The Full Story

Twenty-five years ago, in response to alarming numbers of infant abandonments, states across the country took action and passed landmark Safe Haven laws. In 2022, our numbers indicated a rise in illegal infant abandonments and we are still receiving data for 2023. Today, the profile of at-risk parents is broader and there is the potential for increased crisis pregnancies and birth situations. While these Safe Haven laws have made an important difference, those of us working on the frontlines, on crisis hotline calls, in pregnancy centers, in hospital emergency departments and birthing units, in adoption law, and foster care, have learned a great deal in the last twenty years about how to ensure the safety of families and infants better. We advocate for updated legislation that will resolve inconsistencies in current law, improve data collection, provide for outreach and education, and incorporate safe, holistic, best practices to better support parents and babies in crisis.

Our 3 key recommendations: 

1. Minimum standards for a Safe Haven law. 

       A. A parent or designated agent may confidentially relinquish an infant up to a minimum of a 30-day age limit and     

       recommendation of no more than 60 days, without fear of prosecution, if the state, Safe Haven requirements are upheld. 

       States may have an expanded age limit.

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       B. Safe Haven providers include but are not limited to staff (and volunteers) at 24/7 staffed hospitals, fire stations, police                stations, and 911 EMS providers who may respond to the location of a surrendering parent or designated agent. 

       C. A parent may relinquish their infant in the hospital after the delivery of their infant.

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       D. A parent may attempt to reclaim parental rights within a minimum of 30 days after relinquishment. 

       E. Temporary custody of the relinquished infant assigned to an approved designated state agency that oversees their 

        placement, and/or a licensed child-placing agency that has agreed to facilitate adoption placement for the infant. 

       F. A putative father’s registry and process established in every state and made available to the public.

       G. Guidelines and safety standards required for the use of infant safety devices at 24/7 staffed, designated Safe Haven 

        locations.

   2. Funding for education and signage for all designated Safe Haven providers and locations, public awareness campaign, and         community education (including in schools.)

   3. Funding for state agency (DSS, DHS, or similar) development and oversight of Safe Haven program, which includes Safe   

       Haven law and crisis hotline awareness in every state, education for Safe Haven providers, and reporting/data collection of           infant relinquishment, (including in-hospital relinquishment), illegal infant abandonment, and infanticide cases.

       (This must include open access and dissemination of annual, state reports to the CDC.)

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