State Advancements in Paternity Establishment: Legislative, Gubernatorial and Program Initiatives

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                      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.