200 surrendered babies safe

LANSING — Michigan has achieved a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to keep babies safe with the 200th surrender of a newborn under the state’s Safe Delivery law.

Under the law, a biological parent may legally surrender an infant no more than 72 hours old to an emergency service provider. An emergency service provider is a uniformed or otherwise identified employee or contractor of a hospital, fire department or police station who is inside the building and on duty, or a paramedic or emergency medical technician who responds to a 911 call.

The Daily Globe contacted the Wakefield Post of the state police, the Gogebic County Sheriff’s Department and the Ironwood Public Safety Office and none of those three have ever received a surrendered baby.

The law has been in effect since 2001.

“These are 200 newborn babies who have been given a chance at life thanks to this important law,” said Nick Lyon, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. “Safe Delivery provides parents who may be in a desperate situation a safe, legal and anonymous option of surrendering an infant who will be placed in a loving, adoptive home.”

MDHHS wants all Michiganders to be aware of the law. Unfortunately, there are still situations in which parents abandon their babies in unsafe locations. A communications toolkit and other resource materials are available at http://www.michigan.gov/safedelivery to help more people understand the law and how they can help promote awareness in their community. 

Parents, professionals and other residents also can call the toll-free 24-hour Safe Delivery hotline at 866-733-7733.

—Ian Minielly