Ellington

In an effort to increase child support collections, the Mississippi Department of Human Services is offering free paternity tests this month. DNA testing to prove whether a man is a child's father normally run between $300 and $500 dollars, with additional fees for an attorney's assistance more than doubling the cost.

The state is paying those expenses to ensure federal funding for child welfare activity, according to the Associated Press. During the 2009 fiscal year, MDHS collected more than $289 million, up nearly $21 million from the previous year. Paternity must be established before collection can start, however, and in the absence of the father's voluntary taking responsibility for a child, a DNA test is the only option.

For additional information, call the Division of Child Support Enforcement at 1-800- 345-6347.