Federal regulations require each state to maintain a paternity registry for all children born out of wedlock. In Ohio, this registry is known as the Central Paternity Registry (CPR). The purpose of the registry is to collect and process all paternity documents initiated by the CSEAs, hospitals, department of health bureau of vital statistics and courts. The registry verifies that no other paternity document exists for a child, then extracts specific data elements from each document. This information is maintained in a single database (called the CPR database). Once the registry inputs the paternity documents in the database, the original paternity documents are forwarded to the Ohio Department of Health so the birth record can be updated with the father's name and stored permanently. Within a few days, the information is made available to the CSEA's to assist them in establishing support.

The CPR in Ohio provides establishment outreach, education, training, guidance, assessment, and technical assistance to birthing hospitals, local health departments, child support enforcement offices, courts, community partners and unmarried parents. CPR also operates a call center (1-888-810-OHIO [6446]) that serves as a resource for parents, birthing facilities, registrars, courts, and CSEAs to receive responses to their questions regarding procedures or specific cases.