April is designated as Safe Haven Awareness Month, which is dedicated to increasing understanding about Safe Haven laws and highlighting their important role in supporting parents during times of crisis. Safe Haven laws let parents legally and anonymously leave their newborns at designated sites like hospitals, police stations, or fire stations without facing prosecution. These laws are designed to protect infants and their families, making sure that vulnerable newborns, whose parents aren’t able to care for them, have a safe start in life.
During April, organizations and communities come together to educate the public about the resources available through Safe Haven programs. Through awareness campaigns and outreach efforts, individuals and groups work to ensure that every parent knows they have a safe and legal alternative in difficult circumstances. This united approach helps save lives and provides important support to families in need.
Because each state has its own guidelines for surrendering a newborn under Safe Haven laws, the National Safe Haven Alliance offers support and information. For immediate assistance in a crisis, call their national Safe Haven hotline, 1-888-510-BABY, or to learn about the laws specific to your state, you can visit their website at www.nationalsafehavenalliance.org .
NSHA is an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) organization that was launched in 2004 with a mission to provide oversight and support to all states and territories with the mission to prevent infant abandonment across the country. For more than 20 years, NSHA has been the leading, national Safe Haven advocacy organization and has supported thousands of parents and providers who call their hotline.
In 1999, the first Safe Haven law was established in Texas and within ten years, all fifty states had enacted a unique Safe Haven Law to protect vulnerable infants and mothers in crisis. In essence, this law provides the parent of a newborn baby, that may be unwilling or unable to care for the child, a safe and anonymous option to relinquish parental rights within a pre-established time limit that differs in each state. Under the Safe Haven Law, a newborn can be given to a Safe Haven Provider with no legal consequences if the infant is unharmed, allowing the parent to remain anonymous.
Thanks to the Safe Haven Laws, we are better able to protect newborn babies that may otherwise endure wrongful and illegal harm or death. Since 1999, a total of 5281 babies nationally have been safely surrendered under the Safe Haven Law, with this number growing each day. On behalf of the babies and families, the National Safe Haven Alliance thanks you for your support of their mission, Safe Haven laws, and April Safe Haven Awareness Month.
