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Safe-haven law is changed, but problems persist

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By JoANNE YOUNG / Lincoln Journal Star

Saturday, Nov 22, 2008 - 12:42:52 am CST

Changing the safe haven law to eliminate older children will not alleviate the problems faced by Nebraska families, according to parents, advocates and providers.

An amended safe haven law, which took effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, limits safe haven dropoffs to babies up to 30 days old.

Families likely will continue to bring children in crisis into hospitals such as Alegent/Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha, said nurse manager Linda Jensen.

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“Our job will remain consistent,” Jensen said. “Each person who comes to us will be greeted and welcomed to the emergency department. ... We will continue to screen for behavioral health problems, to find out why the family is in crisis and how to get resources.”

The hospital has a team that works on such cases, including a social worker, she said.

“We help them sort through what is the problem and how we can offer services,” she said.

Jensen said Alegent is happy to have been offered a chance to work with the senators task force in the next month in finding solution to the problems.

Although Voices for Children in Nebraska was disappointed that more could not have been done during the special session, said executive director Kathy Bigsby Moore,  she will remain committed to helping create “a true behavioral health system in Nebraska.”

Angie, a Lincoln mother who has struggled over the years to get the proper treatment for her 12-year-old son with mental illness, said state officials must not forget why the law was used the way it was by Nebraska families and those from out of state.

“It's time to take to heart the words that our legislators said publicly, to make changes, their statements of Nebraska's  obligation to work on mental health awareness and medical needs,” Angie said.

A Lincoln grandmother who used the law for her grandson said families are just trying to get the proper help for their kids.

Getting her grandson treatment has helped him and helped her to understand better what is going on with him.

“I’m learning more about what his problems are,” she said.

Avery Quakenbush, a Lincoln stepfather who with his wife used the safe haven law for their 17-year-old son, said it’s become apparent the safe haven issue is not about infants, but about youths.

“There’s a lot of families out there like ours. I’m glad they’ve formed a task force that hopefully can figure something out.”

Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com. 


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What An Agency wrote on November 22, 2008 2:32 am:
" You're doing a heckuva job, Nebraska HHS! "

 rob g wrote on November 22, 2008 7:07 am:
" Can we now say that someone who puts a child in a dumpster deserves proper punishment, just as any murderer deserves! I will not hold my breath on that one because I know they will still continue to get the same slap on the rist. All of you liberals will make excuses and say "it was not her fault", "that she was in a desperate situation", "and her boyfrind might beat her up"! Sound familiar! The hard fact remains that the only reason this law is even considered is because our society does not consider a 5 day old life as being nearly as important as a 5 year old life. Babies are far to often looked on as only fetuses by society, and by our court system, and now our law makers! "

 HPG wrote on November 22, 2008 7:21 am:
" What a horrible state of affairs we are in when "parents" are so ill equipped to handle their own children that they feel the only answer is to give them up. We have become a very greedy society. We place more inmportance on things than on our children. Parents, if you truly want to be parents, make the sacrifice and stay home and raise your children. Don't tell me it can't be done. My wife and I do it and I am a state employee. Rearrange your priorities. "

 ABC wrote on November 22, 2008 10:15 am:
" is where I saw the show on nebraskas messed up law. I can relate to the people interviewed. Years ago we adopted a child who turned out to have bi-polar. From the day the child was picked up until it was 16 every day was a living hell. The state failed to help with the problems until at the age of 16 the child was made ward of the state. From newborn to kindgarten it cried. from kindgarten to 10th grade it was a continual fight. Kicked out of school for fighting then fighting with the parents was eventually the last straw. We had no one to turn to as the state did counciling and at last said take the child home as they couldn't do anything for them. The kid was a threat to themselves and others , but, the state continued to say hey you adopted the child live with it. After the state took custody and put the child in a institution, they provided enough drugs to knock down an elephant to keep the child controlled. Good way state of nebraska. To this day I remember seeing a zombie walking around with all the drugs in their system. I guess the states answer is: dope them up until they don't know who they are and they are easier to control. Good going HHC and state of nebraska, I was glad to see abc air this show to let the nation know just what kind of people are working in the mental health organizations in nebraska. Should have sued you a long time ago. "

 Dee wrote on November 22, 2008 10:39 am:
" Lets hope Nebraska doesn't use the new safe haven law as a rug to sweep the true problem under. The fact of the matter is that people could always take their kids to the hospital or the therapist and were only held back by the billing department. These professionals need to be paid, but in a state that works so hard to attract business and then allows it to not provide reasonable health care for the workers or families. For the state that has allowed the insurance companies to dictate what they will and wont provide in the way of over charging. The problem is more then troubled youth, they are just a symptom of a much larger health and mental health crisis. Where is the Mental health parity that was signed into law with the bank bail out? I notice the banks are getting their bail out....where is the peoples? "

 acminnesota wrote on November 22, 2008 12:30 pm:
" Some of you don't understand the situation. This is not a matter of the parents staying home to care for their children. These are teens that are out of control, be it mental problems, drugs, or just plain defiance. In some cases, especially single moms, the child may be violent, and full grown and strong. The single parents are frightened and fear that the child will do harm to them or siblings. Of course, then the state can jail the juvenile! "

 to acminnesota wrote on November 22, 2008 2:27 pm:
" the last sentence was wrong. You can't get a kid locked up for making verbal threats in nebraska. Tried it. The answer is they can't do anything until a threat turns into action. The rules and laws are so vague that the authoritys are afraid to do anything. For HPG. I guess you have perfect kids. I know lots of folks who thought we were crazy but they had kids who were not mentally problemed and were always behaved. I say to HPG if you haven't had it happen to you, you are lucky. Maybe you should try working with troubled youth before you shoot off your mouth. signed ABC "

 WHAT wrote on November 22, 2008 2:53 pm:
" I think that if we are going to rely on the government to take care of OUR kids if they are/become a problem, then maybe it should be up to the government to determine who is fit to have a child. It all comes down to making responsible decisions. Responsibility, strange concept! "

 JB wrote on November 22, 2008 5:12 pm:
" The special session was for setting an "age limit". Everything else must wait for the regular session. Still a lot of people must think their kids would be better off in Nebraska then their home state. "

 Responsiblity wrote on November 22, 2008 6:12 pm:
" Being responsible for our kids is a strange concept. The government needs to but out when it comes to punishment, work, and the consequences we impose on our children for their behavior. As it is parenting is like Houdini trying to pull off one of his great escapes complete with straight jacket, cuffs and chains. If we want people to be responsible for their behavior as parents then back off and let them parent. "

 this has nothing to do with parenting wrote on November 23, 2008 7:21 am:
" I cannot believe how mean spirited so many of you pro-life Nebraskans are. How do you 'discipline' your way out of a child who has bipolar? Or a child who is a sociopath? Manic Depressive, Anxious, Schizophrenic??? Once you parents with perfect children have that solution, I"m all ears. "

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