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

Your Guide to Adoption Agencies in Indiana

Thinking about using a Safe Haven baby box? Learn how choosing adoption can give your baby a brighter future.

Helpful Information

Your Guide to Adoption Agencies in Evansville

Your Guide to Adoption Agencies in Fort Wayne

Your Guide to Adoption Agencies in Hammond

If you’re thinking about using a Safe Haven baby box, you might feel like you’ve run out of options.

Maybe you’re not ready to be a parent, but you still want what’s best for your baby. You deserve to know that you can choose a path that gives your baby a great life.

In this guide, we’ll explain how Safe Haven baby boxes work in Indiana and how private adoption compares. If you’re ready to talk to someone now, you can call 1-800-236-7846 or fill out our online form.

How Do Safe Haven Baby Boxes Work in Indiana?

You won’t get in trouble for using a baby box in Indiana. These boxes are part of the Safe Haven law and are designed for complete anonymity.

Here’s how the boxes 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.

Once you place a baby in the box, they’re taken into state custody and placed into foster care. You don’t get to choose the family, and you won’t know what happens next.

What Adoption Agencies Can Offer That Safe Haven Baby Boxes Can’t

It is possible to legally give up a baby anonymously through both Safe Haven and adoption. But the experiences are very different.

Unlike a Safe Haven box, adoption through a licensed agency gives you choices and support. 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 a Safe Haven baby box, those choices are taken away. Your baby is placed into foster care, and you won’t know who raises them or what kind of life they’ll have.

If you want to make sure your baby grows up in a home that reflects your hopes and values, adoption gives you that power. Here’s how to move forward with adoption in Indiana.

Emergency Adoption Options: How Agencies Can Help Right Now

It’s never too late to choose adoption. Even if you’re in the hospital or already gave birth, you can still make an adoption plan.

You don’t have to make a rushed decision. But if you’re in crisis, these adoption agencies can help right now:

American Adoptions of Indiana (Indianapolis and Brownsburg): American Adoptions offers 24/7 help through their free hotline. You can speak with a licensed adoption professional right away.
Adoptions of Indiana (Carmel): This agency offers a range of adoption services and is committed to ethical practices.
Adoption Support Center (Carmel): Adoption Support Center is known for its emphasis on emotional care.
Bethany Christian Services (Indianapolis): This agency offers faith-based adoption services and pregnancy support.
KidsFirst Adoption Services (Indianapolis): KidsFirst Adoption Services offers confidential support and a network of pre-screened families.

Understanding Safe Haven Laws in Indiana: What You Should Know

Indiana’s Safe Haven law allows parents to safely surrender their baby within 30 days of birth.

You may:

Leave your baby with emergency medical staff
Place your baby in a newborn safety device (Safe Haven box)
Call 911 and wait for EMS to arrive

You don’t have to share your name. Once surrendered, the Department of Child Services takes custody of the child.

The law protects you from prosecution as long as the baby is unharmed and under 30 days old.

Where Is the Closest Safe Haven Baby Box in Indiana?

Wondering where Safe Haven baby boxes are located? Here are a few:

Beech Grove EMS Ambulance Station (Beech Grove)
Lutheran Downtown Hospital (Fort Wayne)
Evansville Fire Station 3 (Evansville)
South Bend Fire Station 11 (South Bend)
Carmel Fire Department Station 45 (Carmel)

If you’re looking for a Safe Haven baby box near you, one of these locations may be close. However, you may want to consider all your options before making a final decision.

Understanding the Consequences of Using a Baby Box or Safe Haven Location in Indiana

Once you surrender your baby at a Safe Haven location, here’s what happens:

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.

With adoption, your baby still goes to a safe, loving home but you have a voice in the process.

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

There are various reasons why you might decide adoption is better than Safe Haven surrender. When you choose adoption, you can 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.

You can also choose to stay in contact after placement through open or semi-open adoption. Your baby can grow up knowing why you made this loving choice.

What is Open Adoption?

How Private Adoption Agencies Keep Your Information Confidential

Your information can stay private in an adoption. Through a licensed agency, you can remain anonymous and still shape your child’s future.

You’ll be in control. And you’ll never have to go through this alone.

FAQ About Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Indiana

What Makes Safe Haven Boxes Safe for Babies?

They have temperature control, ventilation and safety locks. When a baby is placed inside, a silent alarm notifies staff in the building and 911 responders.

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

No. Once your baby is surrendered under Safe Haven law, your parental rights are terminated.

Can Safe Haven Babies Be Adopted?

Possibly. Most are placed in foster care first. You will not get to choose the adoptive family.

Is There a Safe Haven Baby Box Age Limit in Indiana?

Yes. The baby must be 30 days old or younger.

What Does a Safe Haven Box Look Like?

It’s usually labeled clearly. The door opens from the outside and has a bassinet-style bed inside for safe placement.

What You Do Next Matters — An Agency Can Help

Your child deserves the best future. And you deserve support, kindness and control in this moment.

We’re here to help you create a plan that feels right.