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Safe Haven

Safe Haven. http:// youtu.be / TPIRRvGm4. Video. Molly www.nationalsafehavenalliance.org. History of Safe Haven. Safe Haven started as the “baby Mosses law” in Texas in September 1999.

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Safe Haven

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  1. Safe Haven

  2. http://youtu.be/TPIRRvGm4 Video Molly www.nationalsafehavenalliance.org

  3. History of Safe Haven • Safe Haven started as the “baby Mosses law” in Texas in September 1999. • During that year in Texas there were 13 abandoned infants that were found within a year. 3 of those infants died. • Since then 45 out of the 50 states have some form of Safe Haven Laws.

  4. Premise of Safe Haven • In theory Safe Haven sites are supposed to be used instead of infants being left abandoned in a unsafe environment. Infants can be taken to a Safe Haven site where the child will be safe and not placed at harm. • Parent or parents of the infant that is left will not have to give out any personal information and they can be totally anonymous. • There is also a component that parents who give up their infant at a Safe Haven site will be less likely to be charged with any crime if the infant is delivered to a Safe Haven site safely. • (Appell, 2002)

  5. Safe Haven Places • Hospitals • Police Stations • Fire Stations • Child Welfare agencies • In Wisconsin call 911 and someone will come to pick up child • www.childwelfare.org

  6. Ages for Safe Haven • The ages of children to be placed in Safe Haven site range from newborn to 30 days • North Dakota you have up to a year • One state, Nebraska, had a different approach…….

  7. Nebraska • In the Original Law in Nebraska a parent was able to hand over any child under the age of 18. • In that year by November there were 36 children that were dropped off at hospitals. • 35 of the children were between 10 to 17. One was under the age of 5. • One year later their law changed to infants up to 30 days old.

  8. Effects on children and adoptive parents • Adopted children from a Safe Haven possibly may not have any medical information from their biological parent. • Adopted child may want to try to find their biological parent and there is no information regarding that parent. • Adopted child does not have knowledge of their origin, background or identity of parents. • Adoptive parent fear that adopted child’s stability later on in life due to not having any information regarding child’s background. • (Appell, 2002)

  9. Problems with Safe Haven (Target Population) • Safe Haven Laws are trying to target parents that abandon their child in unsafe places. This population may have other factors that may influence their decision not use a Safe Haven: • Women in Denial or trying to conceal their pregnancy. • Unwanted pregnancies • Financial issues • Absence of child’s father • Fear of family disapproval • Emotional distress

  10. Problems with Safe Haven(Public Awareness) • Some of the more high risk populations like high school students and young adults may not be getting information regarding Safe Haven. • There is a lack of funding for education programs. • 50% of states with Safe Haven Laws have either vetoed funding for Safe Haven education or have no legislation how to implement the law • Professionals who receive infants under the Safe Haven law may not be fully informed about law and may not be able to give accurate information to biological parent • (Kunkel, 2007)

  11. Problems with Safe Haven (Termination Parental of Rights) • Problems with trying to serve notice to biological parents for court hearings (in a state where it is required) • Problems with how to contact biological father. • Not enough clarity regarding judicial procedures could cause a delay in permanency for child (Appell, 2002)

  12. What States are doing to try to get absentee parent information • Some states use putative father registry before parental termination of rights can be filed. Utah gives notice to all father’s listed on the registry. • 13 states contact law enforcement to make sure child has not been reported missing. • 5 states have steps in place for non-relinquishing father to petition for custody of the child. • www.childwelfare.org

  13. Child Welfare Information Gateway • This website has a PDF resource called Infant Safe Haven Laws. • This resource has a summary of all the states that have Safe Haven Laws which include how old an infant can be, laws regarding the relinquishing parent, and how parental rights are affected. • www.childwelfare.org

  14. National Safe Haven Alliance Website gives a brief history of Safe Haven Has a state locator that gives information where to take and infant and how old infant needs to be Link to state statutes Public service announcements Stories of Safe Haven children www.nationalsafehavenalliance.org

  15. What are Other States Doing Regarding Safe Haven Law • Fast track for termination to adoption for Safe Haven children • Safe Haven relinquishments equal termination of parental rights. • 20 states have a plan in place for a specified amount of time for parents to reclaim their child. • www.childwelfare.org

  16. What about Ohio • Once a child is at a Safe Haven that child is placed in the custody of the child welfare agency in that county. • Parents have 30 days to come back in regards to their child. • Parent has the right to remain anonymous • Parent is asked about medical information about the child and the parent • If child has an injury that appears to be abuse and neglect an attempt will be made to identify the parent. They are not free from being charged criminally. • Child can be placed at a hospital, police or fire station. Other places may be designated in your area.

  17. Online Resource for Ohio • Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Safe Haven for Newborns • Website talks about what is a safe haven. • Has the medical information form for parents that want to relinquish their child • There is also a PDF brochure giving more information regarding Safe Haven • jfs.ohio.gov\safehaven

  18. Is Safe Haven Effective • There is no evidence based information that Safe Haven is effective. • Not all states gather data about the number of abandoned children or how many infants are turned in under Safe Haven. (Last count seen was 2001) • Safe Haven may not be able to help women who are involved in neonaticide (death of their infant child) or leaving their child in an unsafe place due to other factors they may face and may not think of Safe Haven as an option.(Hatters et al, 2008)

  19. Babble • Blog website that has information regarding Safe Haven • Has several news related stories regarding Safe Haven, some good and some bad • www.babble.com

  20. References • Appell, A.R. (2002). Safe Havens to Abandon Babies, Part I: The Law. Adoption Quarterly, 5 (4), 59-69. 10.1300/J145v05n04_04   • Appell, A.R. (2002). Safe Havens to Abandon Babies, Part II: The Fit. Adoption Quarterly, 6(1), 61-69. 10.1300/J145v06n01_06 • Appell, A.R. (2002). Safe Havens to Abandon Babies, Part III: The Affects. Adoption Quarterly, 6(2), 67-76. 10.1300/J145v06n02_06

  21. Articles • There was only one article that did a good job of explaining the different aspects of Safe Haven • Annette R. Appell, Safe Haven to Abandon Babies, Part I, II, and III • Found in Adoption Quarterly Volumes 5 and 6 in 2002

  22. References (continued) • Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2010) Infant Safe Haven Laws: Summary of State Laws. Retrieved from http://www.childwelfare.gov • Gustavsson, N.S., MacEachron, A.E. (2011) Lessons from Nebraska. Social Work, 56(2), 181-184. • Hatters Friedman, S., Resnick,P.J. (2008).Neonaticide: Phenomenology and considerations for prevention. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 32(2009), 43-47. doi: 10-1016/j.ijlp.2008.11.006

  23. References (continued) • Heath, C., Catlin, A. (2005). American Alternative for Unwanted Infants. Pediatric Nursing, 31(3), 229.   • Kunkel, K.A. (2007). Safe Haven Laws Focus on Abandoned Newborns and Their Mothers. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 22 (5), 397-401. Doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2007.08.004 • National Conference of State Legislatures. (2003) Child Welfare Project, Update: Safe Havens for Abandoned Infants. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org

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