AT-05-08, Required Data Elements for Paternity Acknowledgement Affidavits

ACTION TRANSMITTAL

AT-05-08

DATE: July 13, 2005

TO: State Agencies Administering Child Support Enforcement Plans under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act and Other Interested Individuals.

SUBJECT: Required Data Elements for Paternity Acknowledgement Affidavits

BACKGROUND: Final regulations were published in the Federal Register on March 10, 1999 (64 FR 11802) resulting from the efforts of a task group composed of Federal and State staff established by the Department of Health and Human Services to recommend minimum data elements and information requirements for all State paternity acknowledgement affidavits. A complete list of required and optional data elements appears in Appendix A of OCSE-AT-98-02, which can be accessed online at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/pol/AT/1998/at-9802.htm.

In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and Families recently solicited public comment on whether these information collections [Control Numbers 0970-0171 and 0970-0175] should continue. Public notices soliciting comments were published in the Federal Register [December 29, 2004, (69 FR 78036, 69 FR 78036-7), April 19, 2004 (70 FR 20374-5) and April 22, 2005 (70 FR 20918)]. No comments were received in response to these public notices.

REFERENCES: Section 452(a)(7) of the Social Security Act (the Act) requires the Department of Health and Human Services to specify the minimum requirements of an affidavit to be used for the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity. In addition, section 466(a)(5)(C)(iv) of the Act requires States to enact laws requiring the development and use of an affidavit for the voluntary acknowledgement of paternity.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The Office of Management and Budget reviewed these information collections and approved them without change on June 21, 2005. These collections will next expire June 30, 2008.

INQUIRIES: ACF Regional Administrators

David H. Siegel
Acting Commissioner
Office of Child Support Enforcement

cc: Tribal IV-D Agencies