The Abandoned Newborn Protection Act was passed in Illinois in 2001. The law provides a mechanism for the safe transfer of newborns, while preserving the anonymity of the parents. It protects parents from civil or criminal liability in the event of abandonment of their newborns. The Act also encourages public information campaigns on shelter laws to raise public awareness of the possibility of safely delivering their unwanted newborns. Under Illinois` Safe Haven Act, passed in 2001, hospitals have multiple responsibilities when an infant is dropped off at their hospital or removed from another “shelter,” such as a police or fire station or emergency medical facility. In cases where there is no evidence of abuse or neglect of an abandoned newborn, the donor has the right to remain anonymous and leave the safe harbor at any time without being prosecuted or persecuted. [xii] Before the transferee leaves the hospital, police station, fire station or emergency medical facility, the staff at that location must verbally inform the transferee that by anonymously handing over the child, they must file an application with the court if they wish to prevent the forfeiture of parental rights and regain custody of the child. [xiii] Safe Harbour staff must also provide the transferee with the information package described in section 35 of the Abandoned Newborn Protection Act. [xiv] However, if desired, the person submitting the application may disclose his or her identity and complete the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange Application Forms. You can also ask the hospital, police station, fire station, or emergency medical facility to submit these forms to the Illinois Adoption Registry and Medical Information Exchange. The Illinois Shelter Act for Childbirth Up to 30 Days of Age.

It protects parents from civil or criminal charges. “We`re not interested in what led to this decision because I`m sure it`s very, very difficult to make. Our goal is to make sure the child is safe, and that`s why we were here,” says Manager Matthew Knott of the Rockford Fire Department. If the child is not injured, no one will try to find the biological parents, and there are no legal consequences for the parents. These infants are considered abandoned and placed in an adoptive home. This option is designed to prevent scared or desperate parents from leaving a child in a dangerous place. The law assumes that a person who abandons the newborn under shelter laws is the child`s biological parent and agrees to terminate their parental rights with respect to the child. The law further assumes that, either without declaring his intention to return to pick up the child or without expressing his intention not to return the child for the child, the person giving birth to the child intends to leave the child in the hospital, police station, fire station or emergency medical facility for treatment, cared for and cared for in accordance with this Act.

[vi] The parent may make this presumption at any time before the parents` parental rights are forfeited. [vii] Every hospital, fire hall, emergency medical facility and police station that can accommodate a newborn abandoned under this Act shall post a sign outside the building in which the facility is located. To ensure consistency of signage across the country, the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services prescribes sign specifications. Posted signs inform the public that a newborn may be delivered to the facility in accordance with this Act. [viii] This section does not apply to a hospital, fire station, emergency medical facility or police station that has a sign that complies with the requirements of this section and is displayed at the 95th General Assembly on the day on which this amending Act comes into force. You can drop off a baby for help safely without asking questions. Hospitals, emergency facilities, police and fire stations are all refuges. Emergency health professionals, employees or others involved in the administration or operation of a safe harbor, child placement center or service where a baby has been abandoned or transferred under this Act shall not make public information about the release of the infant and persons involved in the task.