Charleston, West Virginia (WOWK) — West Virginia is expanding access to safe options for parents who believe they can’t care for a new baby, thanks to a new law that allows for more Safe Haven baby boxes.
Senate Bill 8, which was unanimously passed by lawmakers and signed by Governor Patrick Morrisey, expands safe surrender options to EMS facilities, police stations, and sheriff’s detachments that were not previously classified as safe surrender zones.
Safe Surrender Zones are locations where individuals can securely surrender a newborn.
St. Albans Fire Chief Lance Carney, who advocated for his station to get its own Safe Haven Baby Box, believes the extension is beneficial.
“Our stations, particularly those in West Virginia, are not usually staffed around the clock. The majority of our fire stations throughout the state are volunteer.
So, by allowing and supplying resources for police stations, sheriff’s detachments, and EMS facilities, it simply improves the network or convenience of the bay boxes,” Carney explained. “It gives us more options to place those and ultimately reach more people in the community that may prefer to use this service.”
This gives them access to newborn safety devices, such as Safe Haven baby boxes, which allow new parents to secretly and safely surrender an infant under the age of 30 days. As before, the baby had to be handed up in person.
Previously, a law issued in 2023 allowed these devices to be used only by hospitals and fire departments that were staffed around the clock.
Last year, the St. Albans Fire Department built the state’s fourth baby box, which has not been utilized since. However, it is routinely tested and ready in case it is required.
Carney believes that the new legislation is a step in the right direction.
“This is an excellent move for West Virginia. “We’re going to make this more convenient and accessible for more West Virginians,” Carney added. “There’s really no downside to having these boxes, and the more, the better.”
Carney believes that in the future, this method will be improved and safer for all.
“The more boxes that exist in the community. It’s better for everyone. “And hopefully, West Virginia will keep moving forward,” Carney said. “We weren’t the first state to adopt and implement the current surrender scheme. But, hopefully, we’ll keep moving forward to make the process better for everyone involved.”
The law will take effect on June 17. Following that, the approved safe surrender zones can determine where to place a box and how to pay for it.
