State Advancements in Paternity Establishment: Legislative,
Gubernatorial and Program Initiatives
INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
OCSE-IM-92-09
December 31, 1992
TO: STATE AGENCIES ADMINISTERING CHILD SUPPORT
ENFORCEMENT PLANS APPROVED UNDER TITLE IV-D OF THE
SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND OTHER INTERESTED
INDIVIDUALS
SUBJECT: State Advancements in Paternity Establishment:
Legislative, Gubernatorial, and Program
Initiatives
BACKGROUND: The issue of paternity establishment has been
recognized by the Office of Child Support
Enforcement (OCSE) and the States as a major
national concern.
The sheer increase in the number of children being
born outside of marriage during the last thirty
years has commanded our attention because, in many
cases, it directly and adversely affects the
economic well-being of our nation's children. As
a result, this Office recognizes that there is an
urgent need to develop -- at a minimum --
practices and policies which make it as easy as
possible for fathers to voluntarily establish
their child's paternity.
Our initial goal was to collect information
regarding what appears to be a flurry of
legislative initiatives that have been proposed or
recently passed by a significant number of States
in the area of in-hospital paternity
establishment.
To our delight, we were able to collect a more
comprehensive overview of the current efforts
undertaken by States (in addition to in-hospital
programs) to streamline and/or expedite the
paternity establishment process.
Page 2 -- State Advancements in Paternity Establishment
ATTACHMENTS: The purpose of the attached report, State
Advancements in Paternity Establishment:
Legislative, Gubernatorial, and Program
Initiatives, is to facilitate a "cross-
fertilization" of ideas and approaches currently
being implemented and/or tested by States in
establishing paternity via the Child Support
Enforcement program.
It is also intended to serve as a quick reference
guide for State and local IV-D program staff
interested in developing new initiatives in
paternity establishment based on the experience of
others.
In order to provide you with a national
perspective, we have included a section which
statistically profiles the trends and consequences
of out-of-wedlock births with respect to the
economic and social well-being of the child.
We also provided the names of contact persons for
each legislative, gubernatorial, and/or program
initiative in order to encourage a direct exchange
of information. Copies of actual State
legislation and/or law have been included in the
Appendix for those States interested in reviewing
other States legislative language.
To assist new child support program managers, we
have included a section which summarizes the
Federal requirements on paternity establishment
and effective implementation dates.
INQUIRIES TO: OCSE Division of Program Operations, Special
Initiatives Branch (202) 401-5426
_________________________________
Allie Page Matthews
Deputy Director
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Contact the above number if you wish copies of the attachment.