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1 (August 8, 2003)

handle is hein.crs/crsahps0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS20901 Updated April 8, 2003 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Safe Haven for Abandoned Infants: Background on the Issue and State Laws Karen Spar Specialist in Social Legislation Domestic Social Policy Division Summary The number of infants abandoned by their birth parents in public places appears to have increased in recent years, prompting legislatures in 42 states to enact new legislation since 1999. For the most part, these laws are intended to provide a safe haven for birth parents to surrender their unharmed children and provide them protection from liability. Anecdotal reports suggest this issue may be growing in scope, but no comprehensive information is available. The 107'h Congress passed the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments of 2001 (P.L. 107-33), which amended the definition of family preservation services to include infant safe haven programs. Legislation has been introduced in the 108'h Congress (S. 342 and H.R. 14) to ensure grantees under the Abandoned Infants Assistance Act of 1988 give priority to certain groups of children and to require additional reporting and evaluation elements. An additional bill, H.R. 77, has been introduced and would require the Justice Department to collect and report on data related to abandoned infants. This report summarizes available information on the issue and on state laws that have been enacted. It will be updated to follow any legislative action in Congress. Scope of the Problem1 The only national data currently available suggests that incidents of infant abandonment in public places increased during the last decade. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) commissioned a search of major newspapers between November 1991 and November 1992 and also between November 1996 and November 1997, and found published reports of 65 babies abandoned in public places during the Congressional Research Service +** The Library of Congress 1 This report was updated April 8, 2003 by Matthew Shuman, Presidential Management Intern on rotation from the Department of Health and Human Services.

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