Genetic Testing
The Washington County child support office will assist with the genetic testing process if either the mother or the alleged father has applied for services and a legal father has not yet been established for the child.
If genetic testing is arranged through the child support office, the test is completed through buccal swab collection from the mother, alleged father and child. Buccal swabs are cotton swabs that are rubbed firmly against the inside of each person's cheek to obtain DNA cell samples and those samples are sent to a lab for testing.
- Can anyone have genetic testing done through the child support office?
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The child support office will only arrange for genetic testing if the mother or alleged father applies for child support services, or receives public assistance benefits for the child, and the child support office determines the applicant's child does not have a legal father. Individuals who want genetic testing but do not have a child support case open with the child support office can independently contact a genetic testing lab about genetic testing services.
- Is blood more accurate than cheek cells when testing for paternity?
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A person's DNA is the same whether it is collected from cheek cells or blood, so both are equally accurate. Collecting blood samples from children can be a painful and frightening experience, so the child support office uses cheek cell collection instead of blood sample collection.
- How accurate are genetic tests?
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DNA testing is very accurate and will indicate either a probability of paternity greater than 99.9% (inclusion) or 0% (exclusion).
Contact Us
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To submit documents to your child support worker regarding child support, please upload documents to this link.
General number
Phone: 651-430-6455
Email Child SupportTo apply for child support services
Phone: 651-430-6615
Fax: 651-430-6636Child support payment hotline
Phone: 651-215-5630
Toll-free: 1-800-657-3512Interpreter service is available
Minnesota Relay
at 711Locations
Cottage Grove
Forest Lake
Stillwater
WoodburyOffice Hours
Monday - Friday
8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- Who can receive child support?
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A person can receive child support if all of these are true:
- A person is the parent of a minor child or is the person who has court-ordered custody of a minor child
- The minor child lives in the person's household
- The child is financially dependent on that person
- One or both of the child's parents are absent from the home
- The court ordered a person to pay child support
- What services are not available?
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The following services are not available through Washington County:
- Divorce assistance
- Visitation or custody issue mediation / resolution
- Spousal maintenance (alimony) order establishment or modification
- Legal advice or counsel
- Who can use child support services?
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The following people may use child support services:
- Parents of minor children if one parent does not live with the child
- Parents who pay court-ordered child support
- People who have court-ordered physical custody of a minor child.
- People who receive public assistance in the form of cash assistance, medical assistance, MinnesotaCare, and/or child care assistance for a minor child who lives in their home