FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

• CONTACT:
• Tracey M. Johnson
• National Safe Haven Alliance
• 703-339-8111 office
• 703-786-9110 mobile
• tjohnson@credostrategies.com
• www.nationalsafehavenalliance.org

All 50 States Enact Safe Haven Provision. Only DC Remains Without Law.

Lorton, Virginia, February 19, 2008 – Last week, Nebraska and Alaska passed baby Safe Haven provisions, becoming the 49th and 50th states to enact laws. These provisions make it possible for infants to be safely relinquished into the hands of a responsible adult in the event that a woman is unable to care for her newborn child.

The District of Columbia is the only part of the United States without a Safe Haven provision.

Safe Haven laws have been passed in all 50 states since 1999. At that time a movement arose to combat increasing cases of infant abandonments across the U.S. In many cases these infants would perish from exposure to the elements, starvation or dehydration. Safe Haven laws were created to allow an adult to anonymously relinquish a baby into the hands of a responsible adult, in most cases at hospitals, police stations or fire stations, without fear of reprisal or prosecution.

Since their creation, safe haven laws have been utilized in hundreds of cases, saving numerous lives.

The National Safe Haven Alliance is a non-profit, 501c3 organization dedicated to educating the public on the need for safe haven laws, and helping states promote the safe haven provisions and locations within their state.

For additional information on Safe Haven laws, contact Tracey Johnson or visit www.nationalsafehavenalliance.org