Family violence (FV) affects all stages of a child support case, including paternity and establishment, especially since this is the stage when a party is notified a case has been opened and genetic testing might be required. This has the potential to be a flashpoint for a non-custodial parent so please keep the following in mind when scheduling a genetic test in Identilink.
1) Research the case thoroughly for family violence or potential red flags before scheduling a genetic test. Even if the family violence indicator (FVI) is not updated, please view case log for any potential red flags.
2) Since Identilink does not have a field specifically for family violence (FV), you must utilize the comments section when scheduling a test. The schedulers at LabCorp will read these comments when scheduling the genetic test. For example, you can enter, “Case has family violence concerns. Please be mindful when scheduling parties, such as scheduling parties on different days or at least three hours apart.”
3) If the risk for FV is high, you should consider alternative testing locations for the affected party. Many hospitals, doctor offices, etc., are affiliated with LabCorp. However, please be mindful of any potential accessibility/transportation issues for the customer.
4) If you are certified by LabCorp to witness a self-collection, consider allowing the customer to appear at a OKDHS or CSS office for testing. This is more applicable to the offices that have one testing day a month, but any office can do this.
AFTER RESULTS ARE RECEIVED:
CSS does not provide genetic test results over the phone; they must be mailed to the parties. This has the potential to create a dangerous situation for the custodial parent, specifically if there is a positive result, so please be proactive with these cases. Please keep the affected party updated throughout the process. For consultation on how to proceed or to assist a customer with resources, contact the PATHS team at *OCSS.PFRs by emailing the PFRs.