BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Officials at Baby Safe Haven New England say they are scrambling after they recently found out that a phone number they have been publicizing for people to get in touch with them is no longer valid.
Co-Founder Michael Morrissey said the hotline has been in place for 17 years without any interruption until recently -- and the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) did not provide any notice of the change.
"A couple of days ago we found out that the number stopped ringing about a month ago where the hotline is answered which is down in New York," Morrissey said.
He said the organization now has to "scramble" to replace the number in around 1000 locations where it is posted -- including on online referrals and the doors to fire stations across the Commonwealth.
"This comes less then 2 years after the DCF lost, or sold-off, the branded URL that had been thousands of times promoted -- [which] now belongs to the Florida Safe Haven law awareness advocacy group," a press release said.
Morrissey said officials would love to be able to have the original number reinstated so that they don't have to make the replacements, but it is "probably not going to happen." He said the number that the organization had been using appears to have been sold to a coupon promotion company out of Utah.
"This is what a young woman in a possible newborn abandonment crisis is now facing when she calls that number that is on hundreds of emergency referral web sites," the release said.
A DCF Spokesperson tells WBZ NewsRadio that there are currently two numbers posted on the Massachusetts website for those in need to reach out. Those numbers are (888)-510-BABY [2229] or (877)-796-HOPE [4673]. The current fast URL to reach Safe Haven is https://www.mass.gov/baby-safe-haven.
The individual added that Baby Safe Haven does not operate the call line or field calls -- as those numbers directs callers to the same counseling support that was previously provided through the old hotline number.
Baby Safe Haven New England has currently begun the process of calling municipal programs, schools, medical centers, and more to have the numbers updated.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio:Facebook|Twitter|Instagram|iHeartmedia App
Written by Rachel Armany
(Photo: Getty Images)