Tracking Public Policy on Childhood Abuse and Neglect

Tracking Public Policy on Childhood Abuse and Neglect

Valena Marie Alcantar

BSHS/408 Child Abuse and Neglect

January 17, 2017

Kelli Ahmad

Tracking Public Policy on Childhood Abuse and Neglect Letter

Govenor Sandoval,

My name is Valena Alcantar and I am a Child Protective Service worker in Clark County. I am writing to request your assistance in changing the age limit for NRS 432B.630 “Safe Haven Law” to 4 years old.  The Safe Haven Law, was passed in 2001 due to an increase of abandonment cases in Clark County.   During the five months that it took to pass this law, two babies were found dead in Las Vegas dumpsters.

The NRS 432B.630 Delivery of newborn child to provider of emergency services, states that “A provider of emergency services shall take immediate possession of a child who is or appears to be not more than 30 days old when the child is voluntarily delivered to the provider by a parent and the parent does not express an intent to return for the child.”

This Safe Haven law protects infants in Nevada from being injured due to illegal abandonment by providing the parent(s) a safe and anonymous option for the surrender of their infant without facing charges.  The parent can call 911 or drop their infant of at any of the following safe locations: hospital, ambulance service, fire station, and police department.  

The reason why I feel like the age limit should be extended is because what is protecting kids 30 days and older from being abused or abandoned? If parents can’t meet their responsibility in providing a safe and nurturing environment to raise their children there should be an alternative for them.  

A study that was published in 2012 on Fatal Child Maltreatment, Fatal neglect accounted for 51% of the deaths and the children that passed away were primarily under 5 years old and not the subject of a child report case (Damashek, 2012).