Baby Safe Haven vs. an Adoption Plan

Placing your baby for adoption with Adoption Choices of Nevada is a wonderful way to provide him or her with an amazing and well-deserved life and a loving family. However, adoption is not your only option. In every state, there are Safe Haven laws in place that allow you to leave an unharmed infant at a designated Safe Haven facility, no questions asked. These laws are put into place to protect your baby and give you a safe place to turn if you are unable to care for them. Once you surrender your baby to an employee or call the facility to alert them, you will be absolved of any parental responsibilities, provided that the infant does not show signs of maltreatment or abuse.

Safe Haven Laws are put in place to ensure your baby’s safety and to decrease the number of babies that are left abandoned. There are many pros and cons of choosing to leave your baby at a Safe Haven instead of opting for a formalized adoption plan. While both of these avenues offer you safe options to place your baby, there are some key differences to note. Let’s look at the perks and drawbacks of Baby Safe Haven vs. an adoption plan comparatively, so you can see the differences for yourself.

Safe Haven Laws

Safe Haven laws are state-mandated and they are put into place to give you the option to safely surrender your baby to a certain distinctive location. All 50 states have some version of these laws and they ultimately serve to reduce the number of children who are found abandoned in unsafe conditions. The majority of Safe Haven organizations are run based on volunteers, and those who offer their time will be contacted on a need-to-know basis if a baby has been left at a Safe Haven location in their area. It is important to note that these laws are not just put in place to protect infants, but birth mothers as well. Oftentimes you can safely relinquish your baby while remaining anonymous. However, complete confidentiality is not always possible as these laws vary on a state by state basis.

In the state of Nevada, the law states that unharmed babies under 30 days old may be relinquished to a safe haven facility. You can leave your child in the hands of safe haven volunteers and not risk jail time or face criminal charges for child abandonment. Locations that qualify as Safe Haven drop-offs in Nevada are: hospitals, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical service locations and fire stations. 

Once you have surrendered your baby, you are not required to give any additional information. However, it is important to relay relevant medical history to the Safe Haven worker. Sharing this information allows your baby to receive any and all necessary care. While having the option to surrender your baby at a Safe Haven provides a necessary alternative to unwanted pregnancies, creating an adoption plan can prove to offer you more security and control over where they end up. Adoption plans will guarantee that your baby will grow up in a safe and loving home in a way that relinquishing him or her at a Safe Haven may not.

Adoption Plan

When it comes to unwanted pregnancies, an adoption plan is the safest way to ensure that your baby is provided with a loving family. Setting up a plan will give you the confidence that your baby is going to grow up with an incredible family that you have hand-chosen with their best interest at heart! Choosing an adoption plan is a great way to still play a part in how your baby will be brought up, even if you are not there to experience it firsthand. 

Having the power to choose your baby’s adoptive family gives you a sense of control and you can rest easy knowing exactly where your baby will end up after you place them for adoption. At Adoption Choices of Nevada, we are here to help you choose the best plan to meet your needs and the needs of your baby. Finding a happy ending to your adoption story is what we do best!

Steps for Baby Safe Haven

One of the most important things to remember about Safe Haven Laws is that you cannot simply leave your baby at a Safe Haven location. You must either physically leave your baby in the arms of an employee, call 911 or the Safe Haven location to alert someone of the baby’s presence. 

If you are seeking further information on Safe Haven Laws in the state of Nevada, call the Safe Haven Hotline at 1-800-992-5757 professionals are available 24 hours a day 7 days to speak with you. Phone calls to this number will be answered by a Crisis Call Center of Nevada worker and they will talk you through all of the steps anonymously.

Baby Safe Haven vs. an Adoption Plan

When it comes to choosing a Baby Safe Haven vs. an adoption plan, we know that all you want is what is best for your baby. One of the ways to ensure that you are doing what is right is to have all of the information. We are always here to help you with the difficult choices that come along with an unwanted pregnancy. An adoption professional will always be available to talk you through all of your options and make sure you make the best choice for both yourself and for your baby.

Choosing a Safe Haven is a great way to know that your baby will be well taken care of, however, choosing to set up an adoption plan gives you even more peace of mind that your baby will be placed with a loving family specifically chosen by you!

Adoption Choices of Nevada in has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. For information specific to Las Vegas, please visit our sister site Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Las Vegas. For information specific to Reno, please visit our sister site Adoption and Surrogacy Choices of Reno. You can also call us to speak to someone now. Contact Us 24/7: CALL OR TEXT 702-474-4673

Meet the Author: Katie Dee is a resident of Long Island, New York and member of the 2020 graduating class of State University of New York (SUNY) at Oneonta. She completed her bachelor’s degree in English, dedicating a year to family studies.

Katie has hands-on classroom experience in the field of writing, editing and child and family studies. Her experience, in both the writing field and that of family studies, gives her a unique perspective in her pieces centered around the field of adoption.