Safe Haven Surrender Protocols

For Safe Haven Locations

Detailed guidance for hospital staff, emergency clinic staff, and firefighters. This page covers the full process from the moment a parent walks in to the point where DHS takes custody.

Fire Station Protocol

Accept the newborn directly from the parent.
Do not ask for identification. Do not ask the parent to explain.
Perform an initial safety check. Make sure the baby is unharmed.
If the parent is willing, offer the voluntary medical information form.
The parent is legally allowed to leave once the baby has been handed to you.
Contact your local hospital and arrange emergency transport to the nearest emergency department.
Contact local police and county Department of Human Services within 24 hours.
Document the surrender according to your facility's incident reporting procedures.

The surrender must occur at a staffed fire station and must be received by on-duty staff.

The hospital process is more streamlined because the baby does not need to be transported for medical evaluation.

Hospital and Emergency Clinic Protocol

Accept the newborn directly from the parent. The surrender must be received by someone in charge of care or patient admittance.
Do not ask for identification. Do not ask the parent to explain.
Perform a medical evaluation and provide immediate care.
If the parent is willing, offer the voluntary medical information form.
The parent is legally allowed to leave once the baby has been handed to you.
The baby is in your custody until DHS takes over.
Contact local police and county Department of Human Services within 24 hours.
Document the surrender according to your facility's reporting procedures.

Age and Eligibility

The baby must be 72 hours old or younger. However, it is not the staff's job to verify the age. That determination is made by the Department of Human Services. If a parent presents a baby and invokes the Safe Haven law, accept the surrender.

What Happens After the Surrender

Once police and county DHS have been contacted, DHS takes custody and places the baby with a pre-adoptive foster family. DHS files the required paperwork with the court to make the baby a ward of the state. The adoption process begins from there.

Your role ends once DHS has been contacted and the baby is in appropriate medical care.

Voluntary Medical Information Form

You may offer the parent a form to leave medical history that can help doctors care for the baby. The form is completely voluntary. The parent does not have to fill it out, does not have to give their name, and does not have to answer any questions.

What Not to Do

Do not refuse the surrender.
Do not ask the parent for their name or identification.
Do not ask the parent to sign anything.
Do not tell the parent this needs to be a private adoption.
Do not argue with the parent or try to convince them to change their mind.
Do not contact DHS and accept a different answer. If you are told DHS does not handle Safe Haven surrenders, that is incorrect. Call us.

These situations have happened. They create legal risk for your facility and danger for the newborn.

Questions or Need Support

If your facility needs help with a surrender in progress, has questions after the fact, or wants to schedule training so your team is prepared, we are here.

For Safe Haven Locations