6.B  - Vital Statistics Request

Appendix 6.B - Vital Statistics Service Request

Purpose:

This appendix provides instructions on how to request copies of birth versifications from the State Vital Records Office and paternity affidavits from the State CSP Office.  To find the person who handles paternity affidavit requests within the State CSP Office, please see Appendix 2.A – State CSP Office Organizational Chart.

Procedures:

1) Before requesting paternity affidavits, the case worker will check the child support case file and POSSE case activity logs to verify if:

• • • • The document is on file at the State CSP Office;

      • The document has already been requested and sent to the District CSP Office;

• • • More than one case for the same parties exists.  If so, check all cases to see if the document was sent for one of the other cases.  If the document was sent for another case, check the file or check with the person who logged the document to obtain a copy.

2) To obtain a birth verification the caseworker will email a request to the appropriate individual at the State Vital Records Office.  The subject of the e-mail will include “Birth Verification Request – POSSE XXX” and with this information in the body of the e-mail in the following order:

• • Kid's name;

  • DOB;

  • County/City of birth;

  • Mother’s maiden name;

  • Father’s name;

  • POSSE case number; and

  • If you need certified copies, write the word “Certified;” and

• What county you want the document to be sent to.

3) If a paternity affidavit cannot be obtained elsewhere, the case worker will e-mail a request to the appropriate individual at the State CSP Office.  The subject of the e-mail will include “Paternity Affidavit Request  – POSSE XXX” and with this information in the body of the e-mail in the following order:

• • • • • Kid's name;

        • DOB;

        • County/City of birth;

        • Mother’s maiden name;

        • Father’s name;

        • POSSE case number; and

        • Is document on file at state office?  (yes/no)

        • If you need certified copies, write the word “Certified;” and

• • • • What county you want the document to be sent to.

4) When a birth verification is received from the State Vital Records Office  and a note is attached stating "Married", this means that the couple was married at the time of birth and there will not be a paternity affidavit.  If the father’s name is not on the birth verification, there will not be a paternity affidavit.

5) If the child was born in another state, the custodian of the child will contact the Vital Records office in the birth state to request the birth certificate and/or paternity affidavit.

6) The following reasons may delay receiving paternity affidavits from the State CSP Office:

• • • • If the child has not been named on the birth certificate (e.g. the child was not given a name prior to leaving the hospital), the District CSP Office Manager and case worker requesting the documents will be notified by e-mail from the State CSP Office and a case activity log will entered on POSSE by the State CSP Office stating that the mother will need to contact Vital Statistics and have a new birth certificate issued; 

      • If one or both parents are minors, a legal guardian/parent of the minor will also sign the paternity affidavit. Sometimes the guardian/ parent will not sign the paternity affidavit, and the parents will wait until they are of age to sign the acknowledgment themselves; or 

• • • If the name of the child on the birth certificate does not match exactly with the child’s name on POSSE, the State CSP Office will change the name in POSSE to match the birth certificate and enter a case activity log.

7) The paternity establishment date to be entered on POSSE is the date the paternity affidavit is received and filed at the Vital Statistics Service office. This date is located in the upper right hand corner of the paternity affidavit. If the date filed field is not complete on the paternity affidavit, the document will be returned to the State CSP Office for follow-up with Vital Statistics Service. 

8) In cases of paternity denial, the paternity denial form will be attached to the paternity affidavit when it is received from the State CSP Office.  In addition, a case activity log will be entered by the State CSP Office regarding paternity denial. 

Cross Reference

None