24-03-2025
Decatur-Morgan Hospital to install Safe Haven Baby Box, 16th box in Alabama
DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — The Decatur-Morgan Hospital announced Monday that it will install a Safe Haven Baby Box in the emergency department.
To celebrate this addition, the hospital will host an installation and opening event on March 31 at 1:30 p.m.
'Providing a Safe Haven Baby Box at Decatur Morgan Hospital is a critical step in ensuring that parents in crisis have a secure and anonymous option,' Kelli Powers, President of Decatur Morgan Hospital said. 'We are honored to be able to offer this resource, reinforcing our commitment to the well-being of our community.'
The Safe Haven Baby Box is designed as a safety mechanism that is installed in the exterior wall of the hospital. Once a baby is placed inside the box, the outside door will lock automatically to ensure security while hospital staff examine the baby from the inside.
Since 2016, Safe Haven Baby Boxes have provided a discreet and secure option for parents under the Safe Haven Law, which allows the legal surrender of infants at designated locations without fear of prosecution. The organization also operates a 24-hour hotline to provide assistance and guidance to parents in crisis.
In October 2024, the Athens-Limestone Hospital installed a Safe Haven Baby Box, which, according to officials, made it the seventh facility across the state to offer the baby boxes.
This addition at the Decatur-Morgan Hospital makes it the 16th box in Alabama and the 331st box in the nation.
For more information about Safe Haven Baby Boxes, you can visit its website here.
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