114 STAT. 18 PUBLIC LAW 106-174—FEB. 25, 2000 Public Law 106-174 106th Congress [S. 632] Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness Act 42 USC 14801 note. 42 USC 14801. An Act Feb. 25, 2000 To provide assistance for poison prevention and to stabilize the funding of regional poison control centers. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the "Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness Act". SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress makes the following findings: (1) Each year more than 2,000,000 poisonings are reported to poison control centers throughout the United States. More than 90 percent of these poisonings happen in the home. Fifty- three percent of poisoning victims are children younger than 6 years of age. (2) Poison control centers are a valuable national resource that provide life-saving and cost-effective public health services. For every dollar spent on poison control centers, $7 in medical costs are saved. The average cost of a poisoning exposure call is $32, while the average cost if other parts of the medical system are involved is $932. Over the last 2 decades, the instability and lack of funding has resulted in a steady decline in the number of poison control centers in the United States. Within just the last year, 2 poison control centers have been forced to close because of funding problems. A third poison control center is scheduled to close in April 1999. Currently, there are 73 such centers. (3) Stabilizing the funding structure and increasing accessibility to poison control centers will increase the number of United States residents who have access to a certified poison control center, and reduce the inappropriate use of emergency medical services and other more costly health care services. 42 USC 14802. SEC. 3. DEFINITION. In this Act, the term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 42 USC 14803. SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL TOLL-FREE NUMBER. (a) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary shall provide coordination and assistance to regional poison control centers for the establishment of a nationwide toll-free phone number to be used to access such centers. (b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.— Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the establishment or continued operation
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