Parents In Michigan May Soon Have A New And Safer Way To Surrender Their Baby

Michigan is considering a significant change to its Safe Delivery Law that would allow for the use of baby surrender drop boxes.

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The bill, currently before the state House, aims to provide parents with an additional option to safely and legally surrender their newborns within 72 hours of birth

Does Michigan Have Safe Haven Baby Boxes?

The Safe Delivery Law, which has been in place since 2001, currently allows parents to surrender their infants to a uniformed employee who is inside and on duty at any hospital, fire department, police station, or to an emergency medical technician or paramedic by calling 9-1-1.

How Do Safe Haven Baby Boxes Work?

The proposed change would introduce baby drop boxes, also known as baby boxes, as an alternative method for surrendering newborns under the state's Safe Delivery Law.

These baby boxes are equipped with heating and cooling features and are designed to notify emergency service providers upon the placement of a child inside. They are typically installed on the sides of fire stations, hospitals, or other public safety buildings, providing a secure and anonymous way for parents to surrender their infants.

Michigan Parents May Soon Have A New And Safer Way To Surrender Their Baby

The reintroduction of the bill has garnered support from various advocates, including the Right to Life of Michigan. However, it's worth noting that a similar bill was vetoed by former Governor Rick Snyder in 2018, who emphasized the importance of interaction between the surrendering parent and fire, police, or hospital personnel.

How Many Babies Have Been Surrender In Michigan?

The Safe Delivery Law has been credited with rescuing 288 infants and significantly reducing the number of babies illegally abandoned in the state over the past two decades.

While the law has been largely successful, the introduction of baby boxes has sparked a new debate about the best approach to ensure the safety and well-being of surrendered infants while also protecting the anonymity of the surrendering parents.