EFFECTIVE PATERNITY ESTABLISHMENT PRACTICES 
EXECUTIVE REPORT 
VICI.r. 
'0 
;,1r\rolJa 
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 
AN 
OFFCE OF ANALYSIS  INSPECTONS 
JANUARY 1990  Offce of Inspector General 
The mission of the Offce of Inspector General (OIG) is to promote the efficiency, 
of programs in the United States Department of Health 
effectiveness and integrty 
and Human Servces (HHS). It does this by developing methods to detect and 
, waste and abuse. Created by statute in 1976, the Inspector General 
prevent fraud
keeps both the Secretary and the Congress fully and currently informed about the 
programs or management problems and recommends corrective action. The OIG 
performs its mission by conducting audits, investigations and inspections with 
approximately 1300 staff strategically located around the country. 
Offce of AnalysIs and InspectIons 
This report is produced by the Office of Analysis and Inspections (OAl), one of the 
three major offices within the OIG. The other two are the Offce of Audit and the 
Offce of Investigations. The OAI conducts inspections which are tyically short-term 
studies designed to determine program effectiveness, effciency and vulnerabilty to 
fraud and abuse.

This Repon 
Entitled "Effective Paternity Establishment Practices: Executive Report," this report 
describes effective State and local paternity establishment practices. A companion 
report provides a more detailed treatment of this subject for those readers interested 
in examining it in greater depth. 
This report was prepared under the direction of Ralph Tunnell, Regional Inspector 
General and Chester B. Slaughter, Deputy Regional Inpector General of Region VI 
Office of Analysis and Inspections. Participating in this project were the following 
people: 
Project Leader, Dallas, OAI 
Judith V. Tyler 
Donna Hopper  Program Analyst, Dallas, OAI 
Darlean Spangenberger  Co-operative Education Student 
Texas Woman s University 
Frank Almendarez  Program Analyst (Graphics), Dallas, OAI 
Joseph L Penkrot  Program Analyst, Chcago, OAI 
Penny R. Thompson  Program Specialist, Washington, D.C., OAI  PRACTCES
EFFCT PATERN 
 ESTABLISHMNT
REPORT
EXECU 
RICHAD P. KUSSEROW 
INSPECfOR GENERA 
JANUARY 1990 
OAI 06-89-00910  EXCU SUMY

PUROSE 
effective State and local paternity establishment practices and 
This report descn"bes 
barrers to a successful paternity establishment program. 
BACKGROUN 
costs of the Aid to Familes with 
The Congress, concerned by the increasing 
Dependent Children (AFC) program, amended the Social Security Act in 1975, 
to strengthen the Child Support Enforcement 
1984 and 1988 to create and then 
, for the first 
amendments required State CSE programs
(CSE) program. The 1988 
time, to meet a specifc paternity establishment percentage. 
Two recent evaluations of States' performance in child support enforcement 
conducted by a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee and the General 
Accounting Offce show that many States are not pursuing paternity establishment 
vigorously and successfully. These findings have serious cost implications for the 
States because States are subject to fiscal penalties if they cannot meet their 
paternity establishment percentage goal and most paternity suits are brought by 
AFC. 
single mothers applying for 
We intervewed 77 managers, supervsors and legal personnel at 13 effective practice 
establishment process. 
sites about barriers and key improvements to the paternity 
We defined effective practices as procedures which improve the number of 
, case decision accuracy and/or case management effciency. 
paternities established
EFFCT  SUMY 
PRACfCF 
effective practices to improve 
States should consider adopting the following seven 
programs. 
paternity establishment in their Child Support Enforcement 
SOLICI SUPPORT

, the judiciary, 
Actively solicit the support and commitment of top management
legislators and the community for the paternity establishment program. Through 
them the effective practice sites were able to increase program resources, streamline 
laws. 
adjudication, increase paternity establishments and change paternity  ...... .......... .... ..................  ................................. . ............ ........... ....... ..................................... 
CONT

TABLE OF 
EXCU SUM 
Y........................................................................................................

INODUCfON 
............................................................. 1
Purpose........................... ..... 

...................... .......... ...................... 1
Background................... .............. 

Method 0 logy................................................................"" .................................................. 4
EFFCT  SUMY 
PRACfCE 
Program................................... 6
Solicit Support for the Paternity Establishment 
Information.................................... 6
Garify Responsibilty for Obtaining Intake 
Promote Improved Parental Cooperation............................................................... 7
Streamline Adjudication of Paternity Cases...................................................... 7
Institute Effective Case Management Controls................................................. 8
Case Processing.... .................... 
S im p lify 
Upgrade and Improve Staff U tiliz tion............................................................ .......... 9 EF 
PATE 
FSABUSHM PRACfCF
EXCU 
RERT

0610 
OAI 
INODUCfON 
PURE 
This report describes effective State and locl paternty establishment practices and 
barrers to a successful paternity establishment program. 
BACKGROUN 
Increasing Program Costs 
The Congress, concerned by the increasing costs of the Aid to Familes with 
Dependent Children (AF) program, amended the Social Security Act in 1975, 
1984 and 1988 to create and then to strengthen the Child Support Enforcement 
(CSE) program. The 1988 amendments required State CSE programs, for the first 
time, to meet a specific paternity establishment percentage. 
, according to a "The New York Times" article (July 21, 1989) nearly 
In addition
Most of these paternity suits 
285 000 paternity suits are fied nationwide every year. 
are brought by CSE agencies in behalf of single mothers who have applied for
AFC.  AFC 
Women receiving  have assigned their support rights to the CSE 
agency. If regular child support payments were made following paternity 
AFC 
establishment,  program costs for these familes may be reduced. 
Recent Evaluation of States' Performance 
Two recent evaluations of States' performance in child support enforcement 
however, show that many States are not pursuing paternity establishment vigorously 
and successfully. In October 1988, the House Subcommittee on Public Assistance 
of performance. The 
and Unemployment Compensation released a report card 
mean State paternity establishment rate was 31 percent (paternities established in 
fiscal year 1987 divided by births to unmarred mothers in 1985). Thirt-two States 
scored below 30 percent; 45 scored below SO percent.

In April 1987, the General Accounting Offce (Child Support: Need to Improve 
Efforts to Identify Fathers and Obtain Support Orders. GAOIHRD-87-37) found that  ... 
... 
..  ......  .... . .. ...... .. ." .. .....  ..,.... ........ . ..." .. '."..."    .. .,..,..-.. ......... ...  . .. ,..,.". ....... .....  ......   ...... . .'. ".. ....  ..... : .
Bloo tess are. available and accessible. 
Court persnnl 
specialize in 
Paternit/child. suppOrt adiudication..

Therespoibiscaeworker.  to. 
asact 
establis paternit.  as.  earf 
possbfe relaive to the birth of the. 
applic3tion
child or AFDC 
 BARR I ERS AND IMPROVEMENTS 
THE PATERN I TV ESTABL I SHMENT PROCESS 
FA THER CANNOT BE SERVED 
BARRIERS  LEGAL PROCESS COMPLEX

AFDC/CSE COOPERATION 
BENCH DOES NOT A I 0 OR 
UNDERSTAND PAFERNI TY 
PROCESS DELAYS
 ESTABL I SHMENT 
MOTHERS DO NOT UNDERSTAND  CASES LOST OR
 LEGAL SYSTEM INHIBITS 
BENEF I TS OF PA TERN I TY  UNA HENDED  PATERNITY ESTABLISHMENT

EST ABL I SHMENT 
I NADEQUATE LOCATE PARENTS CANNOT AF FORD 
CASES LOST OR  SOURCE  I NFORMA T ION  BLOOD TESTS 
UNATTENDED 
FATHER FAILS TO ATTEND

INSUFFICIENT STAFF  INSUFF ICIENT STAFF
 HEARINGS OR BLOOD TEST

FATHER CANNOT BE
 INSUFFICIENT COURT

MOTHER ALLEGES  FOUND THROUGH TIME/PERSONNEL 
SHE DOES NOT  AVAILABLE CHANNELS

KNOW FATHER 
ADJUD I CATE
INTAKE  LOCATE  CONFRONT 
IMPROVE RELATIONS
 CONTRACT  FOR LEGAL SERV ICES 
WI TH AFDC 
CSE DOES I TS OW  CHANGE LAWS

DATA COLLECT ION 
IMROVEMENTS
EXPED I TE - ALLOW 
REDES IGN OR STREAML I NE  VOLUNTARY ADMISSIONS 
PROCEDURES 
IMPROVE  I NFORMA T ION AND  EDUCATE JUDICIARY 
PRESENTATION OF PATERNITY
 AND PUBL I C 
ESTABL I SHMENT BENEF I TS 
DEVELOP PROCEDURES THAT

STRENGTHEN  CASE  NEGA TE OR REDUCE NE 
MANAGEMENT  CONTROLS  FOR COURT T I 
USEHEARINGOFFICERS 
ADD/SPECIALIZE STAFF  ADD/SPECIALIZE STAFF
 OR MED I A TORS 
STRENGTHEN  CASE  AGENCY FRONTS BLOOD 
APPL Y SANCT IONS  MANAGEMENT  CONTROLS  TEST FEES

CONTRACT  FOR INFORMAT ION  BLOOD  DRAWS ON PREM I SES 
PERS I STENT CAREFUL  SOURCES;  E. G. CRED IT  WHI LE PARENTS ARE THERE

INTERVIEWING  BUREAUS 
I NTERV I EW MOTHER  ON DAY  SOLICIT AID/INFORMATION  I NCREASE COURTS / PERSONNEL 
SHE ALSO APPL I  FOR AFDC  FROM THE COMUNI TY  PROMOT IMROVE PARAL (XPERTION 
convincing the parents to cooperate 
Developing better information or techniques for 
with Chld Support improves the paternity establishment process. 
establishment. At
Mothers and fathers are perceived as major barrers to paternty 
about the 
intake, especially, the mothers are often reluctant to divulge information 
establishment casework cannot be started
putative father, to the point that paternity 

or is not productive. The effective practice sites, in addition to invoking financial 
AFC 
penalties for non-cooperation (removal of the mother from the  grant or 
AFC application for assistance if they have same day intake 
denial of the 
intervews), use other strategies for overcoming parental resistance. They: 
strive to convince the mothers, in either emotional or practical terms 
of the benefits of paternity establishment to the chid,

parente s) more detailed and accurate information about their 
gie the 
, or 
responsibilties and the establishment process
alleging they 
use careful, persistent intervewing technques for mothers 
don t know who the father is. 
ST 
PATE 
FSABUSHM 
ADJUICATION OF 
procedures whenever possible under 
The effective practice sites simplify adjudicative 
State law and try to minimize time spent in court. 
approaches 
Within their legal framework, the effective practice sites try to simplify 
when possible and to streamline the required procedures. They improved 
adjudication by:

the sites have a 
encouragi  untaIY admissions of paternity. Most of 
mechanism whereby a man can legally admit paternity without court 
involvement. Several sites implemented these voluntary procedures in 
, and found they improve cost savings as well as timeliness. 
recent years
Some sites either specially train caseworkers or use special negotiators 
to work out agreements with the fathers. 
taking default judgments.  Most of the sampled sites are authoried to 
establishment tool. 
invoke them and make full use of this paternty 
testing. Most of the sites pay for the 
ni easy access to blood 
costs from the 
tests initially, and then later, may try to recover their  lapping staff duties 
tyes or information sections, elimination of duplicative or over-
and at intake, screening out clients who cannot use child support enforcement 
these sites. 
servces are examples of efficiency improvements at 
UTTION 
UPGRAE AN IMROVE STAF 
, capabilties and division of labor of present staff 
Re-evaluating the number, duties
can improve the paternity establishment process. 
A basic, but key, improvement at six effective practice sites was hiring additional 
specialize staffs or use teams 
staff just to handle the existing caseload. Nine sites 
processing. Some sites create 
because it improves program knowledge and case 
unique positions to facilitate paternity establishment such as a paternity coordinator 
attorneys or a blood test consultant to schedule 
to act as liaison between courts and 
establishment 
appointments and negotiate payments. Ten contract for paternity 
counselor locate 
servces, other than blood testing, such as legal servce, legal 
information. 
A detailed technical version of the report and additional 
For Further Information: 
available from the Superintendent of Documents, 
copies of this condensed report are 
Government Printing Offce, Washington, D.C. 20402.