Please visit the Arizona Safe Baby Haven Website
This letter was sent to the Baby Safe Haven Organizations...
Thank you to all Baby Safe Haven Organizations,
I thank you for the opportunity to address the intent of the Baby Safe Haven Legislation. I am so grateful that there was an expression and desire to know the intent and to work within the intent instead of make one up as so many seem to be doing within some government bureaucracies. I appreciate the integrity and the altruistic nature and spirit of all who I have met that are involved with this work to educate and implement all that I have worked so hard to bring to pass.
Always remind all you work with to keep their eye on the intent and the only intent. The only purpose and goal are to save girls from making an irreversible error in judgement and make a bad or scary situation worse and to save the lives of babies from a dark, dirty and lonely death by giving these girls a safe option. We must let them know that there are nonjudgmental arms reaching out to them as well as the child they have no ability to reconcile the existence of in their lives at one moment born in fear. Remind everyone that to make a decision in fear or panic will almost always be the wrong one, no matter who you are or your circumstance or background.
The second part of the intent is to give the same level of rights and responsibility to all the Safe Havens or agents (which in passing this law, I referred to as "good Samaritan's) as a church or pastor has in protecting and not revealing the identity of these girls if all the requirements listed are met. To add to this list of requirements is not in keeping with the spirit or intent of the law as it has been written. The Baby Safe Haven is to determine if they can accept the child under the law and if the child qualifies for them to do so. NO OTHER ENTITY WAS LISTED TO MAKE THIS DETERMINATION. The law is to be read from the beginning to the end as it is written. The order of authority and the progression of the disposition of the child is to follow the order in which the law was written and passed.
Let all who are in doubt or have other agendas know this intent is what is to be used to measure all activities, decisions and enforcement in regards to the existence of the Baby Safe Haven law. Any other behavior is to be regarded as an attempt to circumvent the intent or as a power grab or other unacceptable purpose.
I am so very grateful for the Baby Safe Haven groups and the work you are doing to honor the law and lives of these babies and hopefully we will even be able to touch the lives of the girls that are scared and lost in confusion.
CPS has no authority to go after Preachers for information for any kind of enforcement on any issue, nor do they in regards to a Baby Safe Haven, nor do they have any jurisdiction, stated or implied, within the Baby Safe Haven law, nor rule making authority for creating or making up any kind of jurisdiction outside of what is already their responsibility in placing the child in a foster home AFTER the Baby Safe Haven has made the determination that the baby qualifies and is then a part of the Baby Safe Haven program and THEN contacts CPS. Then and only then does CPS have any jurisdiction for that child and the child's welfare from THAT MOMENT FORWARD. CPS was not left out of the Baby Safe Haven law. It was the intent that their jurisdiction and time of contact and responsibility be very clear and is as it is written ONLY.
As the author and the Legislator and the promoter of this law Nationwide and a Speaker on this issue to groups all around the world, including Israel, Korea and this summer, China, I feel very confident that I, better than anyone, know the intent of the Baby Safe Haven Law. If there are any questions, please contact me.
Those who always feel that a stick will correct , miss so much of the power of love and can be a bigger part of the problem rather than an inspiration to a solution. Thank you for sharing your hearts and love!
Always,
Debra Brimhall Pearson
Former State Representative
Government Operations Chair
for the AZ House of Representatives
480-464-9969