190.353. Powers and duties of department of health and senior services--establishment of regional poison information center--center to provide certain services.

Powers and duties of department of health and seniorservices--establishment of regional poison informationcenter--center to provide certain services.

190.353. 1. The department of health and senior services shall:

(1) Provide for the establishment of a "Missouri Regional PoisonInformation Center" capable of providing the services described insubsection 2 of this section based on the best demonstrated ability toperform such services as evidenced by past performance of such services andby current certification as a regional poison control center by theAmerican Association of Poison Control Centers. The department shall, inconjunction with local health agencies and health care providers, determinethe region to be served by the center; and

(2) Provide for the establishment of a "Missouri Poison ControlNetwork" to consist of poison prevention and treatment centers throughoutthe state of Missouri, representing all federally designated emergencymedical services areas.

2. The Missouri poison information center shall provide:

(1) A twenty-four-hour toll-free telephone referral and informationservice for the general public and health care professionals, supervised bya physician who is board-certified in the field of clinical toxicology andstaffed by licensed professionals who are certified as informationspecialists or whose certification is pending, according to therequirements of the American Association of Poison Control Centers;

(2) Design and coordination of appropriate public and professionaleducation services in the area of poison treatment and prevention;

(3) Plans for cooperation between the Missouri poison control networkand health and emergency service agencies and associations involved inpoison control activities;

(4) Program evaluation and systematic data collection on poisonexposures in cooperation with the department of health and senior services;and

(5) Coordination of poison control, treatment, and educationactivities of poison prevention and treatment centers.

(L. 1985 H.B. 435 § 2, A.L. 2006 H.B. 1437)