Legislation was heard this week in the Health and Human Services Finance Division to increase funding for the Minnesota Poison Control Center by $800,000 a year. These increased funds will be used primarily to maintain and enhance staffing to meet national accreditation standards. Additional uses include: health care provider training; public health surveillance of emerging toxicology/poison issues; and outreach and education targeted to children, disadvantaged communities, and immigrants.
Funding will close a critical funding gap in the $2.9 million budget (comprised of state and federal funds) and ensure timely delivery of important information. The Poison Center serves all of Minnesota by training healthcare professionals, and are often the first to identify emerging public health threats such as food-borne illnesses, tainted medications, and new drugs of abuse. Last year, the Poison Center answered 48,446 calls from all 87 counties. (S.F. 359)
