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St. Anthony
Regional Hospital NEWS RELEASE
IOWA HOSPITALS PROMOTED AS BABY ‘SAFE HAVENS’ Carroll, Iowa – Iowa hospitals, including St. Anthony Regional Hospital, have partnered with the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) to promote the state’s safe haven” law, which allows for newborn infants to be handed over to hospitals with no legal repercussions. Leading the marketing campaign will be three 30-second TV ads, which will run over the summer during popular young people’s programming on both broadcast and cable channels. The ads, which were published by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA), were unveiled June 12 by Iowa First Lady Mari Culver. Each of the three ads powerfully depicts a teenage girl contemplating what to do with her newborn baby, as she ultimately decides to take the child to a hospital. The TV spots provide a toll-free number (800) 369-2229 and web site www.dhs.iowa.gov/children_family/safe_haven/index.html) for more information. “Those ads convey the message that when mothers don’t know what to do or where to turn, the right thing to do is to save the life of the child,” explained Mrs. Culver. “St. Anthony Regional Hospital’s staff was educated in 2001 regarding the Safe Haven law,” said Joyce Ryberg, St. Anthony Vice President of Patient Services. “Although there have not been any babies left at St. Anthony since the law was implemented, our staff members are always ready to accept a baby. A baby can be brought to the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week by the parents or another person who has the parent’s authorization. An infant up to 14 days old can be left at a hospital or healthcare facility without fear of prosecution for abandonment. The baby can be delivered to any staff member anywhere in the hospital or left in the hospital in a safe place, followed by immediate contact with the hospital or 911 letting them know the location of the baby. Information regarding the infant’s and the parents’ medical history is very helpful, but not required. All of our staff members at St. Anthony sincerely hope that anyone in this difficult situation will let us help them, rather than choose to leave the baby in an unsafe situation.” In addition to the TV ads, IHA will be producing an audio public service announcement for hospitals to provide to local radio stations. St. Anthony Regional Hospital was a key supporter of Iowa’s safe haven law when it passed in 2001, following the death of an abandoned newborn baby in Chelsea, Iowa. Since then, there have been eight safe haven children left at hospitals, the last being reported in October 2006. All of the children have been adopted. |
