77 Ill. Adm. Code 250.1840
Discharge of Newborn Infants from Hospital
Section 250
Section 250.1840Â Discharge
of Newborn Infants from Hospital
a)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â No hospital, nor anyone connected with any hospital, shall
place a child for adoption or for foster family care unless the hospital is
licensed as a child welfare agency.
b)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A hospital shall discharge a newborn infant only to the
following:
1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The biological parent;
2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â An intended mother, pursuant to the Gestational Surrogacy Act;
3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â An intended father, pursuant to the Gestational Surrogacy Act;
4)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â An adult relative (parent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt) or
friend of the mother or father;
5)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â An officer
of a court of competent jurisdiction or other named person, upon presentation
of an order from a court that the child be discharged to the officer's custody;
or
6)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A representative of an Illinois licensed child welfare agency,
or the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, or the Illinois
Youth Commission, upon presentation of written authorization by the agency to
have the child discharged to the representative's custody; or a representative
of any other social agency who presents written authorization by the Department
of Children and Family Services to have the child discharged to the
representative's custody.
c)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â If the newborn is to be discharged to an adult relative or
friend as provided in subsection (b)(4), the hospital shall obtain the mother's
written consent, naming and identifying the relative or friend.
d)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â When a newborn is discharged to any person other than the
biological mother, which is confirmed via identification bands, the hospital shall
require proof of the person’s identity, per a government-issued photo ID, and
signature of receipt for the newborn. The hospital shall require proof of
identity of the biological mother before discharging the newborn if the newborn
is discharged separately from the biological mother.
e)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Education on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Prior to Discharge
1)
A hospital shall provide, free of charge, information and
instructional materials regarding sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS),
explaining the medical effects upon infants and young children and emphasizing
measures that may reduce the risk.
The materials shall include
information concerning safe sleep environments developed by the American
Academy of Pediatrics or a statewide or nationally recognized SIDS or medical
association.
2)
The information and materials described in subsection
(e)(1)
shall be provided to parents or legal guardians of each newborn, upon discharge
from the hospital. Prior to discharge, a nurse or appropriate staff person
shall review the proffered materials with the infant's parents or legal
guardian and shall discuss best practices to reduce the incidence of SIDS as
recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
3)
Nothing in this
subsection (e)
prohibits a hospital
from obtaining free and suitable information from a public or private agency.
(Section 11.7 of the Act)