2019 District of Columbia Code
Title 4 - Public Care Systems.
Chapter 14A - Newborn Safe Haven.
§ 4–1451.01. Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, the term:

(1) “Authorized Receiving Facility” means a hospital, or other place authorized by the Mayor, by rule, to accept a newborn for surrender pursuant to this chapter.

(2) “CFSA” means the Child and Family Services Agency.

(3) “Newborn” means an infant whose parent refuses or is unable to assume the responsibility for the infant’s care, control, and subsistence and who is surrendered by that parent and who a licensed physician or other person authorized to accept the surrender reasonably believes is 14 days old or less.

(4) “Surrender” means to bring a newborn to an Authorized Receiving Facility during its hours of operation and to leave the newborn with personnel of the Authorized Receiving Facility.

(May 27, 2010, D.C. Law 18-158, § 101, 57 DCR 3000.)

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 2 of Newborn Safe Haven Emergency Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-49, April 27, 2009, 56 DCR 3581).

For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 101 of Newborn Safe Haven Emergency Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-321, March 1, 2010, 57 DCR 1842).

Sections 2 of D.C. Law 18-29 added a section to read as follows:

“Sec. 2. Definitions.

“For the purposes of this act, the term:

“(1) ‘Authorized Receiving Facility’ means a hospital, or other place authorized by the Mayor, by rule, to accept a newborn for surrender pursuant to this act.

“(2) ‘CFSA’ means the Child and Family Services Agency.

“(3) ‘Newborn’ means an infant that a licensed physician or other person authorized to accept the surrender reasonably believes is 7 days old or less.

“(4) ‘Surrender’ means to bring a newborn to an Authorized Receiving Facility during its hours of operation, and to leave the newborn with personnel of the Authorized Receiving Facility.”

Section 10(b) of D.C. Law 18-29 provided that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.