Saving lives of newborns in danger of abandonment, educating the public are Safe Delivery Week goals Apr. 23, 2009 Officials from the Michigan departments of Human Services (DHS), Community Health (DCH) and State Police (MSP) gathered at the Delta Township Fire Station in Lansing on Thursday to promote Michigan's Safe Delivery of Newborns law.  Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm has proclaimed this week Safe Delivery of Newborns Week in Michigan.

Parents who don't feel able to deal with their newborn babies have safe places to leave them without fear of punishment under Michigan's Safe Delivery of Newborns law, DHS, DCH and MSP representatives said.

Zoe Lyons, manager of the DHS Children's Protective Services and Family Preservation programs; Jeff Spitzley, manager of the DCH Infant Health Unit; and Sgt. Greg Jones, coordinator of MSP's Michigan Amber Alert and Missing Children Information Clearing House, delivered this encouraging message. The law, enacted in 2000, was designed to prevent the tragedy of unwanted newborns being hidden and left to die.

Under the law, babies up to 72 hours old can be surrendered at police stations, fire departments and hospitals, or with emergency medical technicians responding to 9-1-1 emergency calls. The infants can be left without any identifying information. They will be given medical care and placed in a good home.

"Troubled young parents often feel hopeless about their situation and therefore sometimes subject their newborns to life threatening conditions," Lyons said. "The Safe Delivery law provides a practical alternative to exposing babies to harm."

Since implementation of the law began in 2001, 69 infants have been surrendered; the majority at hospitals where the babies were born. Surrenders have occurred in 18 Lower Peninsula counties, mostly in southeastern Michigan.

"We've all heard tragic stories of babies being left in Dumpsters, public restrooms and other unsafe locations," said Spitzley. "That's because some parents are unprepared to deal with newborn children. But the Safe Delivery program gives help and hope to mothers and fathers facing parenthood before they're ready."

The Safe Delivery of Newborns Act allows parents to surrender infants without breaking any laws. "Safe Delivery is safe, legal and anonymous," Jones said. "Although a parent can remain unidentified, he or she is encouraged to provide family and medical background that could be useful to the child in the future.

The goal is to allow the child to live a full and healthy life." A toll-free, 24-hour telephone line provides information on Safe Delivery of Newborns at 866-733-7733.

For more information, visit the DHS Web site at www.michigan.gov/dhs.