Although Kalispell City Council left funding for a Safe Haven Baby Box out of this fiscal year’s budget, several councilors remain committed to bringing the boxes to the community.  

Residents and anti-abortion advocates in the spring urged Council to install the secure, climate-controlled bassinets, which allow mothers to safely surrender their newborns anonymously.  

Their comments sparked discussion among councilors about whether to install a Safe Haven Baby Box and, if so, where it should be located.  The issue was discussed extensively, but has faded since Council approved the budget last month.  

Some councilors view the boxes as a vital option for mothers in crisis and a way to protect newborn lives. Others question whether infant abandonment is prevalent enough locally to justify the cost — the box by itself typically comes with a $25,000 price tag — and whether the boxes could create unintended consequences for the mother.  

Coucilor Sid Daoud said the device would act as a preventative measure. How often it is used is not a priority for him, he said.  

"If it helps one baby in 10 years, it's worth the money to me," Daoud said.  

But trying to fit the box into the fiscal year 2027 budget would have been too rushed, he said. Daoud intends to request a work session to discuss locations and funding for a potential box. 

There is an opportunity to incorporate a Safe Haven Box into the design of the city's forthcoming third fire station, an option some councilors lauded as a less expensive alternative to retrofitting an existing facility.   

Fire Station 63 is slated to go up on city-owned land at 490 Mountain Vista Way, just east of Farm to Market Road. Architectural firm LSW Architects was contracted to lead the design of the new station.   

Councilor Kyle Waterman said he recognizes the need for the boxes but wants more information on the best location for one and a clear protocol for responding if a baby is surrendered.  

"We live in Northwest Montana, and just to assume that child services is available and going to pick up, I'm not comfortable with making that assumption. I want to know that there is a funded, coordinated system," Waterman said. 

Even those that support the devices said they still need more information about their long-term costs. A Safe Haven Box goes for roughly $25,000, though installation, monitoring and ongoing maintenance adds significantly to the overall price tag.  

"We're going to figure out what the ongoing cost of maintenance and monitoring is going to be, and then we'll be able to make a more informed decision about budgetary items," Daoud said. 

The Montana Legislature in 2025 passed House Bill 476, creating a $160,000 grant program to help fund the installation and maintenance of newborn safety devices.  

Under the program, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services may award grants of up to $20,000 to eligible fire departments, hospitals and law enforcement agencies that apply.  

Nonprofit Montanans for Life founder Robin Sertell helped push the bill forward. She told the Inter Lake in an email that she is encouraged that plans are underway to install baby boxes in Kalispell.  

Daoud, Waterman and Councilor Sam Nunnally invited private entities, particularly nonprofits, to partner with the city in coordinating and helping fund its installation.  

"I really like putting these decisions in the realm of the public, so I would rather that it was at least partially, if not fully, privately funded," Daoud said.  

IT IS unclear what direction Council might take if a funding decision ever came down to a vote. Some Councilors remain skeptical that the boxes are worth the cost and that they effectively address the needs of mothers in a crisis.  

Mayor Ryan Hunter said that he is not convinced a Safe Haven Baby Box is needed in Kalispell because he has seen no evidence that babies have been abandoned locally in the last couple decades.  

He said he was concerned not only about the high cost of the device, but also the staff time required to maintain it, especially if it sits empty.  

Councilor Wes Walker echoed Hunter's concerns, saying that he needed more evidence that the boxes effectively saved lives.  

"I just feel like for the amount of money we're talking about, we could do a lot more good by providing things like diapers and formula for new mothers as opposed to this anonymous box," Walker said.  

Because mothers can surrender their children anonymously through the box, they miss the opportunity to interact with medical staff who could provide support, connect them with resources and gather important health information about the baby, Hunter said.  

"If you have the system in place, you remove that option of having a connection with the mother," Hunter said.  

Even without a Safe Haven Baby Box, parents in crisis can legally and anonymously surrender a baby under Montana's Safe Haven Newborn Protection Act.  

The law allows parents to surrender their baby under the age of 30 days to any hospital, fire department, police department or sheriff's office without being charged with a crime involving the abandonment as long as the baby does not show signs of abuse or neglect, according to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services. 

Councilors Dustin Leftridge, Jed Fisher and Lisa Blank did not respond to requests for comment before press time. Councilor Kari Gabriel said she wasn't available to comment before press time.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.