Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Alaska: Why Adoption Is the Better Choice

Placing Your Baby for Adoption in Alaska

If you're in Alaska and thinking about using a Safe Haven baby box, this guide covers what you need to know.

Helpful Information

How to Give a Baby Up for Adoption in Alaska

Do Birth Mothers Get Paid For Adoption in Alaska?

You might feel like you have no good options right now.

Maybe you just had a baby, or you’re close to delivering, and you’re unsure what to do next. You may have seen the term Safe Haven baby box online and thought that’s your only way forward. But you have options.

If parenting isn’t the right choice for you, there are still safe, compassionate ways to create a better future for your child. In this guide, we’ll go over how Safe Haven baby boxes work, whether there are any in Alaska and what other choices you have if you’re in a crisis.

Ready to talk to someone right now? You can call 1-800-236-7846 or you can fill out our online form.

How Do Safe Haven Baby Boxes Work in Alaska?

A Safe Haven baby box is designed to allow a parent to legally and anonymously surrender a newborn with no questions asked. These boxes are typically installed at fire stations or hospitals.

Here’s how they work:

At a designated safe haven baby box location, the birth mother can open the exterior access door, place her newborn inside the bassinet, close the door and walk away. The door automatically locks to keep the child safe.

As soon as the door is shut, an alarm is activated that notifies on-site emergency personnel that a baby has been placed inside and a second internal alarm is triggered as a backup to ensure no delay in response.

Trained staff responds immediately, retrieve the baby from the box, and provide medical attention. From there, custody is transferred to the state.

It’s important to note that there are no Safe Haven baby boxes in Alaska. If you want to surrender a newborn, the only legal way to do so is by handing the baby directly to a designated Safe Haven provider. This is allowed 24/7, and they will not ask for your name. However, you won’t have any involvement in the placement process.

Want to choose who raises your baby? You can with adoption in Alaska.

What Adoption Agencies Can Offer That Safe Haven Law Can’t

If you’re wondering how to legally give up a baby anonymously, both Safe Haven and private adoption allow for legal relinquishment — but only one gives you real control and support.

With adoption, you get:

Financial support for housing, groceries, medical care and more.
Adoption planning that puts you in control of the process.
The power to choose your baby’s adoptive family.
Free, 24/7 counseling and guidance from licensed professionals.
Open or semi-open adoption options to stay connected.

With Safe Haven:

Your baby is placed into foster care.
You don’t get to know where your baby goes or who raises them.
You give up all rights without a chance to share your wishes or your story.

If you want to feel confident about the choice you made, adoption is the safer, more empowering path.

Emergency Adoption Options: How Agencies Can Help Right Now

Even if you’ve already given birth or you’re due soon, it’s not too late. Agencies can help you make an adoption plan quickly.

You can:

Choose the adoptive family.
Get last-minute financial assistance.
Work with someone who understands what you’re going through.

Here are licensed private adoption agencies in Alaska that can help:

American Adoptions: This national agency offers 24/7 support. Their hotline instantly connects you with a trained adoption specialist who will walk you through your options.
Alaska Adoption Services (Anchorage): This agency offers local support and resources for women considering adoption.

For immediate assistance, call 1-800-236-7846 or fill out our online form.

Understanding Safe Haven Laws in Alaska: What You Should Know

The Safe Haven law in Alaska provides legal protection for parents who surrender a baby under certain conditions.

You can surrender a baby who is 21 days old or younger.
You must leave the baby with someone you believe will keep them safe, hospital staff, a firefighter, a police officer or a healthcare worker.
You won’t be prosecuted if the baby is safely surrendered.

Once you surrender your baby, your parental rights and responsibilities are legally ended.

Where Is the Closest Safe Haven Baby Box in Alaska?

Wondering where Safe Haven baby boxes are located? Currently, there are no Safe Haven baby boxes in Alaska. If you want to utilize this option, you will need to take a flight or drive down to the Lower 48.

The closest baby boxes are:

Grove Creek Medical Center (Blackfoot, ID)
Lockwood Fire Department (Lockwood, MT)

Understanding the Consequences of Using a Safe Haven Location in Alaska

It’s legal and safe to surrender your baby under the Safe Haven law, but here’s what you need to know about what happens after:

You forfeit all decision making.
The state makes all future decisions about the child’s care, including who will adopt them.
The child enters the state foster care system.
The child may spend weeks, months or even years in foster care before being placed with a permanent family.
Your child’s file is sealed.
This means you will have no way of knowing who adopted your child, you won’t receive updates on your child and they may never know the story behind why they were placed.

While Safe Haven laws can be an option during a crisis, they focus only on immediate physical safety. Adoption through an agency, on the other hand, considers your emotional well-being and your child’s long-term future.

You Can Provide a Brighter Future for Your Baby — With the Right Agency

Is adoption better than Safe Haven? In many ways, yes.

With adoption, you give your baby:

Your child can grow up in a secure, structured home environment filled with consistency, routine and care.

Adoptive parents go through a rigorous process to be approved to adopt. They’ve waited for the opportunity to love and raise a child, and your baby becomes the center of their world.

Your choice can open doors for your child that might otherwise have been closed. They may one day attend college, travel, receive quality medical care and engage in extracurriculars like music, sports and art.

Adoption puts the power in your hands. You can even explore open adoption — where you stay involved in your baby’s life through updates, photos and even visits. You don’t have to say goodbye.

Want to learn more?

What is Open Adoption?

How Private Adoption Agencies Keep Your Information Confidential

Private adoption agencies know how important your privacy is. If you’re scared, you can still make a plan that keeps your identifying information confidential but gives your child the future you want for them.

You stay in control of the process. And unlike Safe Haven, you don’t disappear from your baby’s life. You can stay in touch even after placement. Your child will grow up knowing who you are and where they came from.

FAQ About Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Alaska

What Makes Safe Haven Boxes Safe for Babies?

They are temperature-controlled, ventilated and lock once the baby is inside. A silent alarm notifies nearby staff and emergency services.

Can You Get Your Baby Back After Safe Haven in Alaska?

No. Once you surrender your baby, your parental rights end.

Can Safe Haven Babies Be Adopted?

Possibly. Most are placed into the foster system. You won’t get to choose who adopts them.

Is There a Safe Haven Law Age Limit in Alaska?

Yes. The baby must be 21 days old or younger.

What Does a Safe Haven Box Look Like?

It’s a drop-off box labeled “Safe Haven Baby Box.” It has a door that opens from the outside and a bassinet-style bed inside.

What You Do Next Matters — An Agency Can Help

You have options, and you have support.

Choosing adoption means choosing a brighter future for yourself and your baby

Reach out today for more information.