WHEREAS, the safety and well-being of every Virginian, particularly our youngest citizens, are of utmost importance, and every effort should be made to provide support, resources, and guidance to families in crisis contemplating the abandonment of a newborn; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Safe Haven Laws allow a parent to safely relinquish their unharmed infant who is thirty days old or younger to a staff member at a designated Safe Haven location as a measure of last resort; and

WHEREAS, designated Safe Haven locations are hospitals that provide 24-hour emergency services, an attended Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agency that employs emergency medical personnel, such as some fire stations or rescue squads, or alternatively, a newborn safety device may be utilized if located at and operated by such hospital or emergency medical services agency; and

WHEREAS, relinquished infants are in the custody of the state and then immediately placed in a responsible and nurturing home; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Safe Haven Laws provide a safe alternative to abandonment for parents who feel they cannot parent a newborn; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia hopes, as awareness of these laws increases, it will stop the illegal abandonment of newborns - a practice that has led to healthy infants being found harmed, deceased, or in unsafe locations; and

WHEREAS, every human baby, by virtue of their existence, possesses an inherent dignity and worth that must be respected by all individuals, institutions, and societies; and, this dignity shall not be diminished or disregarded under any circumstances; and

WHEREAS, pregnancy resource centers across the Commonwealth offer life-affirming services, resources, and support to parents, helping to improve outcomes for both parents and babies while potentially preventing infant abandonment; and

WHEREAS, continued education and awareness of the support services available to families, along with Virginia’s Safe Haven Laws, is necessary to fulfill the goals of protecting all newborn infants and providing parents with a responsible and safe way to relinquish an infant, only after all available assistance has been fully explored and utilized;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize April 2025, as SAFE HAVEN AWARENESS MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all of our citizens.