193.087. Voluntary acknowledgment of paternity--forms, contents--immunity for staff presenting form--training of hospital staff--intentional misidentification of parent, penalty--public assistance rec

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

193.087. Voluntary acknowledgment of paternity--forms, contents--immunity for staff presenting form--training of hospital staff--intentional misidentification of parent, penalty--public assistance rec

Voluntary acknowledgment of paternity--forms, contents--immunityfor staff presenting form--training of hospital staff--intentionalmisidentification of parent, penalty--public assistance recipients,duty to cooperate.

193.087. 1. In addition to the requirements of subsection 2 ofsection 193.085, when a birth occurs to an unmarried mother, whether in aninstitution or en route to an institution, the person in charge of theinstitution or a designated representative shall:

(1) Provide a form or affidavit prescribed by the state registrarthat may be completed by the child's mother and father to voluntarilyacknowledge paternity of the child pursuant to section 193.215;

(2) File the form, when completed, along with the certificaterequired by this section; and

(3) Provide oral and written notice to the affiant required bysection 193.215.

2. Any institution, the person in charge or a designatedrepresentative shall be immune from civil or criminal liability forproviding the form or affidavit required by subsection 1 of this section,the information developed pursuant to that subsection, or otherwisefulfilling the duties required by subsection 1 of this section.

3. The family support division may contract with the department ofhealth and senior services to provide assistance and training to thehospital staff assigned responsibility for providing the information, asappropriate, to carry out duties pursuant to this section. The familysupport division shall develop and distribute free of charge theinformation on the rights and responsibilities of parents that is requiredto be distributed pursuant to this section. The department of health andsenior services shall provide free of charge to hospitals theacknowledgment of paternity affidavit, and instructions on the completionof the affidavit.

4. If no contract is developed with the department of health andsenior services, then the family support division shall provide theassistance and training activities to hospitals pursuant to subsection 3 ofthis section.

5. Any affiant who intentionally misidentifies another person as aparent may be prosecuted for perjury, pursuant to section 575.040, RSMo.

6. Due to lack of cooperation by public assistance recipients, thefamily support division shall either suspend the entire public assistancecash grant, or remove the needs of the adult recipient of public assistancefrom the cash grant, subject to good cause exceptions pursuant to federallaw or regulations.