Now that it's decided to add an age limit to its "safe haven" law, Nebraska is bracing for another rush of abandoned teens, left there by parents who say they just can't handle their children anymore. Originally intended to provide a safe place for parents (usually teen mothers) to drop off newborns, the law was meant to curb neglect, abuse and infanticide. But its unintended consequence has been to enshrine Nebraska as the place to bring -- and leave -- your troubled older child. According to reports from the state's Department of Health and Human Services, 28 of the 34 kids left at hospitals under the new law have been older than ten.
From the CNN article:
State Sen. Tom White said lawmakers have been caught off-guard by the number of teenagers taken in under the law. "What you've seen is an extraordinary cry for help from people all
across the country," White said. "Nebraska can't afford to take care of
all of them. Nebraska would like to be able to, but they know that we
can't so we are going to have to change the law."
Lawmakers are meeting today to amend the law, adding an age limit to restrict the drop-offs to infants, particularly newborns. But it'll take a week or so for the new law to take effect, and that's what has Nebraska hospitals worried.
As the mother of a toddler and a teenager, I can testify that both try my patience on a daily basis, and both of them are relatively healthy and "normal," whatever that means. The children left at hospitals under the Nebraska law (most of them from Nebraska, but five from out of state) have, for the most part, suffered from some very serious problems -- most have received mental health servies, most have been incarcerated -- and their parents clearly were at the ends of some very long ropes. Still, it is almost impossible to imagine reaching a place where one would voluntarily give up one's child.
My fear, beyond the local and immediate one facing Nebraska officials right now, is that this is only going to get worse -- as our economic crisis deepens, as unemployment climbs, as insurance companies continue to inadequately support mental health services, more and more families will find themselves breaking under the strain. I'm glad Nebraska is rewriting its law to bring it back to the intended purpose. But I hope the new administration will be able to effect changes in our economy and society so that families of troubled older kids will be able to find their own safe havens.
Related: Morning News
The Trouble With Safe Haven Laws: Some Thoughts For National Adoption Month
