I was reading an article on Yahoo about the fact that Nebraska is hurrying to change it’s safe haven law. They’re changing it to apply to newborns only. You can read the article here. First off, the Safe Haven law NEEDS to apply to ALL age children in ALL states. Being unable to care for your kids doesn’t happen only when they’re newborns. It can happen at any age, and there should be a way to protect parents. The last line really pissed me off. It was some official saying that parents don’t know what assistance is available to them.

WRONG. They know. They just don’t qualify. You see, all of those programs have such strict guidelines, most people do not qualify for assistance. Those income requirements do not take into account the bills you have to pay each month. I know. I applied for an EBT card a few months ago because I can’t afford groceries. I eat because my best friend’s mom won’t let me starve. I was denied because my income is too high. It didn’t matter that I was being wage garnished 1/4 of every paycheck for a debt that I’d been under the impression had already been paid off (never trust a creditor to tell you the truth – this one sure as hell didn’t). It didn’t matter that I had to pay for rent and other bills. All that mattered was that I was bringing home $1000 per month. It didn’t matter that I don’t have cable or internet. It didn’t matter that I have just my cell phone, no land line at all. None of that mattered at all. They told me to cut back on things I didn’t need (funny, I wasn’t buying anything, I was just paying my bills with my checks) and use that money for groceries.

So you tell me how it is that parents don’t know what is available to them. They know, and they know they don’t qualify because they’ve already tried.

Also – ALL states need to remember – Safe Haven laws are to be ANONYMOUS. It should NOT be spread out over the news that kids were left under the law even if they are teenagers. As stated before, parents can become unable to care for their children when those kids are any age – not just newborns.

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