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State’s ‘safe haven’ law helps infant
Jan Risher
[email protected]
December 2, 2004
LAFAYETTE — Protected by the state’s “safe haven†law, a woman walked
into Women’s and Children’s Hospital on Saturday and gave up her infant
daughter.
After a medical evaluation, the baby was determined to be a week old.
“We know that the baby is healthy. We think the baby was born in a hospital
setting,†Brent Villemarette, regional administrator of the Office of
Community Services, said.
Nanette White with the state’s Department of Social Services said the law,
originally enacted in 2000, allows a parent to relinquish the care of an infant
to the state in safety and anonymity and without fear of prosecution. The law
was amended in 2003 to allow funding for necessary publicity.
Villemarette said he was pleased that the state’s planning and promotion of
the “safe haven†law paid off for this child.
“What really worked well is that everybody did their piece,†Villemarette
said. “Mom could have gotten the wrong information, but she didn’t. The
hospital could have reacted inappropriately, but they didn’t. Everybody did
their part.â€
Villemarette said the only minor drawback was that the mother did not leave
medical history information, but he said she can still call anonymously and
give that information.
The baby moved from a foster home to the adoption resource home on Monday. An
adoption resource home is one that has been approved for foster and adoption
care. Villemarette said the petition to declare the child free for adoption
could be filed in as few as 45 days.
Angela Jacks of Women’s and Children’s Hospital confirmed the hospital
received a baby under the “safe haven†law. “Because of privacy laws, I
cannot release any information,†Jacks said.
The state lists safe havens as hospitals, public health units, fire
departments, police departments, emergency medical service providers, pregnancy
crisis centers and child advocacy centers.
Villemarette said any child less than 30 days old with no signs of abuse can be
anonymously surrendered at a safe haven. The law states a child cannot be left
unattended — the child must be actually handed over to an individual.
http://www.theadvertiser.com/news/ht...56-ABBAE20DBFC
5.shtml
State’s ‘safe haven’ law helps infant
Jan Risher
[email protected]
December 2, 2004
LAFAYETTE — Protected by the state’s “safe haven†law, a woman walked
into Women’s and Children’s Hospital on Saturday and gave up her infant
daughter.
After a medical evaluation, the baby was determined to be a week old.
“We know that the baby is healthy. We think the baby was born in a hospital
setting,†Brent Villemarette, regional administrator of the Office of
Community Services, said.
Nanette White with the state’s Department of Social Services said the law,
originally enacted in 2000, allows a parent to relinquish the care of an infant
to the state in safety and anonymity and without fear of prosecution. The law
was amended in 2003 to allow funding for necessary publicity.
Villemarette said he was pleased that the state’s planning and promotion of
the “safe haven†law paid off for this child.
“What really worked well is that everybody did their piece,†Villemarette
said. “Mom could have gotten the wrong information, but she didn’t. The
hospital could have reacted inappropriately, but they didn’t. Everybody did
their part.â€
Villemarette said the only minor drawback was that the mother did not leave
medical history information, but he said she can still call anonymously and
give that information.
The baby moved from a foster home to the adoption resource home on Monday. An
adoption resource home is one that has been approved for foster and adoption
care. Villemarette said the petition to declare the child free for adoption
could be filed in as few as 45 days.
Angela Jacks of Women’s and Children’s Hospital confirmed the hospital
received a baby under the “safe haven†law. “Because of privacy laws, I
cannot release any information,†Jacks said.
The state lists safe havens as hospitals, public health units, fire
departments, police departments, emergency medical service providers, pregnancy
crisis centers and child advocacy centers.
Villemarette said any child less than 30 days old with no signs of abuse can be
anonymously surrendered at a safe haven. The law states a child cannot be left
unattended — the child must be actually handed over to an individual.