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Slide 2 County od San Diego Department of Child Support Services County od San Diego Department of Child Support Services Slide 3 P ATERNITY O PPORTUNITY P ROGRAM Doug Bui March 13, 2014 Doug Bui March 13, 2014 Slide 4 Objective: To appraise the merits of the Paternity Opportunity Program in relation to the mission of DCSS. 3 Slide 5 Contents: 4 1.History 2.Significance 3.In Practice Slide 6 5 4.2 million custodial parents lived in poverty in 2011, representing 29 percent of all custodial parents, about twice the poverty rate for the total population. U.S. Census Bureau report, Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2011. Slide 7 The average child support represented 52 percent of the average income for custodial parents who are below poverty. The Story Behind the Numbers 6 Slide 8 What can be done? Paternity Opportunity Program POP 7 Slide 9 HISTORY Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Pub. L. 103-66) signed by the President on August 10, 1993, which amend Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (the Act). (Pres. Clinton) Require States to adopt procedures for a simple civil process for the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, including early paternity establishment programs in hospitals. FEDERAL SourceSource Fed 8 Title IV-D Strategic Plan Slide 10 HISTORY POP, implemented in January 1995, involved about 330 of California's licensed hospitals and clinics with birthing facilities. The program has since been expanded to prenatal clinics, county welfare offices, vital records offices, and courts. STATE Source CA 9 CSDA.org Strategic Plan Slide 11 HISTORY COUNTY NOTE: DCSS becomes involved in child support cases where a custodial parent is receiving public assistance* in order to support the child. * CalWORKS, CalFesh, Medi-cal 10 California DCSS Current CSS Paradigm: Holistic approach Slide 12 HISTORY COUNTY DCSS provides the following services: Establish paternity Establish child and medical support orders Enforce/modify child and medical support orders Collect and distribute child and spousal support payments SD DCSS 11 videos Slide 13 If the parents of a child are not legally married when the child is born, the father's name will NOT be added to the birth certificate unless they*: Sign a Declaration of Paternity in the hospital or after. Establish paternity through the courts and pay a fee to amend the birth certificate.** Why POP ? *Federal welfare reform legislation, 1/1/1997. 12 *Court Slide 14 Why POP ? POP provides The Declaration of Paternity a legal form that, once filed with the state, voluntarily establishes legal fatherhood and is the equivalent of a court order. DP formDP form (CS 909) 13 Slide 15 Why Paternity ? Benefits Financial support Medical and life insurance coverage Inheritance protection Emotional benefits 14 FAQ Slide 16 POP in Action Most hospitals in San Diego County participate in the POP program. After the baby is born, the unmarried mother and father complete the Declaration of Paternity. The DCSS and the Office of Vital Records (+ others) can witness the parents signatures. Military fathers-to-be on deployment can sign the declaration before the child is born. Parents can also request the declaration be mailed to them and sign the forms later in front of a notary. 15 Performance Measurements: Fed5, CA9Fed5CA9 Slide 17 Welcome to DCSS! We Thank You! 16 To enhance the lives and well-being of children Slide 18 Please raise your hand if you have a question. 17 To enhance the lives and well-being of children