Section 3111.72 | Requirements for contracts with hospitals to meet with unmarried women giving birth.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

The contract between the department of job and family services and a local hospital shall require all of the following:

(A) That the hospital provide a staff person to meet with each unmarried mother who gave birth in or en route to the hospital within twenty-four hours of the birth or before the mother is released from the hospital;

(B) That the staff person attempt to meet with the father of the unmarried mother's child if possible;

(C) That the staff person explain to the unmarried mother and the father, if he is present, the benefit to the child of establishing a parent and child relationship between the father and the child and the various proper procedures for establishing a parent and child relationship;

(D) That the staff person present to the unmarried mother and, if possible, the father, the pamphlet or statement regarding the rights and responsibilities of a natural parent that is prepared and provided by the department of job and family services pursuant to section 3111.32 of the Revised Code;

(E) That the staff person provide the mother and, if possible, the father, all forms and statements necessary to voluntarily establish a parent and child relationship, including, but not limited to, the acknowledgment of paternity affidavit prepared by the department of job and family services pursuant to section 3111.31 of the Revised Code;

(F) That the staff person, at the request of both the mother and father, help the mother and father complete any form or statement necessary to establish a parent and child relationship;

(G) That the hospital provide a notary public to notarize, or witnesses to witness, an acknowledgment of paternity affidavit signed by the mother and father;

(H) That the staff person present to an unmarried mother who is not participating in the Ohio works first program established under Chapter 5107. of the Revised Code or receiving medicaid an application for Title IV-D services;

(I) That the staff person forward any completed acknowledgment of paternity, no later than ten days after it is completed, to the office of child support in the department of job and family services;

(J) That the department of job and family services pay the hospital twenty dollars for every correctly signed and notarized or witnessed acknowledgment of paternity affidavit from the hospital.

Last updated October 3, 2023 at 10:47 AM

Available Versions of this Section

• September 29, 2013 – House Bill 59 - 130th General Assembly
• October 3, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly