In a VPA, the father voluntarily signs an affidavit acknowledging that he is the father. He submits his social security number as part of t he acknowledgment. The social security number may be vital later in locating the father if the mother decides to seek a support order. Many states also require the inclusion of both parents social security numbers on the birth certificate. 1 VPAs can occur any time before or after the birth, but the sooner paternity is established, the better.
Most fathers visit their newborns in the hospital and claim paternity informally at that time.
For this reason, Washington, Virginia, Delaware and other states are focusing on prenatal clinics and hospitals as the best sites for VPAs. 3 Texas has a paternity acknowledgment project operating at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, but acknowledgments obtained at the hospital still do not replace the need for a court appearance. 4 Washington has a model VPA program. The CSE program matches their copy of each affidavit with the CSE caseload as it is received. One out of every four affidavits matches a CSE case as soon as it is entered.