SSBabyLaw

California's Safely Surrendered Baby Law(also known as the Safe Haven Law or Newborn Abandonment Law) allows for an infant, 72 hours old or younger, to be surrendered at any hospital emergency room or fire station in California.

 

The Safely Surrendered Law was signed into law in September 2000 and went into effect on January 1, 2001. The purpose of the law is to protect babies from being hurt or killed because they were abandoned.

 

The law allows a parent or legal guardian to confidentially surrender an infant, three days old or younger, to any hospital emergency room or other designated Safe Surrender site. As long as the baby has not been abused or neglected, the person may surrender without fear of arrest or prosecution for child abandonment.

Safe Surrender sites are hospitals or other locations, typically fire stations that are approved by the board of supervisors in each county.

 

Safe Surrender sites are required to display the blue and white logo below.

The toll-free telephone hotline numbers listed below provide the locations of safe surrender sites.

​Although a person surrendering a baby under the Safely Surrendered Baby Law will be asked to complete a medical questionnaire, the form is optional and is intended solely for the purpose of collecting medical information critical to the health and survival of the child. Any information that may identify the person surrendering the baby will beremoved in order to maintain that person’s confidentiality.