Colorado Safe Haven Law

About

Colorado’s Safe Haven law exists so that parents in crisis have a safe, legal, and confidential way to surrender a newborn. The law protects the parent and ensures the baby receives immediate care.

This page explains what the law allows, who it protects, and how it works. If you are a parent in crisis right now, you can also call or text the 24/7 hotline for immediate guidance: +1-888-510-2229

What the Law Allows

Under Colorado law, a parent may safely surrender an unharmed newborn who is 72 hours old or younger at a designated Safe Haven location.

Designated locations include:

Hospitals

Standalone Emergency clinics

Staffed Fire Stations

These locations operate 24 hours a day. The surrender MUST occur on site and the baby must be surrendered directly to any hospital employee engaged in care, admission, or treatment of patients or any firefighter. The staff who receives the newborn will provide immediate care.

Legal Protections for Parents

When the Safe Haven law is followed, the surrender is protected by law.

The parent is free to leave once the baby has been received by staff.

How Safe Surrender Works

There are three parts to our work, and all of them come down to the same thing: making sure people have the right information at the right time.

Go to a designated hospital, emergency clinic, or staffed fire station

Hand the newborn directly to a staff member

The baby receives immediate medical care and you may leave

Staff may offer a voluntary medical information form that can help doctors care for the baby. Completing the form is entirely optional. You are not required to give your name, answer questions, or explain anything.

What Happens After a Surrender

After a newborn is surrendered, the baby receives a medical evaluation and is placed in the custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services. DHS places the baby with a pre-adoptive foster family, and the legal adoption process begins.

The surrendering parent’s identity remains protected throughout this process.

Who the Law Applies To

The law applies to a parent surrendering an unharmed newborn who is 72 hours old or younger. It is not the staff’s responsibility to verify the baby’s age. That determination is made by DHS.

If a baby is outside the surrender timeframe, the parent should utilize CO4kids, not the safe haven hotline.  CO4kids.org · Their hotline is 844-CO-4-KIDS

Requirements for Surrender Locations

Hospitals, emergency clinics, and staffed fire stations are designated Safe Haven locations under Colorado law. Staff engaged in care, admission, or treatment of patients at these facilities are required to accept a surrender when it occurs.

Staff may not refuse the surrender, require identification, or ask the parent to explain their decision. They may offer the voluntary medical information form but cannot require it.

For detailed protocols, see:

Why This Law Exists

Safe Haven laws were created to protect newborns and provide parents with a safe and legal option in a moment of crisis. Since 2000, Colorado has had 100 recorded Safe Haven surrenders. Every one of those babies was placed with a family. Every one of those parents was protected by law.

Questions About the Law

If you have questions about how Colorado’s Safe Haven law works, trained professionals are available 24/7 through the hotline. If you are a hospital or fire station with questions about compliance or procedures, contact Colorado Safe Haven directly.

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