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‘We’re making history.’ First Safe Haven Baby Box in Idaho comes to Blackfoot

BLACKFOOT — History was made in Idaho this week as the state received its first baby box. It’s located in Blackfoot.

Attached to Grove Creek Medical Center, located at 350 North Meridian Street, is a sign that reads, “Safe Haven Baby Box Drop Off.” It’s a designated location where parents can anonymously and safely leave an infant they are unable to care for.
Watch how the baby box works in the video below.
“For most of us, giving birth to a baby is a joyous occasion. But as we know — as labor and delivery nurses — there are times where this is agonizing and unbearably sad. And those are the women we’re trying to serve with this Safe Haven Baby Box,” said Patty Killian, the director of nursing at Grove Creek Medical Center.

The baby box was blessed by a local clergywoman on Tuesday. It’s the 245th box in the United States. It comes from an organization called Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Click here to learn more. 

“This box is now available for women in this community and beyond. This box offers no shame, no blame and no names,” said Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes.
Kelsey, from Indiana, said Idaho is the 19th state to receive a Safe Haven Baby Box.
She talked to a crowd of over 100 people at the blessing event in Blackfoot about how she became an advocate. Kelsey told a true story that happened in August 1972 about a young 17-year-old girl who was brutally attacked, raped and left along the side of the road.
Monica Kelsey, the founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes. | Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com
She said the girl was strong enough to press charges against the man who had raped her.
“When her life was finally getting back to normal, she found out she was pregnant and she was hidden for the remainder of the pregnancy. She gave birth in April of 1973 and abandoned her child two hours after that child was born,” Kelsey said. “And that child was me.”
She said she now stands at the frontlines of this movement.
“This is my legacy and I am their voice. I will forever walk alongside these mothers who choose something safe. And I will forever walk alongside these kids who grow up knowing their worth and their purpose,” Kelsey said.
She added there is a 24-hour crisis hotline that can be called or texted, which is 1-866-99BABY1.

Since 2017, 50 infants have been safely and legally surrendered in a baby box. The National Safe Haven Crisis line has assisted with over 150 handoff surrenders, the website said. 

Monica Kelsey shows how the baby box works. | Courtesy Bingham Healthcare
According to Killian, the box’s initial cost was $12,000. She said the Bingham Healthcare Foundation agreed to pay for it and received a grant through restaurant franchise KFC.
“Our dream is that it will become a resource,” Killian said.
Hailey Dahle, a bereavement coordinator at Grove Creek Medical Center, came up with the idea to get the baby box. She described how bringing it to the community has been a journey. It’s also raised awareness about the Safe Haven Act.
“Our immediate concern was the fact that Idaho law does not include verbiage in our Safe Haven Act, allowing for surrender in a device like the Safe Haven Baby Box,” Dahle said.
A lot of crucial people came together to make changes and get the box. One of those people was Idaho Sen. Julie VanOrden, R-Pingree, who began the process of amending the Safe Haven legislation to permit anonymous surrender via newborn safety devices in Idaho, a news release said.

The amendment to the existing Safe Haven Baby Act was passed unanimously in March. Gov. Brad Little signed it, and it went into effect on July 1. 

“Today, we’re making history in Idaho. We are giving women an option that has never been done before in this state. We are giving women 100% anonymity if they so choose, that they cannot walk into a facility and hand their child to a person,” Kelsey said. 

Dahle and Killian expressed their gratitude that the city was able to receive one. 

“We just want to extend compassion to moms in these situations. We know that every story is different and honestly being a mom today, looks different for everyone in this world and maybe for some, their option would be to have to surrender their baby,” Dahle said. 

Surrendered infants are adopted by families who have registered as foster to adopt.