COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Human Services Agency / Health Services Agency

DATE:

February 8, 2005

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 1, 2005

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

Set Time 9:00 am

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Maureen Borland, Director, Human Services Agency

Charlene A. Silva, Director, Health Services Agency

SUBJECT:

Designation of fire stations located in the cities and unincorporated areas of San Mateo County as a “Safe Surrender Site” for unwanted newborns.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution designating fire stations located in the cities and unincorporated areas of San Mateo County as a “Safe Surrender Site” in accordance with Section 1255.7 of the Health and Safety Code.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 6: Children grow up healthy in safe and supportive homes and neighborhoods.

The designation contributes to this commitment and goal by providing a way to prevent babies from being abandoned.

BACKGROUND:

Health and Safety Code 1255.7 enacted in 2000 creates a procedure of designating “safe surrender” sites for infants 72 hours old or less in order to eliminate the deaths of abandoned newborns. The legislation creates a “no questions asked” process in which a newborn can be surrendered at a hospital or to sites designated by the local County Board of Supervisors. The law specifies that the individual surrendering the infant may reclaim the baby within 14 days. Since this law was enacted over 60 babies have been safely surrendered in California. Several other states have enacted similar legislation.

Hospitals in San Mateo County, including San Mateo Medical Center, are already safe surrender sites. Some counties in California have designated local fire stations as safe surrender sites. Staff from Health Services and Human Services has worked with the local fire service agencies to develop uniform procedures for accepting surrendered infants.

DISCUSSION:

All cities fire departments as well the fire protection districts in San Mateo County have indicated their willingness to have their fire stations to be designated as a “Safe Surrender Site”. The only exception will be the County Fire/California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) fire stations that are staffed with volunteers (La Honda, Loma Mar, and Kings Mountain) as these stations do not have personnel assigned at all times.

Human Services will be responsible for publicizing the program to the community. The San Mateo County Prehospital Emergency Medical Services Group has agreed to pay for the materials, such as signage and information packets, needed for the program.

The effective date of designation of local fire stations as newborn Safe Surrender Sites is upon adoption of this Resolution through January 1, 2006.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no Net County Cost.