Emerging Issues in Paternity Establishment
Symposium Summary

Prepared by:
Susan Paikin
Center for the Support of Families

September 17, 2007

This report presents a summary of the presentations and discussions at the symposium held by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation on January 25, 2006. The symposium was conducted by Xtria, LLC. under Contract No. HHS-223-02-0089-3 with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The report presents the views and opinions of the symposium participants and does not necessarily represent the views, positions, nor policies of the Department of Health and Human Services or its agencies.

This report was produced under the direction of Jennifer Burnszynski and Linda Mellgren, Project Officers, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Office of Human Services Policy, Melissa Pardue, Deputy Assistant Secretary.

This report is available on the Internet at:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/07/paternity/index.htm

How to Obtain a Printed Copy

Contents

  1. Introduction to the Emerging Issues in Paternity Establishment Project
  2. Summary of Background Papers
    1. The State of Paternity Establishment Policy Presented by Susan F. Paikin
    2. Implications of Principles of Family Law Presented by Marsha Garrison
    3. Discussant: Linda Elrod
    4. Paternity Disestablishment, Father Involvement, and the Best Interest of the Child: Lessons from Child Welfare and Family Law by Waldo E. Johnson, Jr., and Wayne L. Salter
    5. Conceiving the Father: An Ethicist's Approach to Paternity Disestablishment by Joanna Bergmann, Arthur Caplan, and Nadia Sawicki
    6. Discussant: Esther Wattenberg
  3. Themes and Research Issues
    1. Magnitude of the Problem
      1. Symposium Discussion
      2. Research Needs
    2. The Sooner The Better
      1. Symposium Discussion
      2. Research Needs
    3. Stability
      1. Symposium Discussion
      2. Research Needs
    4. Biology and Beyond
      1. Symposium Discussion
      2. Research Needs
    5. Consistency and Fairness
      1. Symposium Discussion
      2. Research Needs
  4. Summary

Appendices

  1. Symposium Participants and Observers
  2. Symposium Agenda
  3. Federal Direct Determination of Parent-Child Relationship

How to Obtain a Printed Copy

To obtain a printed copy of this report, send the title and your mailing information to:

Human Services Policy, Room 404E
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20201

Fax:  (202) 690-6562

Where to?

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Home Pages:
Human Services Policy (HSP)
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Last updated:  11/09/07