The Hope Box
Real Hero Report |
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which deals with issues concerning infant abandonment
in the State of Georgia. Because infant abandonment is a
complex issue, THB seeks to address the most common issues
surrounding infant abandonment, including:
DISCARDMENT
At times, women in crisis “discard” their babies in dangerous
locations without adequate medical care. These women may
family disownment, or fear the system. Whatever the issue, these
women feel they have no other choice, and the risk of keeping
their babies is greater than the risk of discarding them.
To address this type of infant abandonment, Georgia has passed
Safe Haven laws to provide safe places for anonymous infant
relinquishment without fear of prosecution. In 2017 alone, 3,371
babies have been surrendered to Safe Haven locations nationally.
THB has been instrumental in working with the Georgia
legislators to expand the Georgia Safe Haven law. This expanded
legislation was passed in 2017. House Bill 391 increases Georgia
Safe Haven facilities to include hospitals, police stations, and
willing.
With the passing of the new Safe Haven law, hospitals, police
receive Safe Haven infants. Georgia is divided into 159 counties,
more than any other state except for Texas. Most of these counties
being 100% volunteer-staffed. THB is working hard to get
information to them.
BOARDER BABIES
Hospitals throughout Georgia are home to boarder babies, some
housing up to 50 at any given time. Boarder babies are otherwise
known as medically-cleared babies for hospital discharge with
nowhere to go.
There are four reasons why a parent cannot take a child home.
1. The baby has alcohol in its system.
2. The baby has drugs in its system.
3. The parents are homeless.
4. The parents have lost previous children to DFCS.
Babies also are being abandoned in the hospital by their parents
because:
1. The mother did not know she was pregnant or may not have
been able to care for the baby.
baby.
3. There is a fear of medical bills.
5. The mother fears her pimp.
6. Medically challenged infants. Parents may be immigrants
that cannot return home with the child.
THB is committed to change by working with DFCS,
caseworkers, and judges to advocate for these babies. They are
followed, and legally ready to be connected with a placement
agency and forever family.
INFANT SEX TRAFFICKING
in the United States every day on the black market, and are
currently are working hard to raise awareness and work alongside
To date, THB has helped several infants that are now safe and in
loving homes.
You can order Safe Haven signage by emailing skoeppen@
nationalsafehavenalliance.org. You can connect with THB by
call the THB hotline at (678) 626-7550. www.thehopebox.org
/nationalsafehavenalliance.org
/www.thehopebox.org