City
Council Meeting: August 9, 2005
TO: Mayor
and Councilmembers
FROM: City
Staff
SUBJECT: Resolution Ratifying
This
report requests the City Council to adopt a resolution ratifying Santa Monica
Fire Stations as Safe Surrender Sites in compliance with the California Safely
Surrendered Baby Law, as amended by the
The Safely Surrendered Law (SB 1368), also known as
the Safe Haven Law or the Newborn Abandonment Law was signed into law by
Governor Davis in September 2000, and went into effect on January 1, 2001. On August 27, 2002, the Los Angeles County
Board of Supervisors adopted a Resolution designating all Los Angeles County
Fire Stations as Safe Haven Sites. Since
the adoption of the resolution in 2002, 34 newborns have been safely
surrendered in
The California Safely Surrendered Law allows an
individual to give up an unwanted infant with no fear of arrest or prosecution
for abandonment as long as the baby has not been abused or neglected. The law does not require that names be given
when the baby is surrendered. Parents
are permitted to bring a baby within three days of birth to any hospital
emergency room or other designated safe surrender site in
This program is a powerful vehicle to save infants’
lives. Designating Santa Monica Fire
Stations as Safe Surrender Sites will ensure more safe sites are available for
these babies.
The Risk Manager has reviewed the California Safely Surrendered
Baby Law and finds no additional liability for the City should they authorize
participating in this program. Santa
Monica Fire Department personnel received the required training in July 2005 and
the Safe Surrender Site information packets are in place at each Fire Station. Small aluminum signs (18” x 20”) displaying
the approved Safe Surrender Site logo are required to be installed on all
approved Safe Surrender Site locations.
The signs have been obtained and will be installed once the resolution
is ratified and formal authorization obtained through the Los Angeles County
Board of Supervisors.
Budget/Financial Impact
The recommendation
presented in this report does not have a budget or fiscal impact.
It
is recommended the City Council adopt the accompanying resolution ratifying
Santa Monica Fire Stations as Safe Surrender Sites in compliance with the
California Safely Surrendered Baby Law, as amended by the
Prepared by: Jim
Hone, Fire Chief
Jodi Nevandro,
Attachment: A. Resolution - scroll down
RESOLUTION NO.
___ (CCS)
RESOLUTION
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
AUTHORIZING
THE CITY OF
IN THE SAFE HAVEN
PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN
WHEREAS,
the State Legislature has enacted Health and Safety Code § 1255.7 which allows
any person having lawful custody of a minor child 72 hours old or younger to
surrender physical custody of the child to an employee at a location designated
by the board of supervisors; and
WHEREAS,
the City of
WHEREAS,
such designation is for the benefit of children and the community because it
will provide a safe haven to newborns who are 72 hours old or younger;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF
SECTION 1. The fire stations of the Santa Monica Fire
Department may be designated by
SECTION 2. The City Manager or her designee is
authorized to request that the Board of Supervisors for
SECTION 3. The
City Manager or her designee is authorized to execute any documents which are necessary to effectuate
this designation and which are consistent with this Resolution, all of which
are subject to approval by the City Attorney.
SECTION 4. The
City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth
and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
Approved as to form.
________________________
Marshal Moutrie, City Attorney