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February 7, 2007

Safe Haven Signs

The Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act allows a parent to leave an unharmed newborn, seven days old or younger, with personnel at a safe haven-any hospital, staffed fire station, or police station in Illinois.

In the five years since passage of the Act, 27 newborns have been legally relinquished and adopted, but 45 other infants were illegally abandoned during that same timeframe, with 23 found dead.

The problem that remains is public awareness of this option to unsafe abandonment.

In an effort to further promote public awareness, the City of Chicago recently passed an ordinance requiring all Chicago safe havens to display a uniform sign identifying their location as a safe haven. The Save Abandoned Babies Foundation has produced a similar Safe Haven Sign for use throughout the rest of Illinois.

To raise awareness of this safe alternative to abandonment, hospitals, police and fire stations may purchase a uniform Safe Haven Sign for $30 by logging on to the website of the Save Abandoned Babies Foundation at http://www.saveabandonedbabies.org. Scroll down the left side of the home page and click on "Safe Haven Signage Info."

For further information from IHA, contact Barb Haller at bhaller@ihastaff.org or 630.276.5474.