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

Placing Your Baby for Adoption in Oregon

If you're thinking about using a Safe Haven baby box in Oregon, you deserve to know all your options.

Helpful Information

How to Give a Baby Up for Adoption in Oregon: What You Need to Know

Do Birth Mothers Get Paid for Adoption in Oregon?

Looking for Parents to Adopt My Baby in Oregon

You might be here because you’re facing a hard decision — one you never thought you’d have to make.

Maybe you’ve just given birth. Maybe your due date is approaching fast. You know you can’t parent, and you’re wondering if Safe Haven surrender is your only choice.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. And you still have options. You can give your child the kind of life you want for them.

In this guide, you’ll learn how Safe Haven law works in Oregon and how private adoption gives you more control and support. For more information, call 1-800-236-7846 or fill out our online form.

How Do Safe Haven Baby Boxes Work in Oregon?

Safe Haven baby boxes are designed for anonymous, safe surrender. They’re typically located at fire stations or hospitals and allow you to leave your baby without speaking to anyone.

Here’s how to use one:

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.

You won’t get in trouble for using a baby box. However, there are no Safe Haven boxes in Oregon. If you want to surrender your baby, you will need to hand them to a staff member at a hospital, fire station, birthing center or police station.

What happens after you surrender your baby? In Oregon, your baby is taken into state custody and placed in foster care. You won’t have a say in who adopts them, and you won’t receive updates on their well-being.

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

You can legally give up a baby anonymously through a Safe Haven surrender or private adoption. But only one gives you the chance to choose what happens next.

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.

But with Safe Haven law, your baby is placed in foster care. You don’t get to choose who raises them, and you don’t receive emotional or practical support.

Adoption puts the future in your hands. Learn more about how to place your baby for adoption in Oregon.

Emergency Adoption Options: How Agencies Can Help Right Now

Even if you’ve already given birth or are hours from delivery, adoption is still an option.

Here are a few adoption agencies that can help today:

American Adoptions: You can call their free 24/7 hotline to speak with a licensed adoption professional right away. They’ll walk you through your options with care, not judgment.
Choice Adoptions (Clackamas): Choice Adoptions offers in-person support, counseling and full-service adoption planning.
Open Adoption and Family Services (Eugene, Portland): This agency provides a wide range of adoption services and supports open adoption.

Understanding Safe Haven Laws in Oregon: What You Should Know

The Safe Haven law in Oregon allows you to legally surrender your baby.

Your baby must be 60 days old or younger.
You must hand them to someone working at an authorized facility (hospital, doctor’s office, birthing center, fire station or police station).
You are not required to share any identifying information.
The facility must notify the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) within 24 hours. From that moment, ODHS has protective custody of your baby and will follow Oregon’s child welfare laws.

Where Is the Closest Safe Haven Baby Box in Oregon?

If you’re searching for a Safe Haven baby box near you, the closest one is across state lines in Idaho:

Grove Creek Medical Center (Blackfoot, ID)

Depending on your circumstances, you may need to surrender your baby in person at a location in Oregon or consider adoption.

Understanding the Consequences of Using a Safe Haven Location in Oregon

Here’s what happens when you use a Safe Haven location:

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 surrender may provide safety, it also means giving up all control. You won’t know who adopts your baby, how they’re raised or if they’re safe and loved.

But with adoption, your baby goes directly to a carefully chosen, prepared family.

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

Is adoption better than Safe Haven? For many expectant parents, the answer is yes. Adoption gives you the power to create the life you want for your baby.

Through 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.

And with a semi-open or open adoption, you can still be part of your baby’s life. You can watch them grow, receive updates and even maintain ongoing contact with their adoptive family. Years from now, you’ll be able to explain to your child why you made the decision you did.

What is Open Adoption?

How Private Adoption Agencies Keep Your Information Confidential

Adoption agencies understand the importance of confidentiality

Through private adoption, your identifying information is protected and shared only with people you choose to share it with. You control how much contact you want with the adoptive family, both before and after placement. Whether you choose an open, semi-open or closed adoption, your privacy preferences are respected throughout the process.

This confidential approach means you can create a meaningful plan for your baby’s future without compromising your privacy or safety.

FAQ About Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Oregon

What Makes Safe Haven Boxes Safe for Babies?

They have temperature controls, ventilation, auto-locking doors and silent alarms that alert nearby staff and emergency services.

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

No. When you surrender your baby, they are deemed legally abandoned. The Department of Human Services immediately takes protective custody.

Can Safe Haven Babies Be Adopted?

Possibly. Babies are typically placed in foster care and may be adopted through the state. You won’t get to choose the adoptive family.

Is There a Safe Haven Law Age Limit in Oregon?

Yes. The baby must be 60 days old or younger.

What Does a Safe Haven Box Look Like?

They usually have a label that says “Safe Haven Baby Box Drop Off.” The outside door opens to reveal a bassinet-style bed inside.

What You Do Next Matters — An Agency Can Help

You still have time. You can still make a plan. And you can still give your baby a beautiful, safe and loving future.

We’re here to help you understand your options and walk with you.