By MICHELLE WALSH, Safe Place For Newborns of Washington

Safe Place For Newborns is the only organization charged with raising awareness of this life-saving law in our state.

It is a non-profit organization that has received no funding from the federal government.

Washington’s “Newborn Safety Act” marks its seventh anniversary in April 2009 with a successful track record of saving babies. This pro-woman, pro-child law allows a woman in a crisis situation to anonymously relinquish her newborn — up to three days old — to any hospital or a fully-staffed fire station.

Most people have always held out the hope that a woman could leave her newborn someplace safe if she felt she could not adequately care for him or her. This law makes it legal to leave an unharmed newborn at a designated facility without the police being called.

Why are relinquishments on the rise? According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC): Teen birthrates are up for the second year in a row, there is an economic turndown, there is greater awareness of this law and for many women, abortion isn’t their preferred choice — but parenting the child isn’t either. Some women deny that they’re even pregnant. Then left without a plan, the baby arrives and they panic. This law gives a mother the choice to walk into a hospital or fully-staffed fire station and relinquish the baby safely to authorized personnel.

When a mother leaves the unharmed baby, she can walk away — no name given or needed. The baby is given any needed medical attention and so begins the adoption process. Washington state has laws in place for adoptions, and with the growing number of couples wishing to adopt, it is hoped that the birth parent would choose to make an adoption plan. But if an adoption plan has not been made, the mother has the “Newborn Safety Act” as a final safety net for her and her baby.

To increase awareness of this law, Safe Place for Newborns of Washington makes brochures, posters, public service announcements and other tools available to schools, service clubs and individuals to display throughout their communities. This information summarizes the law and offers a hotline to answer questions.

Learn more

• Free 24-hour crisis hotline: (877) 440-2229