
Welcome to the New Jersey Paternity Opportunity Program Website. Please browse our site to learn more about the program and important information that you might need.
About the Program

What is the Paternity Opportunity Program?
The Paternity Opportunity Program (POP) is designed to help a child of unmarried parents establish a legal relationship with his or her father. The Program was conceived by the State of New Jersey, in response to a federal mandate, to make it easier for parents to acknowledge paternity voluntarily using simple in-hospital processes at the time of birth. Parents can also voluntarily acknowledge paternity later, after they leave the hospital at their local Registrar or County Welfare Agency (CWA) office. Whether at the hospital or later at the local Registrar or CWA office, parents can establish paternity by completing the Certificate of Parentage (COP) form.