Alaska Legalizes Safe Haven Baby Boxes
On September 9, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy signed a bill that legalizes Safe Haven Baby Boxes in the state. These boxes are designed to help prevent parents from abandoning their newborns in unsafe situations.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes are temperature-controlled incubators, often integrated into the walls of fire stations, police stations, and hospitals. They allow at-risk mothers to safely and legally place their newborns inside. Once a baby is placed in the box, the door locks, giving the mother a chance to leave before an alarm sounds, alerting first responders or hospital staff.
After that, the baby is swiftly taken to a hospital for a health check. Typically, the baby is then placed into state custody and is often quickly adopted. These boxes are generally funded by community contributions and are supported by legislation expanding existing Safe Haven laws, which are present in all states. In Alaska, parents can legally surrender infants within 21 days of birth at designated locations like baby boxes, hospitals, fire stations, and police stations.
The bill was introduced by state Senator Rob Myers and state Representative Frank Tomaszewski. Representative Sarah Vance expressed on Facebook, “This bill is about something very simple: giving a newborn a chance to live.” She emphasized that Safe Haven Baby Boxes provide a secure and anonymous way for mothers in crisis to surrender their newborns, ensuring they get the necessary medical care.
Vance also highlighted the urgent need for this initiative, pointing to tragic instances in Alaska where abandoned newborns were found outside in freezing conditions. “No newborn should ever be left outside to face the elements,” she stated. “A parent in crisis needs a safe option, and this law provides one. I’m grateful to everyone who worked to get this across the finish line. If this law saves even one baby’s life, it will have been worth it.”
Monica Kelsey, the founder of the Safe Haven Baby Boxes organization, was present in Alaska to celebrate the signing of the bill. She noted that Alaska is now the 27th state to permit baby boxes for infant surrenders, mentioning, “We have saved over 300 babies through our Baby Boxes and the Baby Box hotline.”
The Safe Haven Baby Boxes organization also operates a confidential National Safe Haven Hotline, 1-866-99BABY1, which offers free counseling and information about safe surrender options.
