PATERNITY ESTABLISHMENT

VOLUNTARY ESTABLISHMENT:
Connecticut's Voluntary Paternity Establishment (VPE) Program is a collaborative effort between the Connecticut Department of Social Services, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and the state’s birthing hospitals to provide paternity establishment services for unmarried couples immediately following the birth of their child.

Fathers who are not married to the mother of their baby can acknowledge paternity by filling out Form VS56. The form must be signed by both parents and notarized before the father's name can be entered on the baby's birth certificate. This form can be filled out at the hospital when the baby is born, at a Department of Social Services office, or at the Department of Public Health.

Go to: Connecticut Department of Public Health website for more information about:

• What is Paternity?
• What is the Process for Adding a Father to a Birth Certificate (Establishing Paternity)
• Acknowledgement of Paternity
• Court Ordered Paternity

By legally establishing paternity, parents give their children the opportunity to benefit from:

• The development of an emotional bond with both mom and dad
• A sense of family and belonging
• Social security and other state and federal government programs
• Health and life insurance
• Access to medical history of both sides of the family
• Survivor’s benefits

The Connecticut Department of Social Services Child Support units can also help a parent establish paternity if you do not do it at the hospital, or if you have other children whose paternity has not yet been established.

For information on Connecticut Law About Paternity and Questions and Answers for Dads go to: http://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/Law/paternity.htm

PATERNITY ESTABLISHMENT THROUGH DNA TESTING

Fathers can prove or disprove paternity through DNA testing. Private DNA labs can perform this testing for a set fee.
Reduced fee testing: any Connecticut resident filing for child support can obtain reduced fee paternity testing for child support purposes by applying for child support enforcement services at the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS). Men who deny paternity, but who must be tested, can also apply at DSS for the reduced fee test. Testing is arranged by DSS. The fee for paternity testing ordered by DSS is significantly lower than the fee a private lab would charge.

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
Search by service name: Paternity/Maternity Establishment

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PREPARED BY: 211/lb
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: July2012