Child Support Roles & Responsibilities for Establishing Legal Fatherhood (Paternity)

Child Support Agencies

• Work with parents to establish paternity
• Interview mothers, or men who apply for services believing they are the father of a child
• Help with genetic testing
• Use legal and administrative procedures to establish paternity
• Recover birth costs

Courts

• Conduct paternity hearings
• Make rulings on paternity

Bureau of Child Support

• Provides technical assistance to child support agencies regarding paternity policies and procedures
• Provides training and materials to hospitals regarding Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment
• Responds to questions from parents, child support agencies, and hospital staff regarding Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment

Go back to Roles

Child Support Home  |  Parent & Guardian Information  |  Subject Index