ODJFS Director Barbara Riley today announced that 37 newborn babies have been safely surrendered since Ohio's Safe Havens for Newborns law was enacted in April 2001. The figure is based on a recent survey of Ohio's county public children service agencies.

"Ohio's Safe Havens law provides an alternative for parents who feel they have run out of options while protecting children who are unable to protect themselves," ODJFS Director Barbara Riley said.

The survey of county agencies determined that a total of three infants were surrendered during the state fiscal year that ended June 30 including one each in Hamilton, Sandusky and Summit counties. This year's survey updated a survey conducted last year to indicate that 13 infants were surrendered during State Fiscal Year 2004 including two in both Lucas and Montgomery counties and one each in Clark, Cuyahoga, Fairfield, Franklin, Guernsey, Hamilton, Holmes, Muskingum and Trumbull counties. The State Fiscal Year 2003 survey indicated that 20 infants had been surrendered from the start of the program through July 2003.

Under the Safe Havens law, a parent (without fear of prosecution) may deliver their unharmed newborn, who is not more than 72 hours old, to a medical worker at a hospital, with a peace officer at a law enforcement agency or at an emergency service organization. Parents are not required to provide any personal information, but are asked to voluntarily fill-out a medical history questionnaire.

Once a baby has been received by a Safe Havens provider, the newborn will be placed in the custody of a county public children services agency. The agency will then look for an adoptive family.

In order to make the public aware of the Safe Havens law, ODJFS has created a Safe Havens Web site (http://jfs.ohio.gov/safehavens) and distributed posters, brochures, public service announcements and opinion pieces. Safe Havens information has been distributed to public service agencies and organizations, hospitals, emergency medical services, fire stations, police stations, schools, and media outlets across the state. Individual counties also have played a major role in promoting the program.

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For more information contact ODJFS Communications, (614) 466-6650.