Health Decedent Affairs will facilitate transportation to funeral home
Coroner’s Cases
- Any death accepted by the coroner’s office becomes a forensic case.
- The county coroner takes over possession of the remains and performs their investigation into the death.
- Their office will also facilitate the death certificate and will release remains to the funeral home of choice once their investigation is complete.
- Families can contact the Sacramento County Coroner’s office for updates at 916-874-9320.
» Autopsies are not currently offered at UC Davis Health.
Death Certificates
There are two ways to obtain a certified death certificate:
- Your chosen funeral home can order the death certificate.
- You may contact Vital Records and complete an application for a certified copy here.
How long does it take to receive a death certificate?
Death certificates ordered by funeral homes can take up to two weeks. The average time to process a certified copy request is 10 to 12 weeks. County offices can sometimes process certified copy requests faster than online or mailed requests.
Funeral Home and Cremation Resources
UC Davis Health Decedent Affairs does not endorse any particular funeral home, however a list of local mortuaries and crematoriums can be found below.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Sierra Donor Services and UC Davis Health Decedent Affairs will verify a Document of Gift was signed. Sierra Donor Services may also approach the family to inquire about donation. Please note: Organ procurement and/or tissue recovery can slightly delay final arrangements. Sierra Donor services will take custody of the decedent to perform procurement and return them to the morgue where family can retrieve their loved one.
- UC Davis Body Donation program information can be found here.
- If your family member was preregistered before death, the Body Donation Program must be notified within 24 hours of the death by calling 530-752-2100.
- Indigent Cremation services are available for families with financial hardships.
- Contact the Sacramento County Medical Examiner’s office for an application at 916-874-9320.
- The family’s next step is to choose a funeral home for final arrangements.
- If there was a prearrangement for services, the family must notify that funeral home of the death. UC Davis Health Decedent Affairs does not contact the funeral homes.
- The funeral home must reach out to UC Davis Health Decedent Affairs who will then coordinate death certificate transfer and facilitate releasing the remains.
- Once your loved one is moved to the funeral home, visitation can resume at that facility.
- No. Per state law, this is the responsibility of the legal next of kin.
- There is no time limit, however, if we have not had any interaction with the family or have not been contacted by a funeral home, we will reach out to the legal next of kin within 7-14 days after death.
