SUBJECT:
PATERNITY ESTABLISHMENT PERCENTAGE (PEP)
DISCUSSION:
Federal regulations require states to achieve and maintain a Paternity Establishment Percentage of 90%. Missouri has met the required 90% threshold. Income Maintenance (IM) staff have the opportunity to contribute to the efforts to maintain the 90% PEP.
As you meet with single parent and unmarried two parent households, evaluate and offer the Affidavit Acknowledging Paternity (VS-465) form and explain the benefits of establishing paternity to parents when the father is not listed on the birth certificate of a child born in Missouri. Unmarried parents who live in the same household may welcome the opportunity to establish legal paternity for their child(ren). The earlier paternity and/or support is established the sooner the child may:
- have a relationship with the non-custodial parent;
- have access to child support;
- have access to the non-custodial parent's medical benefits;
- obtain information on the non-custodial parent's medical history; and
- receive other benefits resulting from paternity establishment.
Staff should determine if the father is on the Missouri-born child's birth record by viewing IBTH. If the father is not on the birth certificate, the VS-465 should be offered to the parent(s). Per IM Memorandum IM-48, dated 04/17/02, only VS-465 forms with a revision date of 07/99 or 11/01 will be accepted by the Bureau of Vital Records (BVR).
When the VS-465 is not appropriate (parents are unsure of paternity), IM staff can assist Child Support Enforcement (CSE) staff in establishing paternity by encouraging the applicable party to provide as much information as possible on the Referral for Child Support Services (CSE 201) form on all potential fathers. Discuss any changes or new information about absent fathers when completing reinvestigations. Offer the VS-465 form, if not already provided and relay new information to CSE via an IM16. Thoroughly exploring paternity at application and reinvestigations and passing the information to CSE can have significant impact on maintaining the required Paternity Establishment Percentage.
NECESSARY ACTION:
- Review this memorandum with appropriate staff.
- Offer the VS-465 at applications and reinvestigations as appropriate.
- Explain benefits of establishing paternity to parent(s).