December 17 , 2004

New Baby Safe Haven Law: How the MGH is responding

This past summer, Gov. Mitt Romney signed into law the Baby Safe Haven legislation that is intended to provide a safe alternative for parents who decide they cannot take care of a newborn baby and might otherwise abandon the child. The law requires all hospitals — acute care, inpatient rehabilitation and long-term acute care — as well as police departments and fire stations to act as a designated facility where parents may voluntarily abandon their newborn babies — 7 days old or younger — without fear of criminal prosecution. The law was put into effect Oct. 29.

The MGH is working with the Massachusetts Department of Social Services (DSS) to coordinate the proper procedures in the event a baby is relinquished at the hospital. In addition, the MGH has developed guidelines to follow if an infant is brought to the main campus or any of the health centers.

What to do if an infant is abandoned:

• Any MGH employee who finds an abandoned newborn infant or is approached by a parent or guardian who wants to relinquish an infant under the Safe Haven Act should bring the infant (and parent, if willing) to the Emergency Department (ED).

• If the parent is unwilling to go to the ED, the MGH employee should thank the parent for bringing the infant to a safe place and ask if he or she would be willing to provide any information that would assist in planning for the future care of the child.

• The MGH employee should try to engage the parent in conversation by asking for the name of the newborn infant and the name and address of the parent if he or she is willing to give that information.

• If the parent still insists on leaving without going to the ED, the MGH employee should take the infant to the ED, where staff will document the information that was given by the parent, will conduct a medical exam of the baby and will contact DSS to begin the process of delivering the child into DSS custody.
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For more information about the Baby Safe Haven Act, visit www.babysafehaven.com. For more information about how to respond to such a situation at the MGH, page the hospital's child protection consultation team at pager # 32728.