County od San Diego

Department of Child Support Services

Good afternoon and welcome!

1P aternity O pportunity P rogramDoug BuiMarch 13, 2014

This presentation is about the Paternity Opportunity Program.I am very glad that you are here, because within the next ten minutes, I will give each and every one of you a very important key to the success of the Department of Child Support Services (hold out key).2Objective:

To appraise the meritsof the Paternity Opportunity Program in relation to the mission of DCSS.3Let us begin by looking at the objective and contents.The objective is: We will be able to appraise the merits of the Paternity Opportunity in relation to the mission of DCSS.3Contents:

4History

Significance

In PracticeTO ACHIEVE our objective, we will examine the History of POP, The Significance of POP, and POP in practice.Lets now establish a perspective, a context for our discussion about the POP.4

54.2 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.Parents with Child Support Services have lower income than those who do not receive service.Child support is a larger percentage of their family income than those not in the CSS program.5The average child support represented 52 percent of the average income for custodial parents who are below poverty.

The Story Behind the Numbers6Lastly, the average child support represented about half of the average income for parents below poverty.To summarize, custodial parents served by the DCSS are those who actually need CSS the most.6What can be done?

PaternityOpportunityProgramPOP7

With such somber data, what can be done? One answer is the Paternity Opportunity progam.7

HISTORYBudget 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.

FEDERALSource Fed8Title IV-DStrategic PlanThe Paternity opportunity was born from the reconciliation act of 1993 to amend Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. In short, it require states to adopt procedures for establishing legal paternity.8HISTORYPOP, 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.

STATESource CA

9CSDA.orgStrategic PlanThe State of California then implemented the POP in 1995, with about 330 hospitals and birthing facilities.The program is now widely available, such as clinics, welfare offices, vital records offices, courts, and DCSS locations.9

HISTORY

COUNTYNOTE: DCSS becomes involved in child support cases where a custodial parent is receiving public assistance* in order to support the child.* CalWORKS, CalFesh, Medi-cal10

California DCSS

Current CSSParadigm:Holistic approachTo summarize, POP began from Federal mandates, which were carried out by the state of California DCSS. This means that the County DCSS will carry out the same mission and program.We would like to note that the County DCSS is involved for cases where the custodial parent is receiving public assistance, such as CalWORKS.10HISTORY

COUNTY DCSS provides the following services:

Establish paternityEstablish child and medical support ordersEnforce/modify child and medical support ordersCollect and distribute child and spousal support payments SD DCSS11

videosLets take a closer look at DCSS. The DCSS provides the following: Establishing paternity, Establishing child support and medical support orders, enforcing or modifying those orders, and collecting and distributing child support and spousal support.Looking at these services, which one should come first and why? Establishing paternity, because paternity has to be established for a court order.You have been given the key th

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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*CourtWith your new key, lets unlock some important facts:Since 1997, for unmarried parents, the fathers name is not added to the birth certificate unless:The parents sign a Declaration of Paternity (allowed by the POP) or The parents will have to amend the birth certificate through the courts.Clearly, signing the DP under POP is much easier than going through the courts12Why 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 form (CS 909)

13Heres a closer look at the declaration of Paternity. It is a legal form to establish paternity. It is equivalent to a court order.13Why Paternity ?

BenefitsFinancial supportMedical and life insurance coverageInheritance protection Emotional benefits

14FAQTo summarize, the POP allows for the DP, which legally establishes Paternity, which provides a number of benefits the child and the parents: Such as Financial support, Medical and life insurance coverage, Inheritance protection, and emotional benefits.14POP in ActionMost 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.

15Performance Measurements: Fed5, CA9Remember that the main goal of POP is the simplify and popularize the paternity process. ThusMost hospitals participate in the POP. DCSS offices, vital records, clinics can complete the DP.Military father can complete the DP before the child is born.Parents can get the DP through the mail and complete it before a notary.15

Welcome to DCSS!We Thank You!16To enhance the lives and well-being of children

Please raise your hand if you have a question.17To enhance the lives and well-being of children