'Safe Haven Baby Boxes' reaches milestone with 250th installation
PORTER, Ind. - Safe Haven Baby Boxes, a nonprofit organization based in Indiana, celebrated a significant milestone this week with the installation of its 250th baby box.
Founded in 2015, the organization's goal is to raise awareness about Safe Haven laws, which exist in all 50 states.
While not all states – including Illinois – have baby boxes, there are still protections for parents looking to surrender their newborn.
On Monday, a ceremony was held at the Porter Fire Department to commemorate the installation of the nonprofit’s 250th box nationwide, marking a major achievement for the nonprofit.
"Parents want 100 percent anonymity, and this offers that to them," said Mariah Betz, assistant project coordinator, Safe Haven Baby Boxes.
Baby boxes provide a safe and legal alternative for parents in crisis to anonymously surrender their newborn baby, preventing abandonment and ensuring they are cared for.
As of Monday, Indiana now hosts 132 of these boxes.
"It paves a path for a positive outcome," said Chief Jay Craig Jr. of the Porter Fire Department. "I am overwhelmed by the support we have received for this project in our great little town."
Inside the temperature-controlled box is a bassinet.
"A mom will walk up to the baby box, open up the door, place her child inside the box," said Betz.
There are no questions asked.
"There are three alarms on the baby box. The first one is the door open. The second one is baby in box, and the third one is if they would lose power, an alarm will go off to let them know that the box has lost power," said Betz.
Employees at the Porter Fire Department have completed training to manage the new box effectively.
"It will dispatch us just like on any other emergency, and it would be treated as such," said Craig.
The alarm is on a 60-second delay, allowing for anonymity. If a parent changes their mind, they cannot reopen the box but will have 30 days to request to regain custody through their state’s Department of Child Services.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes are currently installed in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and West Viginia.
"To date, we have had 50 babies surrendered in our Safe Haven Baby Boxes and we have helped over 150 parents surrender hand-to hand in multiple states," said Betz.
While Illinois does not permit baby boxes, the state’s Safe Haven Law allows parents to surrender their newborns within 30 days of birth if they feel unable to care for them. However, the child must be unharmed, and handed over to a worker at one of the following locations:
- Hospitals
- Police stations
- Fire departments
- Emergency care facilities
Safe Haven Baby Boxes also operates a 24-hour hotline for parents in crisis, which is available nationwide, even in states without baby boxes, such as Illinois. Since it was established, the hotline has received more than 9,000 calls – originating from every state in the U.S.
For more information on Safe Haven Baby Boxes, click HERE.
Additional Safe Haven resources can be found on the City of Chicago’s website, and through the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services.