Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 319 - Department of Children and Families
Section 17a-58. - Physical custody of infant upon voluntary surrender by parent or agent. Mother's surrender of custody of infant in hospital. Medical history. Identification bracelet.

(a) An employee designated pursuant to section 17a-57 shall take physical custody of any infant thirty days or younger if the parent or lawful agent of the parent voluntarily surrenders physical custody of the infant to such designated employee unless the parent or agent clearly expresses an intent to return for the infant.

(b) If the mother of an infant wishes to voluntarily surrender physical custody of the infant while the mother is in the hospital to give birth to the infant, the mother shall provide notice that she wishes to surrender physical custody of the infant to any health care provider who is licensed by the Department of Public Health and who provides health care services on behalf of the hospital. Upon receipt of such notice, such health care provider shall notify the designated employee pursuant to section 17a-57, who shall immediately take physical custody of the infant. No hospital employee or health care provider shall disclose the name of the mother to the Department of Children and Families or any person or organization without the mother's permission.
(c) The designated employee may request the parent or agent to provide (1) the name of the parent or agent, (2) information on the medical history of the infant and parents, and (3) the infant's name and date of birth if the infant's birth has been registered in the state vital records system prior to the surrender of the infant. Notwithstanding such a request from the designated employee, the parent or agent is not required to provide such name or information. The designated employee may provide the parent or agent with a numbered identification bracelet to link the parent or agent to the infant. The bracelet shall be used for identification only and shall not be construed to authorize the person who possesses the bracelet to take custody of the infant on demand. The designated employee shall provide the parent or agent with a pamphlet describing the process established under sections 17a-57 to 17a-60, inclusive, and sections 17a-61, 53-21 and 53-23.
(P.A. 00-207, S. 2; P.A. 10-161, S. 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1, S. 64; P.A. 15-242, S. 46; P.A. 18-67, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 10-161 added new Subsec. (b) re procedure for mother in hospital to surrender an infant, redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and amended same by adding provision allowing designated employee to request infant's name and date of birth and specifying that, notwithstanding the request, parent or agent is not required to provide information, effective July 1, 2010; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1 amended Subsec. (b) to require health care provider, rather than hospital employee, to notify designated employee upon receipt of notice, prohibit health care provider from disclosing contents of written notice, and make a technical change, effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 15-242 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “17a-57 to 17a-61, inclusive,” with “17a-57 to 17a-60, inclusive, and sections 17a-61”, effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 18-67 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting provisions re mother in hospital to provide written notice of voluntary surrender of infant, effective July 1, 2018.

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