Safe Haven advocacy group takes a look at New Mexico’s education efforts

Mike Morrisey with Baby Safe Haven New England Marketing mentioned the bottom line is to know who these legal guidelines will impression – individuals between the ages of 13 to 34 – then use their friends to show them how these legal guidelines work.

On Monday, the Hobbs Interim Police Chief mentioned they’re working to teach people about New Mexico’s protected haven legal guidelines.

“We do plan on in the future putting more information out about that program, Sen. Gallegos is in the back of the room and he is an advocate for the program,” mentioned HPD Interim Police Chief August Fons.

New Mexico’s legislature handed the Safe Haven for Infants Law again in 2013. After a child was present in a dumpster final Friday, Morrisey says it’s apparent this legislation has not been marketed to who it’s meant to guard.

“If you look at what the chief did yesterday that is the lowest possible number version you can get of promoting to young people, they won’t listen to him at all,” mentioned Morrisey. 

Massachusetts handed their Safe Haven Law in 2004 – and rapidly put up neon indicators labeling protected havens. Plus. the state additionally turned to the radio.

“The first thing that came out was the safe baby rap PSA,” mentioned Morrisey. ‘If you’ve got a child and do not know what to do, child protected haven may also help you select.”

Within a few years, everybody in Massachusetts knew what a child protected haven was.

“You only get this type of awareness if you saturate the youth media with information and just basic information. You put it in a way that is non-threatening and non-authoritarian – that’s the worst thing you can do is come on like an authority figure.”

Not solely did it develop into a popular culture reference, however it additionally was efficient.

“Prior to 2004, we had an average of 3.2 newborn abandonment every year going back twenty years, since our laws passed we have gone through 7 years with only one abandonment that’s a 95% drop in those types of tragedies.”

Massachusetts nonetheless has the bottom price of child abandonment within the nation, and Morrisey says he provides all of the credit score to the younger individuals selling the legislation for his or her state.