Paternity testing to be offered at Summit County hospitals

AKRON, Ohio - A new community outreach program in Summit County will give mothers and fathers the opportunity to have genetic testing done at the hospital shortly following the birth of their child.

Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh announced on Friday that the program, which is offered by the Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA), will provide the genetic testing services at hospitals throughout Summit County.

Summit County CSEA is a division of the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office and is the first in the state to make these services available.

“In Summit County, approximately 42 percent of the births in 2008 were out-of-wedlock. This program targets these out-of-wedlock births to establish paternity early for children so that their legal rights are secured. Paternity establishment guarantees that a child is eligible for benefits from Social Security in the event of the death or disability of either parent, and provides parents and children with access to the medical history of both parents should future medical issues arise,” Prosecutor Walsh stated in a press release.

The program first began operation in May at Akron General Medical Center and is now being expanded to Summa Barberton Hospital.

Other Summit County facilities that plan to take part in the program include Akron City Hospital, the Louis Stokes Department of Veterans Affairs Domiciliary, and the Oriana House.