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Secret Safe Place for Newborns For District Attorneys Sample News Release For release: Immediately Contact: (your name and phone number) (Jurisdiction) District Attorney's Office Authorizes Program to Protect Newborns The (jurisdiction) District Attorney's Office has authorized a program called A Secret Safe Place For Newborns in an effort to prevent the crime of newborn abandonment and violence. The program provides an alternative for mothers in crisis who keep their pregnancy secret or for some other reason can't cope with their newborns. These mothers may bring their newborns to a designated Secret Safe Place For Newborns location and turn them over to personnel at these locations without revealing their identify and with assurance that the newborn will receive medical care, foster home care and adoption services. The program became available when (jurisdiction) District Attorney (name) said he/she would not prosecute mothers who brought their newborns unharmed to a designated Secret Safe Place For Newborns location within 72 hours of the infant's birth. The District Attorney pointed out that all mothers are responsible for the safety and welfare of their children and those mothers who abandon or harm newborns will be prosecuted. "We have authorized A Secret Safe Place For Newborns Program in (jurisdiction) because it can save lives," (name) said. "Although not widely recognized, newborn abandonment and violence is a serious problem in our nation. Prior to A Secret Safe Place For Newborns only the threat of prosecution for abandonment or violence protected newborns and prosecution is too late because it takes place after the baby has been placed at risk or injured. A Secret Safe Place For Newborns provides an alternative that can prevent the crimes of infant abandonment and violence. It can save the lives of newborns and the futures of their mothers." A Secret Safe Place For Newborns locations in the (jurisdiction) are at the emergency rooms at the following hospitals: (locations). Newborns must be turned over to personnel in the emergency rooms. Mothers will be allowed to remain anonymous. Emergency room personnel will request that the mother voluntarily provide significant health information about her family and the father's family. (Name) said that the infant will receive a medical examination and any required medical attention. The child will become the ward of the Department of Human Resources. "Giving up the newborn is not an irreversible decision," (name) said. "The mother may change her mind within (time period) and reclaim her infant by contacting the Department of Human Resources. Mothers may also ask for counseling and other social services. We want to do everything we can to help the mother and protect the newborn." Information about A Secret Safe Place for Newborns program is available at (your web site or) www.mobile-da.org or by calling: (local phone number). <-- Previous | Next -->