SECTION 55.406. Entities Providing Paternity Establishment Services

(a) The following entities must provide voluntary paternity establishment services after being certified by the Office of the Attorney General:

(1) all public and private birthing hospitals;

(2) all birthing centers;

(3) the Texas Department of State Health Services, Vital Statistics Unit; and

(4) a registered nurse working in a partnership program funded through the nurse-family partnership competitive grant program under Chapter 531, Subchapter M, Texas Government Code.

(b) The following entities may provide voluntary paternity establishment services at their option, but only after being certified by the Office of the Attorney General:

(1) local birth registrars;

(2) public health clinics;

(3) private health care providers;

(4) certified nurse midwives;

(5) licensed midwives;

(6) agencies providing assistance or services under Title IV, Part A of the Social Security Act, agencies providing food stamp eligibility service, and agencies providing child support enforcement (IV-D) services;

(7) Head Start, child care facilities, and individual child care providers;

(8) community action agencies and community action programs;

(9) secondary education schools;

(10) legal aid agencies;

(11) private attorneys;

(12) any public or private health, welfare or social services organization; and

(13) an individual with a role in birthing, birth records, healthcare services, social services or legal services who can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Office of the Attorney General that they have specialized training, relevant experience or other factors appropriate to become a certified entity.

Source Note: The provisions of this §55.406 adopted to be effective April 23, 2000, 25 TexReg 3232; amended to be effective March 5, 2008, 33 TexReg 1761; amended to be effective June 10, 2013, 38 TexReg 3526