'Baby box' could be coming to county

McLean County Judge-Executive Curtis Dame announced March 16 that a Safe Haven Baby Box could be coming to the county this year.

Dame said he has met with Diana Anderson, executive director of Pathway of Hope Pregnancy Resource Center in Muhlenberg County, about the baby box.

"They fought the fight to change legislation in Frankfort to make the baby boxes legal and to be able to put them at facilities staffed 24 hours a day," Dame said.

Muhlenberg County has been through the process of implementing a baby box, and in doing so, Dame said that has made it easier for McLean County.

"We don't have to reinvent the wheel," he said. "They've done some considerable work with their county attorney to look at the legal and liability portions."

Dame said after meeting with Anderson, he called the county insurance agent to check on liability and also contacted attorneys at the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo).

"There are quite a few counties that have already installed boxes and crossed the finished line," he said. "That's good, because it allows us to see what went right and what went wrong. That's what I'm doing currently."

Dame said he is putting together details around installing a baby box and how to accomplish the project.

"As of now, I do have a sponsor for the project, so it's not going to cost any local dollars," he said. "It's mostly getting the boxes checked in regards to the legal requirements, staffing requirements, any changes we need to make to our insurance policy. Just a lot of the busy work that goes with any project."

The baby box is something Dame said he is "personally" committed to.

"We want to provide resources to mothers in need here in McLean County," he said. "If we help just one mother in a dire situation, I think we've accomplished what we set out to do. That is to help those in a very precarious situation."

Dame said he has spoken to local volunteers and individuals that are passionate about the project and are helping him find people for a planning meeting, when that time comes.

"I've been very excited about the amount of support that we've received locally since the initial meeting," he said. "What brought this on was that I had an individual call to say they were interested in supporting the project and asked what we could do to make it happen here."

The project is still in the works, but Dame said it could be finished in the summer.

"I don't want there to be any hesitation whatsoever that we left out any details on the legal and insurance side," he said. "Sometimes the best way to succeed in a project is to spend twice as much time on preparation and planning, like we do for most of the county projects."

Dame said a location for the baby box has not been solidified.

"The KRS statute stipulates that it has to be a certain type of facility — either the dispatch center or at the EMS base or fire department that is staffed 24/7," he said. "Part of the installation of the box includes two alarms and temperature sensors that monitor the box."

Giving the project the amount of time it deserves is worthwhile, Dame said.

"It's another effort we're trying to make to be an accommodating community that has all the resources of our neighboring counties that are larger than us," he said. "It's a passion project for me. I hope, like with EMS and the fire department, that we never truly have to call and use those resources, but that if we do have a need, it will be there and ready."

Dame said there are a number of organizations that would facilitate the next steps after a baby is placed in the box.

"There's some restrictions on how old the baby can be, the law stipulates all these requirements," he said. "Sometimes we've noticed with these boxes, there are resources in a bag or folder that will list options to the parent that maybe don't want to turn over their child, and to tell them there's other counseling and support available to help them before they make this decision."