Imagine being 16 and pregnant and living on the streets wondering how you are going to get through the night let alone care for a baby. So you consider your alternatives; abortion (you are too far along), adoption (leaves a paper trail), or simply leaving the newborn in a trash can for someone else to find. In 1991 people found 65 abandoned infants in public places, 8 were dead; in 1998 there were 105 abandoned infants found and 33 dead. These staggering statistics prompted lawmakers in Texas, 1999, to pass the first Infant Safe Haven Law (aka “Baby Moses Law”). The law protects mothers from being prosecuted and had the right to anonymity if she decides to surrender her newborn to a hospital, welfare office, or EMS provider and the child has to be less than 60 days old. As of 2008 all 50 states have a similar law to protect new mothers and babies. No two states have the same Safe Haven laws. State variations include the age of the child that is left, who can leave a child, and where the child can be left.

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. . .Though there is no exact science about what causes child abuse, there are known causes that increase the risk. The risks for child abuse include, and are not limited to, premature birth, physical disability, below-normal intelligence, difficult temperament, developmental delays, and behavioral problems. Other causes include the failure to establish a close bond between parent and child caused by an unwanted pregnancy, twins or multiple births, foster or adoptive child, mental health problems in a caregiver, and many more. Most of these risk factors cause emotional and financial stress on the family causing the parent or caregiver to lash out on the child. Over 240,000 children are abused or neglected each year in the United States. The question remains: when in the child’s development is it considered child abuse? In 2004 Texas passed a law making it a felony . . .

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Here's just a tiny snapshot of only a few of the issues surrounding birth - hopefully enough for you to look deeper into how a low birth-weight baby born to a teenage mother with no insurance will start its life and how that child may become a youth-in-need of care and in need of a CASA guardian ad litem.

In an average week in Montana:
241 babies are born
25 babies are born to mothers age 15-19
29 babies are born pre-term (prior to the 37th week of pregnancy)
18 babies are born with low birth-rate (less than 5 1/2 pounds)
2 babies die before their first birthday

See map below:
Montana 2003-2006 Birthrate Average 
All statistics courtesy of the March of Dimes

Issues may be compounded by inadequate or no maternal health insurance:

During the holidays acts of love and kindness are publicized and it brings us all a warm fuzzy feeling. Then it's all over and January and dreary days follow quickly.

January dreary? Back up. Already in this new year people are calling, emailing and walking in to see how they can help a child. They want to know how they can become a guardian ad litem. It's like a little light in the darkness of a child's life. A pinpoint of illumination that grows as the child gains trust. It's a brightness in the court room when the guardian ad litem speaks on behalf of a child. 

And so begins the year 2010.

We wish you a very merry, peaceful and loving holiday!