DNA & Paternity Testing - Mechanicsville, VA

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Mechanicsville, VA is home to Health Street, where you can come to get a DNA test or paternity test. We work with multiple parties or individuals, so you can sign up for yourself or another person. Choose from our wide selection of DNA tests. Once you have picked a test, simply select a clinic, and register online.

Our 2 facilities perform paternity tests, sibling studies, aunt or uncle testing, and other DNA tests. Call (804) 214-6016 or register on our website. The authorization barcode will be sent right away to you or the person that you are testing; then, just come right in. The test can be used in court for child support or to change a birth certificate, or for simple peace of mind.

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DNA Test - Mechanicsville, Virginia

Mechanicsville VA DNA Testing Locations

Paternity Testing in Mechanicsville, Virginia

There are several types of DNA testing services that are offered at our Mechanicsville testing centers to validate close family relationships. The most commonly ordered DNA test is a legal paternity test to conclusively establish whether or not a man is the biological father of a child. Health Street's 21 marker DNA paternity testing is the state of the art. Our paternity test results are statistically conclusive at the rate of 99.9% or greater.

Other DNA Tests

Relationship Tests to validate grandparent to grandchild, siblings, half-siblings, aunts, and uncles:

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Grandparent DNA Test (if the father is not available for testing)
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Sibling DNA Test (possible brothers, sisters, or half-siblings)
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Avuncular DNA Test (aunt/uncle and niece/nephew)

DNA tests such as sibling or avuncular studies, can sometimes come back with a result of less than 95% certainty. This is normal, especially if only two parties participate in the test. Adding an additional close relative to the test helps us learn more about the family's DNA composition and typically leads to a more conclusive result.

Specimens we can test for DNA

The easiest and most reliable way to perform a genetic sample collection for a paternity test is by a swab of the inner cheeks. These skin cells, known as buccal cells, rub off easily onto cotton swabs and remain in place, to be extracted by our testing laboratories for analysis.

Other specimens, such as hair follicles, fingernails, and garments that might contain someone's DNA, can also undergo lab testing to see if there is a match. These non-standard DNA tests are done by registering online for an Alternative Specimen DNA Test (Nails, Teeth, Fabric). Once registered, you ship the DNA sample to our lab. We'll attempt to extract the DNA and compare it to a cheek swab of the other party.

Legal DNA Tests vs. "Peace of Mind" At-Home Tests

When deciding which type of DNA test is right for you, consider first what you might do with the results. In order for the results to hold up in court, the DNA specimen must be collected at a clinic using strict chain of custody procedures. The DNA testing technicians at our Mechanicsville test centers are trained to follow guidelines that ensure that the results can be used for legal purposes.

The results of our legal DNA tests can be used for any legal purpose:

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to change the name on a birth certificate
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to petition for child support
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to petition for survivor benefits
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for child custody arrangements
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to alter inheritance procedures or wills

Home tests offer more flexibility:

Home DNA tests are specimens containing DNA (or possible DNA) that are shipped to us for analysis. The results of these home tests cannot be used in court (since there is no way to prove whose specimens were actually sent). However, the tests are just as accurate and can provide peace of mind. At-home DNA tests also offer a lot more flexibility.

In addition to commonly mailed in DNA specimens like hair follicles, we can also extract DNA from other bodily fluids. We can even try and lift the DNA left on items like clothing, a toothbrush, or a straw. If we can get the DNA from the alternative item, we can then compare it to another person to see if they are related. Some examples include:

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Q-tips
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Stained garments
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Mucus and other bodily fluids
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Soda cans
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Chewing gum

How to schedule a DNA Test in Mechanicsville VA

Scheduling a DNA test at one of our Mechanicsville clinics is simple and fast, and we often have appointments available in the same week, though it's always helpful to schedule in advance to make sure you get the time you want. We have clinics in Mechanicsville, plus many more throughout Virginia and across the United States. During registration, we'll show you the nearest locations so you can choose the one that's most convenient. You'll pick the times and days that you prefer.

You can set up separate appointments for each of the people being tested, either at the same location or at different locations. You'll get an email and text message with your appointment information. There is no fee if you need to change the time or location of a DNA test appointment at any time.

How long it takes to get results of a DNA test

Paternity tests conducted at one of our Mechanicsville facilities typically take about a week to come back. Other relationship tests, such as sibling studies, can take a few days longer to come back. When the results are ready, you are notified immediately via email. Then, the hard copies of the paperwork are sent afterward via regular mail.

The DNA test appointment - what to expect and what to bring

The appointment itself only takes about 15 minutes. The specimen collection process is a simple and painless cheek swab. No needles are used. When you're being tested at our Mechanicsville clinic, you'll be asked to provide fingerprints and to show photo identification. We'll also take pictures of the people being tested so that the final report will include legal assurances of who was actually tested.

For infants, hospital discharge papers qualify as identification. Otherwise, a birth certificate or social security card can be used as ID for a child. No other preparations are required for this appointment.

Does the mother need to be present at a paternity test?

If a man is considered the legal father of a child, then the mother does not have to be present or give consent for paternity testing. However, if he is not currently considered the legal father, then he cannot sign for the child. Therefore, the mother does need to be there. If neither parent is available, other legal guardians can bring the child so long as they have the right to make medical decisions on the child's behalf.

DNA testing if one party is not in Mechanicsville

The two parties testing (for example: father and child) do not have to be tested at the same time or even at the same location. We have many clinics across Virginia as well as nationwide, so we can test one party in Mechanicsville and the other party anywhere else in the USA. The specimens are then matched up in the lab for analysis.

Laboratory certifications

Health Street works strictly with AABB Certified labs for DNA testing. All specimens that are collected in Mechanicsville or elsewhere are shipped securely from our testing locations to a nationally certified laboratory.

Why Health Street

Over a Decade of Experience

Health Street has been performing DNA testing nationally since 2010.  The first DNA test in Mechanicsville, VA performed by Health Street was in 2020.

Dedication to Excellence

Our dedication to excellence includes our commitment to provide compassionate services and to helping people obtain the accurate DNA testing in Mechanicsville that they need. 

DNA Information for Mechanicsville VA

Proving Paternity for Child Custody Purposes in Mechanicsville, VA and Hanover County

Establishing paternity means that the biological father also becomes the legal father. In Mechanicsville, VA and Hanover County, this needs to be done when a child is born to unmarried parents. If the parents are married at the time of the child's birth, it is assumed that the husband is the father and nothing needs to be done to establish paternity.

In Mechanicsville, VA, paternity may be established in the following ways:

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You can prove paternity by taking a DNA test through the Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE).
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Either parent may open a child support case through the DCSE.
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A petition can be filed at the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court in Hanover County.

Experts Say...

Local SRIS Law Group, P.C., serving Mechanicsville, VA and Hanover County, encourages unmarried fathers to establish paternity. Once paternity is established, the father has the same parental rights as a married father, according to Virginia law.

Having a legal father builds self-esteem in the child, gives the child a sense of identity, lets the child be aware of his or her health history, and encourages shared parenting between both parents. Children also get legal and financial protection from medical benefits, social security, veteran benefits, or life insurance.

The law group states, "You can and should provide financial and emotional support to your child. You need to provide an unassailable track record of being involved in your child's life, providing basic needs, and helping to raise your child. With that established, you are entitled to petition a court for custody of, or visitation with, your child."

They go on to say, "Virginia is very fair to unmarried fathers and does not take away any rights from them as 'fathers'. You must work hard to maintain the relationship and bond you have with your children as their unmarried father even if you do not gain child custody."

Some Mechanicsville Neighborhoods That We Serve

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Beaverdam Bluffs
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Burnside Farms
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Carneal Farms
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Cold Harbor Meadows
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Crown Colony
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Dogwood Knoll
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Gardenbrook
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Elwin Place
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Harverton
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Harbor Hill Farms

Additional Services

Health Street offers a variety of other services, including:

Citations

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"Establishing Paternity in Virginia." Virginia Department of Social Services, https://www.dss.virginia.gov/family/dcse/establishing_paternity.cgi#:~:text=You%20can%20establish%20paternity%20in%20three%20ways%20in%20Virginia%3A,%2D800%2D468%2D8894.
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"Fathers' Rights and Paternity." SRIS Law Group, P.C., https://srislawyer.com/rights-of-unmarried-fathers-in-virginia-fairfax/#:~:text=The%20Virginia%20Department%20of%20Social,and%20a%20child%20in%20court.
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"Mechanicsville." Nest Realty Richmond, https://www.nestrealty.com/richmond/area-guides/mechanicsville/