MITCHELL — On Thursday, Indiana hosted a blessing of the 84th Safe Haven Baby Box in the state. The box is the 110th in the nation.
The baby box in Mitchell is located at the Mitchell Volunteer Fire Department located at 105 Doc Hamilton Boulevard.
“Today in Mitchell, Indiana women have an option and kids will get better,” Safe Haven Baby Boxes Founder Monica Ashley said. “We will not find a baby dead in a trash can or dumpster in Mitchell, Indiana because of this box.”
Ashley went on to thank the 2019-20 child development class at Mitchell High School and the teacher of the class Amy Redman. The class raised the money to allow for the box to be built and placed at the fire station.
What is a Safe Haven Baby Box?
Baby boxes are safe incubators that have alarm systems, so 911 is notified as soon as a baby is placed inside. The baby boxes also have heating and cooling features.
Once the infant is collected by first responders, they're taken to the nearest medical facility to be evaluated.
Infants surrendered under Indiana's Safe Haven Law are placed in the custody of the state's Department of Child Services after they are released from the hospital. The process then begins to find an adoptive family within 30-45 days.
Safe Haven Hotline
The boxes make the news, but the Safe Haven Hotline is where most of these journeys begin.
SHBB staffs a 24-hour Safe Haven hotline (1-866-99BABY1), so parents can talk to trained professionals and get more information about their options for surrendering or how to get assistance to help them be able to care for their child.
The SHBB hotline is staffed by licensed counselors.
The Safe Haven Law allows mothers to safely surrender their infants, anonymously, up to 30 days old
Under the Safe Haven Law, parents have up to 30 days to change their mind once they surrender an infant.
-
Fever forward Chloe Bibby ruled out for remainder of season; Bree Hall signed
Chloe Bibby joins four other Fever players on the injured list with a season-ending knee injury. Indiana signs guard Bree Hall as replacement.
Urban farmer navigates funding shifts with Farm Bill expiring
Urban farmer struggles with federal funding delays as Farm Bill expires. Indianapolis' Soul Food Project forced to furlough workers, shut down operations for months.
Neighbors near Wheeler Mission notice increase in homeless population in area
Ohio Street neighbors say they’ve noticed an increased number of homeless people in the area surrounding Wheeler Mission.
Free Books Instead of Chips: Greenwood schools install reading machines
With a free coin and push of a button, students at all four Greenwood Community Elementary schools can get their hands on a new book.
