Ohio

We are dedicated to saving the lives of precious newborns, WHATEVER IT TAKES, as every life is precious.

We assist the pregnant woman or mother in a compassionate way to receive the help and support she needs.

REMEMBER, It is the Law-the baby MUST be given to a staff member at a Safe Haven facility. Tell them you are leaving the baby with “Safe Haven”.

ANONYMITY -We respect and protect the callers right to anonymity at all times.

MEDICAL HISTORY- Asking for and the mother providing medical history information is optional.

Ohio Revised Statutes 2151.3523; 2151.3424

Infant’s Age

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 2151.3516

A child who is younger than 30 days old may be relinquished.

Who May Relinquish the Infant

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 2151.3516

The child’s parent may voluntarily deliver the child to a safe haven provider when the parent expresses no intent to return for the child.

Who May Receive the Infant

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 2151.3516

The following persons, while acting in an official capacity, shall take possession of the child:

•        A peace officer on behalf of the law enforcement agency that employs the officer

•       A hospital employee on behalf of the hospital that has granted the person privilege to practice at the hospital or that employs the person

•        An emergency medical service worker on behalf of the emergency medical service organization that employs the worker or for which the worker provides services

Responsibilities of the Safe Haven Provider

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 2151.3517

On taking possession of a child, a law enforcement agency, hospital, or emergency medical service organization shall do all the following:

•        Perform any act necessary to protect the child’s health or safety

•       Notify the public children’s services agency in the county where the agency, hospital, or organization is located that the child has been taken into possession

•        If possible, make forms available to the parent who delivered the child to gather medical information concerning the child and the child’s parents

•        If possible, make available to the parent who delivered the child written materials that describe services available to assist parents and newborns

•        If the child has suffered a physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child, attempt to identify and pursue the person who delivered the child

Immunity for the Provider

Citation: Rev. Stat. § 2151.3523

A person or governmental entity that takes possession of a child or takes emergency temporary custody of and provides temporary emergency care for a child is immune from any civil liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of these actions, unless the person or entity has acted in bad faith or with malicious purpose.

A person or governmental entity that takes possession of a child or takes emergency temporary custody of and provides temporary emergency care for a child is immune from any criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of these actions, unless the person or entity has acted in bad faith or with malicious purpose.

The sections above do not create a new cause of action or substantive legal right against a person or governmental entity and do not affect any immunities from civil liability or defenses established by another section of law or available at common law to which a person or governmental entity may be entitled under circumstances not covered by this section.

Protection for Relinquishing Parent

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 2151.3523; 2151.3524

A parent does not commit a criminal offense and shall not be subject to criminal prosecution for the act of voluntarily delivering a child. A person who delivers or attempts to deliver a child who has suffered any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child is not immune from civil or criminal liability for abuse or neglect.

A parent who voluntarily delivers a child has the absolute right to remain anonymous. A parent who voluntarily delivers a child may leave the place at which the parent delivers the child at any time after the delivery of the child.

A parent who delivers or attempts to deliver a child who has suffered any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child does not have the right to remain anonymous and may be subject to arrest.

Effect on Parental Rights

Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 2151.3522; 2151.3528

A public children’s services agency or private child-placing agency that receives temporary custody of a deserted child shall prepare case plans, conduct investigations, conduct periodic administrative reviews of case plans, and provide services for the deserted child as if the child were adjudicated a neglected child.

If a child is adjudicated a deserted child and a person indicates to the court that the person is the parent of the child and that the person seeks to be reunited with the child, the court that adjudicated the child shall require the person, at the person’s expense, to submit to a DNA test to verify that the person is a parent of the child.