Nebraska enacted a safe haven law that took effect on July 18th, and in so doing became the final state to implement such a law.

"Passed in February by the state's nonpartisan Legislature, the law specifies that no person can be prosecuted for leaving any child in the custody of any on-duty hospital employee."

What makes Nebraska's law unique is that it defines a "child" as anyone 19 years old or younger. The unusual amendment was passed because opposing legislators felt the risk to babies far outweighed the likelihood that someone would drop off a teenager. Source: InfoZine

Labels: legislation, safe-haven, safe_houses

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Indiana's Safe Haven law has been in effect for eight years. During that time, the law has turned potentially tragic circumstances into happy endings.

"A young woman at a local university with an unplanned pregnancy....delivered the child and dropped her off at Parkview North Hospital. Within days, Natalie was adopted by Roy and Theresa Hammond of Fort Wayne."

Natalie is now four years old, and was given the honor of blowing out the candles at a party celebrating the Safe Haven law's eighth year. In 2007 Nebraska became the 50th U.S. state to enact a Safe Haven law. Source: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

Labels: laws, safe_houses, unwanted_pregancy

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The state of Illinois enacted its Safe Haven law in 2001. The law allows a parent to relinquish custody of a baby up to seven days old with no questions asked and no repercussions. The baby is then placed with an adoption agency.

"New signs were unveiled last week that will identify safe havens across the community and the state. The hospitals, fire stations and other safe haven facilities will display the 18-by-18-inch signs depicting a baby's head nestled in an open hand."

Since the law's inception in 2001, a total of 41 babies have been taken to Illinois safe haven locations. Out of those, 36 were relinquished, three moms decided to keep their babies, and two decided to develop adoption plans for their kids. Source: The Beacon News (Aurora, Illinois)

Labels: laws, safe_houses, newborns

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Jeanne Reyer is the Executive Director of Captain Hope's Kids, a Texas-based charity that seeks to meet the needs of children living in homeless shelters, group homes and domestic-abuse safe houses. Reyer often asks herself why the majority of couples choose international adoption when there are so many kids in the US who are in need of stable, loving homes.

"'Why is everyone going to Russia and China? There are 114,000 children in this country waiting for permanent families,' Jeanne said."

Ray and Brandy Harris first considered international adoption, thinking it would be easier and faster. But health issues disqualified them with several international agencies so they began to look domestically. Now, after having adopted two brothers, the Harris high-energy house has become home to Martin and Zachary.

Labels: safe_houses, homelessness, domestic_adoptions

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