PATERNITY ESTABLISHMENT - VOLUNTARY/ VPE PROGRAM

ESTABLISHMENT OF PATERNITY

Connecticut's Voluntary Paternity Establishment (VPE) Program is a collaborative effort between the state's Department of Social Services, the 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 VS-56. 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 Dept. of Social Services office, or at the Dept. of Public Health.

Go to: Conn. Dept of Public Health website for more information about:

• What is Paternity?
• What is the Process for 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 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 more information on Connecticut Law about Paternity go to: http://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/Law/paternity.htm

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR DADS

http://www.ct.gov/dss/lib/dss/PDFs/patdad.pdf

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

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SOURCES: Conn. Dept. of Public Health and http://www.fatherhoodinitiative.state.ct.us/
PREPARED BY: 211/lb
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: January2008