The Michigan departments of Human Services and Community Health, the Michigan State Police and the Delta Township Fire Department will host a media event in Lansing to promote Michigan's Safe Delivery of Newborns law.

The law is designed to prevent parents from abandoning newborn babies in locations such as garbage cans, parking lots, car washes or rest rooms. It allows for an anonymous surrender of infants up to 72 hours of age to an Emergency Service Provider (ESP). ESPs are uniformed or otherwise identified on duty employees of fire departments, police departments or hospitals.

Since implementation of the law began in 2001, 69 newborns have been successfully surrendered; most were left at hospitals.

Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm has proclaimed the week of April 20, 2009 Safe Delivery of Newborns Week in Michigan.

Informational resources will be available at the event, including posters in English and Spanish, brochures for ESPs and a newly developed portable response packet for emergency medical services vehicles.

WHEN:

Thursday, April 23, 2009

 10 a.m.

WHERE:

Delta Township Fire Station Conference Room 811 N. Canal Road Lansing, MI 48917

WHO:

Zoe Lyons, manager Children's Protective Services and Family Preservation Services Michigan Department of Human Services

Jeff Spitzley, manager Infant Health Unit Michigan Department of Community Health Sgt.

Greg Jones, coordinator Michigan Amber Alert & Michigan's Missing Children Information Clearinghouse Michigan State Police

For more information, please visit the DHS Web site at http://michigan.gov/dhs