TRENTON – Building on efforts begun last year to expand New Jersey’s awareness around the NJ Safe Haven infant surrender program, First Lady Tammy Murphy will join DCF Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer in a press conference on Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. in the Pure Conference Room at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell (1 Capital Way, Pennington, NJ) to discuss next steps in promoting the program.

Leaders of several state agencies that engage with, license, or set rules or regulations for designated Safe Haven surrender sites – defined in statute as any police station, fire department, hospital emergency room, ambulance, first aid, or rescue squad that’s staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week –also will be in attendance. Additionally, NJ educational leaders have been invited to assist in getting the word out about Safe Haven through middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities.

New Jersey’s Safe Haven Infant Protection Act, which was adopted in 2000, allows an individual to safely surrender an infant, legally and anonymously, at designated public safety sites throughout the State of New Jersey. The parents – or someone acting on the parents’ behalf – can leave an unharmed baby fewer than 30 days old with staff at any Safe Haven site without fear of being prosecuted for infant abandonment. Following a safe surrender, DCF ensures that the infant is placed with a foster or pre-adoptive home.

Since September 2018, NJDCF has worked to saturate digital / social media with static, audio and video ads, resulting in over 1 million impressions with nearly a quarter million New Jersey residents in the targeted age-range of 18 to 30 years old.

WHO: First Lady Tammy Murphy, DCF Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer, state leaders of public health, public safety, fire prevention and educational institutions;

WHAT: Press Conference to highlight efforts to further promote NJ Safe Haven infant surrender program

WHEN: Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 11 a.m. – Noon

WHERE: Pure Conference Room at Capital Health Medical Center, 1 Capital Way, Pennington, NJ 08534