ComrnKtee Agenda Date: August 17,2005
Agenda Item No.8

County of Santa Clara
Office of the County Executive
Children and Family Services, Public Safety & Justice
Office of Public Communication & Outreach

CSFC-CEOl 081705

Prepared by: Gwendolyn Mitchell
Public Communication
Director

DATE:

August 17, 2005

TO:

Supervisor James T. Beall, Jr., Chaii'person
Supervisor Don Gage, Vice-Chaiiperson
Children, Seniors & Families Committee

FROM:

Sandra Y. Nathan

Deputy County Executive
SUBJECT:

Safely Surrendered Baby Protoeol for Media Notification

rfcommendep action

Consider proposed protocol for handling media inquiries about Safely Surrendered Babies and forward to the

Board of

Supervisors for consideration.
ETSGAT.IMPLICATIONS
There are no fiscal implications.

Board of Supeivisors; Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado. Fete McHugh,Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
Count/ Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.

1

Committee Agenda Date ; August 17,2005
Agenda Item No.8

RF ASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

At the April 20, 2005 meeting of the Board of Supervisors, Supervisor Beall requested a report back to the Chddren.
Seniors and Families Committee regarding the development of a media release protocol. A Protocol has been
Thedeveloped
intent is
to serve as a guide for release of information to the public and the media about Safely Surrendered babies^ to ensure the
to

protect the confidentiality of the parent and infant, as provided for in Senate Bill 1368, as amended, and

best possible outcome for the infant.
RACKCxROUND

California's Safely Surrendered Baby Law allows parents to give up their baby confidentially

as the baby has not been abused or
to an employee at a designated safe surrender site. As long
fear
of
arrest or prosecution. The
neglected, parents may give up their newborn without
from abandoning unwanted
purpose of the Safely Surrendered Baby Law is to deter parents
to
care
for a baby may legally,
newborns A distressed parent who is unable or unwilling
of birth. The baby must be handed to
confidentially and safely give up a baby within 72 hours
an employee at a designated Santa Clara County Safe Surrender Site, including hospital
As long as the child shows no signs of
emergency rooms and at any fire station in the county. may
abuse or neglect, the parent or surrendering individual remain anonymous. Upon
baby, and a matching bracelet will be
surrender, a confidential ID bracelet is placed on the
given to the parent or surrendering adult. Because the surrender of an infant is an important
life-altering decision, the law provides a 14-day period during which the parents or
begin the process of reclaiming Parents
surrendering adults, may reclaim their newborns. Toinformation
is provided at the time ot
must contact the Child Protective Services. Contact
surrender. Once the parent(s) has safely turned over the baby, they are free to go.

County, including all hospital
There are currently 98 Safe Surrender Sites in Santa Clara
be examined and given medical

emergency rooms and all fire stations. The baby will

if needed. Then the baby will be placed in a pre-adoptive home.
WHAT OTHER COUNTIES DO: The County Excemive's Office ofPublic Affairs surveyed seyeral other

treatment,

i„fau« „ bandied. A
IsLte tltoL how publte tnforuration aboutcounties
surrendered
contacted
had a formal protocol for handling m
informal telephone survey is attached. None of the
m“. San Joaquin County, San Mateo County, Sonoma and Los Angeles County eac -f-nq™ t the

■"

release informa ion about
irf“t
equivalent of our Social Service Agency. These agencies do not
and/or
hospitals
release
surrendered. By contrast, Riverside County Fire departments
the surrendered occurred but once the infant is transferred to Child Protective
Babv^Tor do they have
observed. Mann County and Orange County neither have
experienced
a
S^fly^urrei^d^ed
Baby, nor d^^^
media protocols. Orange County expects to develop a protocol later this fall. More information is available
attached matrix.

Board of Supervisors; Donald F. Gage, Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh, Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
Count/ Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.

2

Committee Agenda Date: August 17,2005
Agenda Item No.8

This proposed protocol has been reviewed by the Social Services Agency, Public Health Department, the Fire
Department and the Office of the County Counsel. It also had been reviewed by the Public Information Officer at Good
Samaritan Hospital, which recently received a Safely Surrendered Baby, and the Hospital Council.
CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION

Failure to establish a protocol governing the release of information about infants surrendered under the Safely
Surrendered Baby program may result in participating SSB sites creating disparate practices and policies concerning the
release of sueh information.

STEPS FOI T.OWING APPROVAL

The County Executive's Office of Public Affairs will notify all County PIOs and SSB Sites of the new protocol.
ATTACHMENTS

• SSB Protocol for Media Information
• SSB Notification Form

• Counties Practices Matrix

Board of Supervisors: Donald F. Gage. Blanca Alvarado, Pete McHugh,Jim Beall, Liz Kniss
Count/ Executive: Peter Kutras Jr.

3