Most people have heard the stories of a newborn baby being left at a hospital or fire station, but many don’t know where this process originated or why. For over 20 years, Florida has allowed a parent to anonymously surrender an unharmed newborn up to the age of 7 days old in a designated location, under the Safe Haven Law of 2000. Then, A Safe Haven For Newborns was started in Florida by Nick Silverio to honor his wife’s memory after she was tragically lost in a car accident from a speeding driver.  How We Started – A Safe Haven for Newborns | Pregnant Need Help?

Now, over 20 years later, in hopes of saving even more infants, there have been major changes that go into effect on July 1, 2024.  The new law (known as HB 775) expands the following:

• Increased Age Limit: Extends the window that an infant can be surrendered up to 30 days of age. This additional time allows for a parent to make a more informed decision with less pressure when in a difficult circumstance.
• 911 Infant Surrender: Allows a parent to call 911 and request a meeting with an EMS provider for the purpose of relinquishing an infant. This removes any concerns about safely transporting an infant as well as creating a confidential environment for the surrender to occur.
• Hospital Surrender: Allows a parent to surrender an infant directly after delivering, eliminating the need to leave the hospital with the baby and then return to surrender. This offers a significant benefit to a mother who may be experiencing physical and emotional recovery from having given birth.

The changes provide more options for parents in hopes of reducing infant abandonment and promoting the safe surrender of infants. This aims to reduce involvement with the state-run foster care system and increase immediate placement into an adoptive home resulting in permanency for a child.

For parents facing an unplanned pregnancy and considering Safe Haven for their infant, this provides more options and control in what one can assume is a difficult decision. Know this, there are many families that are in a position and willing to provide a loving home to a child. If you find yourself in this situation, you can contact our agency and have options such as selecting an adoptive family, having future communication and/or updates but, if you feel Safe Surrender/Safe Haven is the better decision for you and your baby, that’s ok too and we support your decision.

For prospective adoptive families considering accepting placement of a child surrendered through a Safe Haven, there are many things to consider, talk with our Adoptive Parent Coordinator today.

Heart of Adoptions, Inc. is dedicated to supporting all members of the adoption journey throughout the process and beyond. For information on options to create an adoption plan, Safe Haven, or to become an adoptive family, contact us today.